Cal Ripken's name is synonymous with baseball greatness. The former Baltimore Oriole spent 21 seasons in the Major Leagues, recording more than 3,000 hits and breaking the all-time record for consecutive games played, with 2,130. A Major League Hall of Fame inductee, Ripken has remained active in the sport, a passion that includes his own youth leagues and tournaments. While similar to other baseball organizations, Ripken Baseball has its own sets of rules and regulations.
Age Requirements
To qualify for any age group in any Cal Ripken league or tournament, your child must have been born before April 30 of the specified birth year for his respective age group. Proof of age must be submitted to the league office before the start of the tournament, and no exceptions are made. Birth certificates can either be originals or photocopies.
Pitching Limits
While some youth baseball leagues have specific pitch limits for pitchers -- aimed at preventing injury by overuse -- Ripken Baseball does not. It does, however, provide some suggested guidelines.The league doesn't allow pitchers to return to the mound in any game after being pulled. The league also suggests pitchers be removed from the game once fatigued and says that parents should take their sons to a physician if they regularly feel pain while pitching. Pitchers may throw curve balls but should do so only if provided proper training in technique. And pitchers are advised to rest the day after a start, avoiding any overhand throwing in order to recuperate.
Time Limits and Ties
During the regular season only, games may end in ties. If a tiebreaker is necessitated to determine standings, the first tiebreaker is the head-to-head results between the two teams. Next comes total runs allowed -- lowest being the winner -- and lowest single-game runs allowed. If the issue is still not resolved, a coin flip is used to determine the winner. Games may last no more than two hours, beginning with the first pitch, and no inning may be started once two hours have passed. Extra innings may be used to break ties, but only when the time limit has not been reached.
Miscellaneous
Each team playing in a Ripken League must provide the league office with proof of insurance prior to participation. You can have an unlimited number of players on your roster -- but all must be listed at the start of the season -- and you can't have any more than four adult coaches in the dugout at any time. The rules don't stipulate a weight restriction for bats, but for all age groups, bats 2 1/4 to to 2 3/4 inches in diameter may be used.
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