Two games, and the older one is rewritten
The league publishes its 2026 rules and its 2026 policy, and states the difference between its divisions plainly. The 45 teams play baseball rules as modified by SAMSBL -- stealing, throw-outs from the outfield and tags at the plate all as normal.
The 60-and-over game is rebuilt. Five runs maximum per inning. Swap field. No stealing second at all. Second and third may only be stolen if the ball passes the catcher and gets outside the circle. A runner who goes more than halfway down the third base line must continue to the plate. The catcher does not have to tag him -- a foot on the plate with the ball before the runner arrives is an out, and beating the throw is safe. And no throw to first if the ball finds the grass behind the infield.
Mercy is fifteen runs after five innings and twelve after seven, the latter for 45 ball only. Games can end in a tie: if time permits, one extra inning, and if not, the game is over.
The rest is about tempo, because the turns between games are tight -- games start on time, teams hustle out of the dugouts so the next one can start, and managers have lineups ready for the umpires at the plate meeting.
Two divisions playing two different games need two rulebooks in the right hands. A High Cheese league page keeps each division's rules beside its own schedule, at the league's own address.
San Antonio MSBL in detail
- Real hardball in five age divisions, in its fourth decade, on quality fields it says it earned.
- A schedule rebuilt monthly, in red, around rain, high school playoffs and stadium lights.
- Scores are phoned in, standings are published on a Tuesday, and managers must check their own record.
- Scores are telephoned in at the weekend and appear as standings on Tuesday.
- Teams are identified by number in the schedule, and managers are asked to stop them forfeiting.
- Games played is the only figure the league tracks publicly, and it decides the season.
- A league number for calling in scores, and a president who signs everything.
- Tryouts once a year, in February, and you pay to play.
- Four main grounds carrying the season, including a university, an air force base and a stadium.
- A president's bulletin board that doubles as the league's only public record.
- No gallery is published.
- No sponsor is named.
- Top four in each division, and an All-Star team chosen by the players themselves.
- Thirty-two-plus years, counted by the league itself.
- A president, and a managers' meeting that functions as the board.
- Divisions, season length and tryout timing are answered; the fee is not.
- League rules, league policy, league forms and a set of yearbooks.
- Tryouts in February, ball from mid-March, Phoenix in October, and a managers' meeting in January.
- Nothing is for sale, but the uniform gets its own instruction.
- Umpires take lineups at the plate meeting and hold the clock.
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