Cape Cod Senior Softball League

The Latest CCSSL News

GENERAL LEAGUE ANNOUNCEMENT

The Board of Directors need to clarify the Saturday Fall Ball activities cited in the Board minutes of September 18, 2020.

Board members did discuss this item and determined that we (CCSSL) would not join activities with Cape Save’s Saturday morning program due to our constant concerns with COVID-19, but did suggest that any CCSSL member who wants to continue their softball activities into late Fall are encouraged to approach Mike McCluskey (Cape Save) with their interest. (919-593-5939; michael.mccluskey@capesave.com )

However, the CCSSL will make both Potter and Memorial available for Fall Ball if someone expressed interest to organize a viable program. Mike has contacted the Commissioner and would like approval to serve in this capacity. This has been approved.

The following is the agreed plan for a Fall Ball Program:

1. All CCSSL members are invited to sign up to play Saturday Fall Ball which will be held at Potter and Memorial Field as needed.
2. All interested persons should contact Mike McCluskey, Fall Ball Coordinator, so he can organize teams.(See above)
3. Fall Ball Program will be free—no charge to CCSSL members. No funds will be collected for any purpose.
4. Games/Program begins Saturday September 26 @ 9:00AM – Noon and will continue into late November.
5. Further, the Tuesday and Thursday morning softball activities shall continue into late Fall--batting practice, etc. All CCSSL members are welcome to attend 9:00AM – Noon at Potter Field.

We are simply opening up the fields for all members who wish to continue their softball activities. But, remember—wear masks, social distance—be vigilant and careful.  HAVE FUN!!

Van Khachadoorian, Commissioner

The 2020 CCSSL annual meeting, like everything else in 2020, will be unlike any other. Because of numbers, we will not be able to meet in person. Elections with expired terms are always filled at the annual meeting. The nominations committee has come up with a slate of candidates, but currently there is one candidate for each position.

The candidates are:

• Division 1 President      John Houser
• Division 2 President      Brian Hastings
• Division 3 President      Jim Gresis
• Division 4 President      Mike Hanafee
• Masters President         Bill Prodgers
• Director at Large          Mike Barry

Normally, we would accept nominations from the floor. However, this year, that will not be possible. So, we will open it up for the next seven days for “virtual nominations from the floor.” If you would like to submit a nomination for another candidate, send that name and the office to Peter Cutler, Chair of the Nomination Committee

peterkcutler@hotmail.com

Nominations from the floor will close at 5 PM on Monday September 28, 2020. 

Players:

As we approach our softball season end date for 2020, there are a few minor tasks which must be completed:

• Team Managers are to collect players’ shirts prior to the final game of the Division schedule.
• Players should wash their shirts and return them to the Manager. If Managers are more comfortable with the collection of all players shirts and then washing the entire team’s shirts, that is their choice.
• Once all team shirts have been washed then Managers should store the entire inventory of team shirts for redistribution in 2021 OR give the entire inventory of team shirts to their Division President for storage.

Further information regarding the continuation of playing softball into the first week of November:

We will keep open both Potter and Memorial Fields every Saturday morning from 9:00AM  to noon for all CCSSL members who wish to remain actively engaged re Hitting a bucket of balls or, if a large group of players want to organize a fun pick-up game, we encourage all to show up during this extended Fall season.

If this additional opportunity does not materialize with reasonable participation we will then close both fields for the 2020 season until we reconnect once again in 2021.

Good luck—Stay Safe!!

CCSSL Covid Safety Protocols

            Given the wealth of “social media” outlets available today, there are an overabundant “sources” regarding the corona virus.   “Masks work”…”Masks don’t”;  “Surface contact results in minimum infection”….”Wash your hands numerous times a day”;  and, the best one,  “The virus is all a government hoax !!”

             People have differing opinions as to what is needed and/or appropriate to safe guard ourselves and loved ones from sickness.  The Board of the CCSSL has developed these protocols for our league to try and assure the safety of our players as much as possible but there are always unforeseen issues in any physical competition.  Therefore players should be diligent to follow these protocols but may also add to them at their own discretion. Until such time until the COVID threat has passed, players will be required to adhere to these protocols while playing in our league.  Should the State and/or local guidelines change, the CCSSL will adjust these protocols accordingly.

1.  If you have any symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath, sore throat), do not come to play. Please stay at home.

2.  Masks:   It has been documented by medical experts that wearing a cloth

        mask does not protect the wearer from infection.  However, it’s been clearly established that the purpose of the mask is to protect others around us.

       Only an N95  quality mask will protect the wearer.  So, all players will be required to wear a mask around their neck at all times (*see below*)

      Simply put, NO MASK NO PLAY.   However, the mask must be only worn over their nose and mouth under the following conditions:

              a.  For members of the team at bat:

       (1.)  All members of the batting team must social distance (at least 6 feet apart) or cover their mouth and nose with a mask. 

If players on a team do not do this, the first time a warning will be issued, subsequent occurrences by anyone on the team will result  in an “out” to the team.

         (2.)  When a player is on base, if a defensive player is within 6 feet and wearing a mask, the runner must cover his/her nose and mouth with the mask.  The first time a warning ill be issued, subsequent occurrences by the player will result in the runner being  called “out.

            b.  For members of the team in the field:

 (1.) The catcher must cover his/her nose and mouth OR be at least 6 feet (minimum social dist)  behind the batter

(2.)  If a runner reaches base, the baseman must cover his/her nose and mouth OR stand at least 6 feet away from the runner. If field players do not do this, the runner will be awarded the next base.  

           Summary:  “If a player is within your social distance (6 ft minimum), you must put your mask over your mouth and nose.”

Example of masks that are easy to wear and pull up, if necessary, but any “nose and mouth” covering will work.  The picture will follow this notice.  The only requirement is that it must be worn throughout the game and pulled over the nose and mouth when necessary.

3.  Bats:   All players should have, and use. Their own bat. 

a.  Players should keep their bat in, or near, their bat bag.  Each player should use only his/her bat.  NO BATS IN THE BAT RACK.

b.  If a player doesn’t have a bat, the manager may designate a “team bat” for use by that player.  This bat will be placed at the backstop on the team’s side of the field.  Should multiple players have need to use the ONE team bat, it is each player’s responsibility to wipe that bat with disinfectant prior to using it.  A player knowing that he/she will need to use the team bat   should provide their own disinfectant wipes.

c.  If the player at bat gets a hit, the batter who is to bat after the batter on deck should pick up the bat by the barrel with a batting glove and return it to the fence for the owner to retrieve.

d.  At the end of the inning, all bats should be returned to their proper place by their owners.  “Team bat” laid down by the backstop.

4.  Game Balls:  Each team is to provide a new game ball for use when the team is in the field.  The pitcher will be responsible for taking the ball on and off the field.  The pitcher may sanitize the ball every inning or as he/she sees fit.  The league will provide 1 package of sanitizing wipes to the pitcher expressly for this purpose.

Should a ball go out of play (foul etc). the team on the field should have a backup ball ready to go until the game ball is returned.

Note:   Since pitchers and catchers handle to ball the most during a game, it is strongly recommended that these players wear a glove on their throwing hand for extra protection.

5.  Pre-Game batting:  Each team may take pre-game batting under the following conditions:

a.  Teams will use tournament batting practice.  – Batters hit from 1st or 3rd into their own team half of the outfield.

b.  Teams should provide their own practice balls.  NO SHARING

c..  Batting practice is limited to 5 hits per player.

6.  End of the game congratulations: - NO SHAKING OF HANDS, BUMPING ELBOWS, HIGH FIVES OR ANY PHYSICAL CONTACT.  It is recommended that players simply wish each other “Good Game”.

7.   Hand-sanitizer:  It is suggested that every player bring their own bottle and use it frequently during games. Also, it is very important to refrain from touching your face at anytime during play. If the virus happens to be on a surface you touch, then touching your face exponentially increases the chance of you contracting it.

All of the current rules and regulations for play in the CCSSL are still in place.  For the 2020 season a “Veer Rule” will be in affect at BOTH 2nd and 3rd base.  If the base is occupied, or about to be occupied,  by an infielder, the runner MUST veer.

          “2020 Veer Rule” – In the judgement of the umpire if a player crosses the plane of the base that he/she is going to prior to the fielder at that base having control of the ball, the runner will be declared safe.”   

Frankly, none of us want to play softball under these conditions.  We would all like softball and our lives to be back the “way they were”.   The Board sincerely appreciates your cooperation in following these protocols.

The 2019 Joseph Cassidy Spirit of Softball Award winner is Wayne Draeger who has made the CCSSL Classic the envy of softball tournaments.  Thank you, Wayne for all of your hard work!

The CCSSL’s 70’s Travel Team began the 2019 Tournament Season accepting an invitation to play in the Fifth Annual East Coast Senior Softball Tournament in Pompano Beach, Florida March 7th, 8th and 9th.

Playing together for the first time as the Cape Cod Dugout Dawgs, the team was seeded fourth out of 14 teams competing in the 70s age group.

The highlight of the tournament was on day two when the Dugout Dawgs beat last year’s Tournament Champion and this year’s number one seed Cc Medical Services 18-8. Cc Medical is rated by SSUSA as a Major Team.

The ECSS Tournament allows only 65 minutes per game and batters began each at-bat with a one and one count. The Dugout Dawgs batted all 14 players each game producing 118 hits with the team batting average of .608.

Additional tournament activity is planned this year including the Cape classic in September and the SSUSA Winter Nationals in Fort Myers, Florida in November.

Welcome to Our Player Profile Form!

We are looking to collect information on our players so that we can develop a profile that tells about the varied backgrounds of players. None of this information will be used to talk about individual players. It will allow us build a composite profile of the players in our league for public relations and fundraising purposes only.

Just Think, if You Apply This Year at the Age of 50, You Could be Playing for the Next 47 Years!

Senior Softball Team Features a 97 Year Old Catcher and a 90 Year Old Pitcher!

Watch the Report Here

As you enter the path that leads to Memorial Field, be sure to take a look to your left and see the new memorial to Joe Cassidy, the founder of our league! Joe is the player who made this possible for all of us by starting Senior Softball here on Cape Cod back in 1987.

This is John Pontius and I'm posting that I lost my bat. I play in division I and I believe I left it behind on Thursday September 24th, possibly in the parking lot of the Harwich fields.

The bat is a Miken Ultra II 26 oz. and barely broken in.

Thanks,

John Pontius

Click Here

***************

Sponsor Spotlight

Click here to see all of our sponsors

***************

We Need Your Ideas!

Please leave your suggestions and ideas here

Have you lost something?  Looking to sell equipment?  In the market for equipment?  Be sure to check out the Bulletin Board by

Clicking Here

Check Out this Video Production About the CCSSL

Click Here

Listen to the podcast from WOMR/WFMR radio about the CCSSL

Click Here

Rules Forum

Keep current with the rules of the game by clicking here

Visit Website

A Proud Sponsor of the Cape Cod Senior Softball League

If you have information for the website, photos to post, or items for the bulletin board send via e-mail to terrymoran71@comcast.net