The Twin City Men’s Senior Baseball League at McLean Co PONY is organized, recreational baseball for players age 30 and older.  (Players under age 30 may be considered by request.)

Participants in this league are mostly past their prime but may still play with the vigor and intensity of a younger man, as long as they respect the umpires, their fellow players and remember that children may be within proximity of the field and dugouts.    

Games will be played on the Colt Field at the Shira Baseball Complex, 4007 Ireland Grove Rd., Bloomington IL.  If weather is an issue please call the league’s weather hotline at 309-823-0402.

Players are expected to arrive at the ballpark at least 20-30 minutes prior to the scheduled start of a game.  If a player is unable to play in a game, he is expected to contact the league office at 309-824-7265 or MCPONYBB@aol.com as soon as possible.  If a player fails to notify the league office in advance of his absence he may be suspended or expelled from the league.

Players on the home team for the final game each day are responsible for putting away the bases, raking and watering the mound and home plate areas, grooming the infield and placing the tarps after the game.

Players on all teams are responsible for making sure the defensive positions-by-inning sheet is accurate and the scorebook is correct for their team, including RBI, stolen bases and numeric indication of outs (correct= 6-3, 7, 2-6  incorrect= GO, FO, CS…and shortstop is 6, left fielder is 7 and so on for those who think otherwise.)

National Federation rules apply except as modified below (or by the league coordinator):

Only wood or composite bats are allowed.  No sharing of personal bats.  Knobs of league bats are painted blue or red.  Follow this rule:  Do not touch a bare knob, unless it is your own.

Jewelry that is not dangerous, distracting or bizarre is allowed.

Games will be 9 innings or 2:30 time limit.  (Extra innings will be played if score is tied and time limit has not been reached.)  If a team is ahead by 10 or more runs at the end of an inning and the lead exceeds the minutes left on the timer, the game is over.

It is the player’s responsibility to put his name in the lineup before the game and choose where he will play on defense each inning.  Players should sit out consecutive innings only by choice.

All players will be in the batting lineup and will wear a colored jersey with white baseball pants.  Players on the home team will wear a white vest over the jersey.  If a player arrives late, he can be added at the end of the order.  If a player leaves early, his spot is skipped with no penalty.

Pitchers may pitch up to 10 innings over any two-week period, 50 innings for the season (including tournament.)  If a pitcher is removed, he cannot return to pitch in that game.

Courtesy runners are discouraged but may be used for an injured player only and will be treated as a “ghost runner.”  He may not steal bases, may not advance on passed balls or wild pitches or if a play is made on him and may advance only as many bases as the batter on a batted ball (one base if forced and the batter is out at first.) 

No intentional collisions or fake tags allowed.  If the umpire determines an offensive player could have avoided the collision, all runners are out.  If the umpire determines a defensive player made a fake tag or caused a collision it will be ruled obstruction and bases awarded accordingly.