General Rules

1. The Al Morrison Board respectfully requests that no outside food be brought onto the complex premises.  We are a not for profit organization that relies on our Concession Stand sales to pay for our umpires and concession stand staff.  Thank you for your compliance to this request.
2. There will be NO SMOKING/VAPING allowed at the Al Morrison Baseball Complex during Al Morrison functions. 
3. The use of alcoholic beverages is prohibited on the fields or in the spectator areas.
4. There is NO PARKING in the designated boat trailer parking or in the grass area in front of the parking lot. Violators are subject to tickets from the Dixon Police Department or to be towed at the OWNER of the vehicles expense.
5. COACHES are responsible for their PLAYERS AND FANS sportsmanship and conduct.
6. The Umpire or Board Member in Charge has the authority to stop a game until the offender in the crowd is removed or kept quiet. Abusive language or conduct is cause for ejection from the game.
7. Dixon Park District Unattended Youth Policy: The Dixon Police Department will be contacted by the staff member (or volunteer in charge) to pick up any unattended youth remaining at a site longer than one-half hour following the completion or cancellation of an activity.

1. Managers are responsible for their players and fans sportsmanship and conduct.
2. Control of coaches is the manager's responsibility. The umpires may restrict any coach to the dugout or if necessary eject any coach from the game.  All teams (Future & Bronco) must complete an umpire evaluation after each of their own games.  It should be completed by the Head Coach or his appointee.
3. NO more than five (5) coaches for any game. Those coaches are 1 ^st base, 3^rd base, manager, scorekeeper and pitch count tracker.   Scorekeeper and Pitch Count Tracker may sit in the spectator area, but they will be held to the conduct level appropriate of a coach.  i.e. they should not engage the umpire with conversation (pro or con) that is their team manager's responsibility.
4. Home team manager will be the official scorekeeper. The home team manager will be responsible for reporting scores to the webmaster for official records.
5. Manager must notify opposing team manager of any disciplinary action to his players during the exchange of line ups.   If in game disciplinary action is needed it will be reported to the umpire who is responsible to notify the opposing teams manager/bookkeeper.
6. Future, Bronco and Koufax managers must sign the pitch count record at the end of the game.
7. Managers are responsible for the condition of their dugout.  Continued littering of the dugout may result in a one game suspension.
8. Silenced or Vibrating Cell phones are now allowed in the dugouts .  However, a ringing cell phone is cause for ejection.   If you need to use your cellphone it is proper to move to the spectator area.
9. The use of tobacco in any form by players or coaches in the dugouts, on the benches, or on the playing field is prohibited.
10. Any coach ejected from a game MUST leave the playing/spectator area of their field and give no further direction for the current game.   An ejection will also draw a SUSPENSION for the next game that includes not being in the playing/spectator area for that game.
11. Any coach ejected from more than one game may be removed from the Al Morrison Baseball program.
12. Managers and coaches are not allowed outside of the coaches box after the game begins except in the case of injury to a player or to make repairs on the field (replace bases, mound visits, etc.)
13. Coaches may not enter the playing field to talk to umpires.   They may ask for a conference with the umpires and the opposing manager.  The umpire will have the decision on conducting a conference.
14. A coach restricted to the dugout shall be ejected for further misconduct.
15. Any Bronco or Koufax manager may protest a game in accordance with IHSA Rules.  The actual protested play must be declared to the umpire before the next pitch.  A protest will be acted upon by a quorum of board members excluding any involved.  All protests must be submitted in writing along with $25.00 fee and received by a league official within 24 hours of the games start time.  (The $25.00 fee will be returned if the protest is upheld.) Protest will not be accepted for Judgement calls.  Example: Manager disagreed with the call of out or safe.

1. ALL PLAYERS (except T-ball) should wear protective cups. Catchers MUST wear protective cups along with all other catchers gear.
2. HEART GUARD shirts are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED at ALL LEVELS. Heart guard shirt or removable heart guard is MANDATORY for pitchers in Future, Bronco, and Koufax leagues.
3. NO STEEL SPIKES are allowed in the Al Morrison Program.
4. Uniforms will consist of a matching hat and shirt.  Complete uniforms must be worn to all games.  Shirts are to be tucked in at all times.
5. Jewelry of any kind may not be worn by players. Medical Info medallions are acceptable.
6. Pitchers can NOT wear shirts with long white sleeves.
7. Managers are responsible for all equipment issued to them.  Equipment that needs to be exchanged or replaced must be done with the Equipment Commissioner.  At the last game equipment must be turned into the Equipment Commissioner. 
8. Altering of equipment to gain an unfair advantage in the Al Morrison Baseball League is strictly prohibited.

Bat rules for each league are located on the league page. Violating the bat rules in any leagues results in the player being called out as long as it is found before a pitch to the next batter. Stepping into the batters box with an illegal bat is considered using an illegal bat.

1. The official game time starts with the first pitch.The next inning officially starts at the 3 out in the bottom of the previous inning.
2. The second game of a double header night game must start by 8:30 p.m.
3. Time lost to a ball players serious injury will be made up at the umpires discretion.
4. Teams will be allowed a ten (10) minute grace period after the official starts the game to field enough players (7 players available will cause the game to start) before a forfeit is declared.
5. INCLEMENT WEATHER - The Board Member in Charge or designated representative has the decision to start and re-start delayed games.  Decisions will be made by 4 p.m. of game day (earlier if possible).   If the games are canceled, a text message will be sent to all coaches and notice will be posted on the Al Morrison Baseball Website and Facebook page. Parents should contact their coach if there is a question about the status of the game.
6. Rain delays will stop play with no time lost.  (games following on that day may be affected as to start time)  All games will have a time limit. (please see time limit rules within each league specific rules)   It is possible to tie.
7. Umpires have the final decision to halt play once the game has started. The Board Member in Charge has the final say to postpone or cancel a game.
8. Rained out, suspended or postponed games will be rescheduled by the commissioner at the commissioners sole discretion. Koufax will follow Byron League protocol. Managers must play the game on the rescheduled date or forfeit.
9. There are no pitch count rule exceptions because of rain outs, suspended games or postponements. Even in a rain stopped game ALL pitches count and need to be on the pitch count sheet that is to be signed by both managers (they will be considered for pitch count as if it was a normally finished game).  Pitch count is to protect the pitcher, so when games are rescheduled pitchers are under the normal pitch count rules based on their last outing.

1. The team listed first on the schedule is the visiting team. They must occupy the first base dugout.
2. All warm ups are to be in the outfield area.
3. No soft toss into any fence with hardballs.  Wiffle balls only.
4. During the pre-game conference, both teams are to remain in their dugout or bullpen area until the pre-game conference has been completed.
5. Teams must start play with a minimum of seven (7) players and will take two (2) outs at the bottom of the order.  Refusal to play will result in a forfeit.
6. No trades will be allowed.
7. Late players may be inserted into the line-ups at any time once the game starts but must be placed at the bottom of the batting order.

SAFETY is the key word in this topic, we want collisions avoided at first base.  It will not be mandated that the fielder uses the white and the runner the orange.  It is the RUNNERS responsibility to avoid contact with the first baseman if there is a play at first base.  The first baseman can use EITHER the white base or the orange base, the runner can see which base the 1st baseman is using and must avoid contact and use the other.  On most plays, the 1st baseman will use the white base.  However, in instances of an errant throw or a bunt or even a dropped 3rd strike (Bronco only) the first baseman may utilize the orange base as the runner seeing this would use the white base.  AGAIN, THE OBJECTIVE IS TO AVOID A POSSIBLE INJURY FROM A COLLISION.  IF there is NOT A REASONABLE play at first base (the ball went into the outfield) the first baseman must vacate the base allowing the runner to proceed unobstructed.  Under no situation will the first baseman be allowed to block both the white and orange base,  in this instance the first baseman would also be obstructing the runner.

If a player is ejected from a game, the player will be suspended for the next game as well.  Player ejections are the decision of the umpire.

International tie breaker rules will be used for any extra innings in tournament games.   In each 1/2  of the inning, the batting team will start with a runner at second base (the last official batter of the previous inning).   The game will be played to completion in this manner.