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Code of Ethics

For Amateur Baseball Tournaments

  1. Baseball is played by gentlemen.
  2. Good conduct on and off the playing field isa mark of distinction.
  3. Players should take pride in having clean uniforms,and uniforms should fit the person. Dirty or unfituniforms will not be permitted in the state tournament.
  4. Players should always display interest in the game,and “Hustle” on and off the field.
  5. Players should show respect to umpires and spectators.On a questionable decision given by the umpire, letthe manager front for you.
  6. Umpires should be uniformly dressed and be as inconspicuous as possible while handling a ballgame.
  7. Umpires should never fraternize with managers or players.
  8. Games should always start promptly. Remember, the audience is half of the game.
  9. No smoking by players while on playing field.
  10. Give the best you’ve got!

CONSTITUTION,BY-LAWS OF THE WISCONSIN BASEBALL ASSN.,INC.


  • Article 1 - Name

    This organization shall be known as the Wisconsin Baseball Association, Inc.

  • Article 2 - Purpose

    The purpose of this organization shall be:

    1. To unite all Wisconsin amateur baseball leagues under one Association.
    2. To perpetuate annual State tournaments to determine Wisconsin’s champion.
    3. To encourage and improve the standard of baseball throughout the state.

  • Article 3 - Membership

    1. Only organized Wisconsin amateur baseball leagues having four or more teams are eligible for membership in the Association, provided said leagues are in good standing and comply with the rules.
    2. Each league shall file with the Association Secretary a copy of its by-laws, certified to by its President and Secretary, immediately after adoption by the league.
    3. The annual dues of the Wisconsin Baseball Association, Inc. shall be $35.00 per league. Said dues shall be payable on or before June 1st of the current year to the treasurer of the Association. Such dues shall be authorized by the respective league officials and paid from its treasury.
    4. Membership in the Association shall be voluntary, but once accepted into membership each league, league members, and league officials agree to abide by the Constitution and By-laws and all decisions of theBoard of Directors.

  • Article 4 - Government

    1. The government of the Association and management of its affairs shall be vested in a board of thirteen directors to be elected for terms of three years.
    2. Seven directors shall constitute a quorum at any regularly called meeting. All business transacted bythe board of directors shall bind the Association.
    3. At the annual meeting of the association, one representative of each league in good standing shall be certified to vote for election of members to the board of directors. This representative shall be the president, or in his absence, the vice president, or in his absence, the secretary of each respective league,or other authorized representative.
    4. At the annual meeting for the year 1954, held January 10, three directors were elected for terms of one year; two for terms of two years, and two for terms of three years; there after all elections shall befor the full term of three years.
    5. Directors shall be elected from a list prepared by a nominating committee appointed by the chair at the annual meeting and from nominations made from the floor.

  • Article 5 - Officers

    1. The officers of the Association shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
    2. The Board of Directors shall meet and elect a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer,of and for the Association for the succeeding year, or until their successors are elected and duly qualified.

  • Article 6 - Officers Duties

    1. The President shall preside over all meetings of the Association, appoint all committees, including the Arbitration Committee, and perform all such executive and administrative work as would naturally fall within the duties of his office. He shall also set definite areas for each Director to cover in the promotion of the Associations Welfare.
    2. In the absence of the President, at any meeting of the Association, the Vice President shall exercise the powers and duties of the President.
    3. Shall both be absent, the Secretary or Treasurer shall preside.
    4. The Secretary shall keep a record of all meetings of the Association and of the Board of Directors, and shall perform such executive and administrative work as would naturally fall within the duties of his office.He shall be entitled to such fixtures, books, stationery and clerical help as the duties of his office may require.
    5. The Treasurer shall be custodian of all funds, and render an account to the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall make disbursements of all funds of the Association by check. All bills and disbursements,however, are subject to the approval of the Board ofDirectors.

  • Article 7 - Committee and Duties

    1. The Association shall have a Tournament Committee which shall consist of all members of The Board of Directors. This committee shall supervise and manage the State Tournament. It shall also have such other powers and duties as are further defined in these by-laws.
    2. The Association shall have an Arbitration Committee consisting of three Directors appointed by the President. This committee shall hear and decide all appeal questions submitted under Article II.
    3. An auditing committee shall be appointed by the President to audit the Association books upon request of any director.

  • Article 8 - Resignations and Vacancies

    1. Any officer or member of any committee resigning during his term of office shall present his resignationin writing to the secretary of the Association.
    2. In case of such resignation, or of vacancies for any other reason in any office or committee post, a successor shall be elected by the board of directors to fill the unexpired term.
    3. In the event of resignation or death of a director, his post shall remain vacant until the next succeeding annual meeting, when a successor may be elected to complete the unexpired portion of his term.
    4. Inactive Board members who fail to attend three consecutive Board meetings may be removed from the Board by majority vote for other Board members.

  • Article 9 - Meetings

    1. The Association shall hold an annual meeting to be centrally located and held at such time and place asis designated each year by the Board of Directors,such meeting to be held on or before May 1 in each year.
    2. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held at the call of the President or at the written request of at least three Directors, such meetings to be held at such time and place designated by the President.
    3. Roberts Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of all meetings.

  • Article 10 - Order of Business

    1. Roll Call
    2. Reading of minutes and communications
    3. Reports of officers
    4. Reports of directors and committees
    5. Unfinished business
    6. New business
    7. Good of the Association
    8. Adjournment

  • Article 11 - Appeals

    1. Any team of a member league may appeal a disputed game decision or other league question to the Arbitration Committee, provided that such team has first requested a hearing by its own League and a decision has been rendered or hearing refused by the League.
    2. A certified check for $100.00 and an affidavit by an officer of the league or bonafide evidence showing that a hearing has been refused by the League, must accompany all appeals, which must be in writing to the Arbitration Committee.
    3. Two representatives of each appealing team and two officials from the league involved shall be permitted to appear before the Arbitration Committee.
    4. Any protests or questions involving the outcome of league games must be resolved by the league or Arbitration Committee prior to commencement of State Tournament play. The league decision shall govern unless the appeal is submitted to the Arbitration Committee at least five days before State Tournament play begins. All decisions of the Arbitration Committee shall be final and the teams and leagues bound thereby.

  • Article 12 - Player Eligibility

    1. All leagues shall have bonafide home players who receive no salary or payment for playing ball.
    2. Ahome player is one who resides within a radiusspecified by his own league, but in no event is suchradius to exceed twenty-five (25) miles from theballpark.
      1. A league may apply annually for an exception tothe 25 mile limit. It cannot be automatically renewed.
    3. The residence of a player shall mean his votingresidence, or in the case of a minor his parents’voting residence, Thirty (30) days prior to May 1 ofthe current baseball season, provided that:
      1. A college student shall be allowed to play at his hometown or at the college or school he is working at or attending. He shall not however,be allowed to establish a third residence while he is employed, teaching or going to school fulltime.
      2. A player returning after discharge or on furlough from the armed services shall have the same eligibility status as he enjoyed at the time he entered service, and shall not be required to establish new residence.
    4. In any league where a player has been classified as a legal resident ballplayer for a period of two continuous years of playing he may be continued to be classified as such until he stops playing with that particular team, regardless of his future residence. If his team folds he may continue to play for any teamin that league, providing the new team is within 25 miles of his original team’s ballpark. Any player who played for a team and moved away and is fifty years old or older, can return to his original team and be a rostered player
    5. All players must sign player agreement forms to play with a particular team in that league. No player shall jump an agreement or sign an agreement with another team in the same or another league unless he is first released from his agreement by the firstteam. Player agreement forms must be signed in triplicate and 2 copies sent to league secretaries by July 1. League secretaries shall forward 1 copy to the WBA secretary by July 10.
      1. A$25.00 fine shall be assessed against aleague that does not file their rosters andleague schedules with the WBAsecretary byJuly 10.
      2. Anyone appearing in a team line-up prior to July 1 must appear on the player’s agreement form, with a limit of 5 roster moves. Leagues may have a stricter rule. (This was approved at the March 30, 1996 annual meeting.)
    6. Any player who was released by a team to play with another team in the same or a different league will not be permitted to return to the first team or league during the current season.
    7. If a player is present for and not allowed to play in three (3) consecutive games, he may apply to the Board of Directors of the Association for his release from his contract if the manager of the team refuses to release him.
    8. Any player who has played in professional ball in Class A or higher, as listed by National Professional Baseball Leagues, will not be eligible to play on anyteam in any member league for a period of six (6)calendar months from the time he played his last professional game. This rule shall not apply to any person who played professional ball on a trial basis only for the period (or combination of trial periods) of not more than sixty (60) days.

  • Article 13 - Qualifying Requirements for State Tournament Play

    The following rules shall govern the entry of all member leagues and teams in State Tournament play regardless of governing rules of any individual league.
    1. Each team may have eighteen (20) players on its roster. A roster list must be certified by the league President and Secretary and filed with the Association Secretary not later than four (4) days prior to commencement of tournament play. All players must be listed under their correct name, and if known by an assumed name, such other name must be indicated also.
    2. Every player listed shall have played in three (3) or more games for that team during the regular league season games, provided that any persons playing high school or American Legion summer ball, in authorized sports programs, may be eligible to play in State Tournaments without compliance with this rule,so long as other WBA rules are complied with and so long as such persons sign a player agreement with the team involved prior to July 1 of the current year.
    3. Each team entering final tournament play is permit-ted to draft 1 player for semi-finals, 2 players for finals from a non-qualifing team. No redrafting and draft must be done before tournament starts. The Association Secretary must be notified of the names of drafted players at least four (4) days before commencement of the State Tournament finals. A drafted player shall wear his home team uniform.
    4. The tournament committee shall request each WBA league to designate eligible teams from their league according to their league standings to participate in the state semi-final tournament play. If the league schedule has not been completed the highest ranking eligible teams shall represent the league. The number of teams participating from each league shall be determined by the size of the league and the number of WBA leagues.
    5. The host town or community shall also be permittedto enter a team in the semi-final tournament being conducted at that site.
    6. In the case of an interstate league, out of state teamsshall be treated the same as Wisconsin teams in WBA stournaments.
    7. All leagues must submit their tournament entries to the Association Secretary not later than one (1) weekprior to commencement of tournament play.
    8. Any member team in a 50-mile radius of atournament site must get permission from the tournament committee to play any league gamesduring tournament play.
    9. Any team playing in the state tournaments that leaves the field of play during the game over a disputed decision shall forfeit their game and be deprived of its share of the receipts of the tournament.
    10. Drafted players shall not be counted in determining a teams 20-player roster limit.
    11. Rosters submitted by a team may not be changed after being filed with the Association Secretary.
    12. Any team that permits an ineligible player to participate in any State Tournament games in violation of Article 12, or violates any of the tournament qualifying requirements set forth in Article 13, or violates the membership requirements of Article 3, shall immediately be barred from further state tournament play and shall be deprived of such team’s share of tournament receipts. All games already played by such team in the tournament shall be considered forfeited and tournament standings shall be determined by the Tournament Committee in such manner deemed necessary for orderly completion of the state tournaments.
    13. If a team fails to show up with at least 9 players for tournament semi-final on final play they will be ineligible for WBA post season play for two years.
    14. League size for tournament play shall be determined by the number of player agreement forms handed in to the WBA by July 10.

  • Article 14 - Rules and Instructions for State Tournaments

    1. State Tournaments shall be conducted each year by the Association, with a series of semi-final tournaments to be conducted first and a subsequent final tournament to be conducted to determine the Wisconsin Baseball Association Champion. Each state semi-final tournament shall be under the direction of supervision of a member of the Board of Directors who shall be designated by the President as the Regional Director for that region. The state final tournament shall be under the direction and supervision of the Board of Directors, acting as theTournament Committee.
    2. Each year at the annual meeting the State Tournament format shall be established for the current year, designating the number of state semi-final tournaments to be held by the Association and specifying the leagues which are to participate in each semi final tournament, and establishing the general conditions of tournament site bids.
    3. Thereafter the Tournament Committee shall determine the sites of all state semi-final tournaments and the site of the state final tournament, giving due consideration to any bids received and the best interests of the Wisconsin Baseball Association.
    4. The admission charge for state tournaments shall be established by the Tournament Committee.
    5. The following tournament final expenses shall be paid by the Wisconsin Baseball Association:
      1. Publicity
      2. Tickets
      3. Umpires
      4. Baseballs
      All other tournament expenses at each tournament site shall be paid by the host.There shall be no allowance for rental of ball parks nor for ballpark maintenance.
    6. The net receipts of the tournament shall be divided pro rata, on a per team per game basis, among the teams playing in the tournament. The championship team shall receive $50 in addition to team shares.Net receipts shall not be distributed until after the conclusion of the state tournaments, at which time the Board of Directors shall give full and complete record to the competing teams.
    7. The Tournament Committee shall select all umpires for the state tournaments.
    8. In state tournament play, it shall not be necessary that games go the full nine innings if weather or other conditions interfere. It is a regulation game if it is called by the umpire on account of darkness, rain, or other cause which in the umpire’s judgement interferes with further play, providing five or more equal innings have been played, or if the team second at bat shall have made more runs at the end of its fourth inning, or before the completion of the fifth inning, than the team first at bat has made in five consecutive innings. If a game shall be halted aftermore than one (1) complete inning, but less than a regulation game for any reason the game shall be suspended and resumed the next playing day.
    9. The state baseball tournaments shall be guided by the American League playing rules. The designated hitter (DH) must bat in the spot assigned to him on the line-up card and only in that spot. The player for which he was designated hitter can only bat in the DH spot of that order. The defensive player named for the DH may bat for the DH at any time during the game in the DH line-up spot, but from that point on no DH may be used.
    10. All players must use approved protective helmet while batting and running bases.
    11. If any questions arise concerning tournament play at any time, including questions on player eligibility,team eligibility, team pairings, interpretation of rules or by-laws or any other questions what-so-ever, the regional tournament director shall be notified of the questions and he in turn shall immediately notify the secretary of the association. The secretary shall immediately answer the question if he can. If his answer is accepted by the parties involved, his answer shall stand as the answer of the association.In the event his answer is not accepted or if the secretary cannot answer the question, then the secretary shall immediately notify at least 6 Boardmembers by telephone of the issue raised and the majority vote of such Board members shall decide the issue and the secretary shall immediately notify the regional director of such decision.In the event the regional director is not notified of the decision before the event in question is to take place, the decision of the regional director shall control. Nothing in this rule shall prohibit the Board of Directors from making any decision on any question whatsoever in relation to tournament play and the Board of Directors may at any time decide any questions which are raised at any time even if such decision overrules a decision made by the secretary or a decision made by the regional director. Such decision of the Board of Directors shall be final and all members shall be bound thereby without any right of further appeal to any local, state, or federal administrative body or court.
    12. Any player, manager, team, league, or official participating in the state tournaments shall comply with all rules set forth herein, and with all decisions made by the Board of Directors, and refusal to comply with any such rule or decision shall subject a person, team or league to a fine of up to $50.00 by the Association. Any such fines may be deducted from the team’s share of tournament receipts. Any penalties set by the Association shall be final.

  • Article 15 - Amendments

    1. This constitution and by-laws may be amended by a majority vote of league representatives present at an annual meeting or a meeting called for that purpose.
    2. Any member league or member of the Board of Directors may initiate a proposed amendment to the constitution or by-laws. The secretary shall then present the amendment for consideration at the next annual meeting of the association, or, if the board of directors approves, at a special meeting called for that purpose.
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