 Over-The-Line Softball (aka OTL), was born on the beaches of Southern California over 50 years ago. Today, tournaments are held almost year round up and down the coast of California, from San Diego to Santa Barbara. Arizona and Nevada also host OTL tournaments.
The Over The Line World Championships are held each year at Fiesta Island in San Diego. This tournament hosts over 1,200 teams and covers two weekends. It is a great opportunity to see OTL in person, do some people watching, and just generally have a good time.
OTL Organizations
If you have information that is more up to date than what I have shown, or know of an organization that I don't have listed here, please drop me an e-mail at savagelizard@gmail.com. Thanks!
All Weather Fools Athletic Club (AWFAC)
By e-Mail: tamstearns@shaw.ca
Crown Point OTL
On the web: http://www.cpotl.com/
El Centro Events
By phone: Joey (760) 353-4291
Jr. OTL
On the web: http://www.otlpa.com
Mexico Events
By phone: John Fowler (602) 840-1528
By e-Mail: SantaClausClub@hotmail.com
Old Mission Beach Athletic Club (OMBAC)
By e- Mail: OTL@ombac.org
On the web: www.ombac.org
By mail: Old Mission Beach Athletic Club, P.O. Box 90157, San Diego, CA 92169-2157
Over The Line Players Association (OTLPA)
By e- Mail: Snatcher3@aol.com
On the web: http://www.otlpa.com
By mail: OTLPA, 3890 Carson St., San Diego, CA 92117
Phoenix Events
By e- Mail: drbrennan@cox.net
Prescott Events
By phone: Don Fishel (928) 777-1553
By e- Mail: don.fishel@cityofprescott.net
San Diego Beach Softball Club (SDBSC)
By e- Mail: lomw@san.rr.com, lmmcgowan@hotmail.com, or jdossett@semprautilities.com
By mail: SDBSC, 737 Cole Ranch Rd., Olivehein, CA 92024
On the web: www.sdbsc.com
Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department (SBPRD)
By phone: Adult Sports Office (805) 564-5422
By phone: Chris Foster (805) 252-3398
By mail: 620 Laguna Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
On the web: www.santa-barbara.ca.us/departments/parks_and_recreation
Southern California Over The Line (SCOTL)
By phone: Russ Johnson (562) 866-8685
By mail: 10473 Mapledale St., Bellflower, CA 90706
By e-mail: russ.johnson@scotl.org
On the web: www.scotl.org
Tucson OTL
Contact: Mike Kidder (520) 722-3465
Yuma Parks & Recreation
Contact: Bill Vaughn (928)-373-5240
By e-Mail: bill.vaughn@ci.yuma.az.us
On the web: www.ci.yuma.az.us/parks-rec.htm
By Mail: One City Plaza, P.O. Box 13012, Yuma, AZ 85366-301
OTL Schedule
I have removed the OTL schedule from this page. In the old days, the organizations running the tournaments didn't have much on the web to allow people to keep up with things. But most of them have something up now, and they all have pretty complete schedules. Thus, there is really no reason to duplicate the effort, so just click on the links above to get info directly from the source.
Other OTL Links
BP Sports - Players at OMBAC must use wooden bats, so if you want a very nice custom bat, BP Sports will hook you up. You choose the weight and colors, and your hardwood maple bat will be created. You can even have it custom inscribed with your name or team name. BP also has other goodies for OTL and other sports.
Bastard Sons OTL - info about our OTL team.
Rules
(from the OMBAC program, rules at other tournaments may vary)
 The ball is a standard 12" softball with an orange rubber cover. Some tournaments use the 16" 'Big Ball.'
The Over-The-Line court looks something like this:
1. PLAYERS - Three players per team, substitutes allowed if player has not played for any other team. A replaced player may not re-enter the same game.
2. AT BAT POSITIONS - Bat from home (marked). Teammate pitches from anywhere in front of "The Line."
3. FIELDING POSITIONS - Fielders may play anywhere past "The Line" or its extensions.
4. HITS - (A) Ball hit into fair territory on the fly without being caught by fielders. (B) Any ball touched and dropped by fielders. (C) Fielder crossing "The Line" or its extensions when attempting to catch the ball (see Rule 12).
5. HOME RUNS - Any ball hit PAST the last player in fair territory, on the fly without being touched (not necessarily over his head, just past him).
6. OUTS - (A) Two foul balls (see Rule 7). (B) One strike. (C) Fly ball caught by fielder. (D) Ball hitting any of the lines on the triangle. (E) Ball touched or dropped by the batter or pitcher (see Rule 13a). Foul tips that hit the batter and land in foul territory are foul. (F) Batting out of turn. (G) Pitcher crossing "The Line" after hit ball (see Rule 12).
7. FOULS - (A) Any ball landing outside the triangle or the "fair" area on the fly. Balls hitting the foul lines past "The Line" are foul. (B) Any taken pitch. (C) Any false pitch or balk.
8. SCORING - (A) Three hits in an inning scores one run. Each additional hit in the same inning scores one more run. Home runs "clear the bases." (B) Intentionally throwing the bat is a three-run penalty (Official's Decision).
9. LENGTH OF GAME - (A) Games will be five innings. (B) If tied at the end of five, play an additional inning to break the tie. If tied after six, play one more. (C) If still tied after seven innings, the team with the most hits is the winner. If a tie still exists in hits, play additional innings until tie is broken, either by hits or runs. Runs take preference over hits in this situation. (D) If at the end of any inning a team has an eleven or more run lead, the game is over.
10. UMPIRING - (A) Winning team (all three members) will be the officials for the next game on the same court, Captain of the winning team will be responsible for keeping track of the game ball. (B) Start the game within five minutes after completion of the previous game. Any team not ready to play will forfeit; any exceptions will be at the discretion of the rules committee. (C) Turn in scorecards to the officials' stand.
11. EQUIPMENT - (A) No gloves to be used for fielding except in women's divisions. Taping of hands and fingers permissible if no padding is used. (B) Golf gloves may be used for batting. (C)Softball and little league bats only. Furnish your own bats.
12. CROSSING OVER ("THE LINE") - (A) At no time may players cross from one side of "The Line" or its extensions, to the other when catching, or attempting to catch a hit ball. (B) To avoid penalty, you must make a definite stop before crossing "The Line." If you catch the ball and your momentum carries you into or across "The Line," it is a hit.
13. GENERAL - (A) A ball caught on the fly by either batter or pitcher counts as no pitch. (B) You must have a full team (three players) to start a game. (C) No warming up on playing courts. Begin games immediately. (D) Decisions of the rules committee are final. |
