Founded in 2023, Riverdale Sandlot offers a FREE softball league for older teens & adults (16+) at Seton Park in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx.
This league was started by Mark Wishnia who moved to Spuyten Duyvil with his wife from the Upper West Side in October of 2021. Mark spent a decade working in the broadcast industry and now works as the Manager of Communications at a nonprofit in Harlem. He loves playing baseball and softball and was upset to find very few adult rec leagues that take place in Riverdale.
It was hard finding any rec softball leagues for adults in Riverdale, so Riverdale Sandlot was born. This league was inspired by a baseball league Mark was part of during his two year stint living in Davenport, Iowa. It was called Veto League Baseball. Veto League is a sandlot-style baseball league where players just show up to a field and play free of charge. Riverdale Sandlot and Veto League Baseball are essentially the same except for the location, and the sport.
Games take place every Tuesday night at Seton Park (map) during the summer months. The Bx10 Bus has two stops just steps from the park — Henry Hudson Parkway and 232nd Street & Henry Hudson Parkway & 235th Street. We meet each week at the softball field. The softball field is the smaller field closer to the basketball courts.
Players should gather at the field by 5:30. Teams are randomly generated based on those who RSVP. Games begin around 5:45pm. Each week consists of a 7-inning doubleheader. That means you get to play two games for the price of none!
Be sure to sign up for our email list and join our WhatsApp group to stay up-to-date on all league details.
This league has no formal registration and no fees. However, it is highly preferred that interested players join our e-mail listserv, and our WhatsApp Group. Starting in 2024, we now require players to RSVP to games each week.
Because this league is sandlot-style, that means anyone wanting to play simply has to RSVP, and then show up to the field on Tuesday night at 5:30pm. Teams will be randomly generated based on the RSVPs, and an email will go out Tuesday mornings informing everyone who is on their team. We cap RSVPs at 50 people, and then open up a waitlist. So you must be one of the first 50 people to RSVP in order to play. Each team will also be assigned a field at Seton Park. Once everyone arrives, a 7-inning double header will begin ideally around 5:45pm. Teams will do rock-paper-scissors to determine home and away.
Be sure to sign up for our email list and join our WhatsApp Group to stay updated on everything going on.
Yes. There is no cost to play. Thanks to Riverdale Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, players didn’t have to pay anything to participate in the 2025 season. Blackstone Bar & Grill was the reason the league was free in 2024. We’re excited to announce that we already have sponsors lined up for the 2026 season of Riverdale Sandlot to help facilitate yet another free summer of softball! Join our listserv so you don’t miss important details during the season.
Equipment donations are accepted. If you have clincher softballs, softball bats, bases etc, that we can use, please let us know
Anyone 16 and older is allowed to play. Your sex and skill level don’t matter. We have players who are very good at the game and other players who may not be as good. If you’ve never played softball before, we think this is the perfect league for you to try out the game for the first time! It is preferred that you at least understand the rules of softball. There is no such thing as being “too old” or “not good enough” to play. If your body can handle playing two games of softball back-to-back, you can play. There’s also no residency requirement. Yes, the games are in Riverdale, but anyone willing to show up to the field and play can play.
During our 2023 & 2024 seasons, we had a mix of players of all skill levels, ages, and races. Players came from Kingsbridge, Riverdale, Inwood, Yonkers and more.
Our permit is mixed use and allows youth and adults to play. Given many of our players have the ability to hit the ball very hard, we want people who are at least 16 to play for safety reasons. (But no, we won’t be asking for ID).
We request that all players have their own glove. Also, please wear sneakers or cleats. Please note that NYC Parks does not permit the use of metal spikes on turf fields. So please wear rubber spikes or sneakers. Do not play barefoot or in flip flops. Note that the infields at Seton Park are turf. You can wear shorts or pants. Up to you. But other than that, you won’t need anything else. We’ll provide the bats, balls and the field. We will not provide or require helmets. If you’d like to wear a helmet, please bring one. (But pitches are thrown underhand and the ball is traveling very slowly. You won’t need a helmet.)
There is no commitment requirement. This is a sandlot league meaning we play based on whoever RSVPs and shows up. There are no assigned teams. Your team will be different week-to-week. You can show up one week, or show up every week. We just require that you RSVP for games. You won’t be able to play if you don’t RSVP.
A minimum of 14 players will be needed for games to take place. In the event there are only 14 players, games will be 7 on 7 and the team that is batting will provide the pitcher and catcher. The same situation will arise if a team only has 8 players but the batting team will provide the pitcher only.
Ideally, we’d like players to arrive as close to 5:30 as possible so we can start games by 5:45pm, and stay for both games. However, if you have to leave after the first game, nobody can force you to stay. Live your life. We do request that you not leave or show up in the middle of a game though. But this is why we require everyone to RSVP to games so that way we know that everyone has arrived before we begin playing.
In 2024, we implemented a new system where players are required to RSVP and we cap responses to 50. This means we have two teams of 12, and two teams of 13. In the event that we are full, teams will have up to 3 subs sitting each inning. But anyone who doesn’t RSVP, will not be assigned a team and won’t be able to play.
Each team will have a captain. Captains will be decided the same way you’d choose captains in the schoolyard as a kid. Basically four people volunteer, and they’re the captains. If you are willing to be a captain in a given week, you can say so when you RSVP.
Captains do not pick teams but they have the responsibility of setting the lineup and figuring out where everyone will play in the field each inning. The captain will also be tasked with choosing who sits out each inning if the team has more than 10 players. Captains should be fair to their teammates and choose themselves to sit out an inning as well. Captains should have every single player (including themselves) sit an inning before having individuals sit out for a second time. Read our guide for being a great team captain.
You don’t need to be the best player on the field, or even be good at the sport to be a captain. If you have an understanding of the game, you’re outgoing, and you’re good at managing people quickly and on the fly, you’re qualified to be a captain!
Riverdale Sandlot follows all the standard softball rules that USA Softball follows, but with the following exceptions/emphasis:
Games are 7-innings each unless it is established otherwise before play begins. Slow-moving games may be shortened to 6-innings mid-game.
This is slow-pitch softball. Pitches must have an arc to them and should be thrown with the goal of the hitter making contact. However, pitchers are welcome to get creative with their delivery (assuming they are legal) and can put some spin on the ball if they’d like. But pitches must be completely under-hand. As your arm comes forward, your elbow must remain directly under your shoulder.
Games should only be played with clincher softballs which will be provided by Riverdale Sandlot. They look like this. Nobody should be playing with the hard softballs. Those are designed for fast-pitch. You can warm up with a hard softball of course, but once games start, please ensure you are using one of the league provided clinchers.
Batting helmets are not required (and won’t be provided). If you would like to wear a helmet, please bring your own.
10 players will be on the field at a time as each team will have 4 outfielders.
You must use a softball bat. No baseball bats.
Just like in any other rec league, players can play various positions and switch back and forth. Pitchers (or anyone else for that matter) can be removed from the game and come back into the game later on.
Batters who are injured are allowed to have pinch runners. However, the batter must run to first base themselves on their own batted balls. You cannot have someone stand at home plate and run for you once you make contact. The pinch runner can only take effect once the next batter comes to the plate. If you feel you are physically unable to get from home plate to first base in any capacity on a batted ball, then you are likely too injured to play at all.
Bunting is not allowed. Players must take a full swing. No purposeful half swings or check swings.
There are no walks. We want to encourage balls in play. Nothing is more boring than a hitter trying to draw a walk in slow-pitch softball. So go up there and swing the bat! You can strikeout. (Note that the USA Softball manual linked above counts the strike zone for slow pitch as anywhere over the plate from a batter’s back shoulder to a batter’s knees). Hitters should be honest about called strikes. If you watch a ball sail right down the middle (or anywhere within the strike zone) and you don’t swing at it for whatever reason, it should be ruled a strike. Pitches that hit home plate are balls.
Counts start at 0-0 and batters get an unlimited number of swings and foul balls.
If a batter is hit by a pitch, it will just count as a ball or no pitch. The at-bat will continue and the batter will not take first base.
If a player fouls a ball backwards and it is caught by the catcher, the batted ball must have traveled above the batter’s head to be considered an out. Otherwise, it will just be a foul ball. This will be the case regardless of how many strikes there are on the hitter.
There is no leading or stealing. Runners must remain on the base until a batter makes contact with the ball.
Tagging up is allowed from any base at anytime with less than 2 outs.
Balls thrown to first base or third base that go past the dugout fencing closest to the field will be a dead ball. All runners on base will then advance one base. If a ball hits the fencing and remains in the field of play, it is still a live ball and runners can advance at their own discretion, but are not guaranteed an additional base. It is always one base on balls that go past the dugout fencing closest to fair territory. Whether the throw comes from the infield, the outfield, or the moon. One base only.
Fly balls or pop ups are always in-play as long as the ball doesn’t hit any obstruction (such as a tree or any fencing). There is no “out of play” for balls hit in the air. They can be caught in any location and the batter will be out. Balls cannot be caught off a tree. If the ball hits a tree or any other obstruction surrounding the field, it is a foul ball.
The infield fly rule will take effect when applicable. For those who don’t know the rule: There needs to be a force at third base and less than two outs. If there is a pop up in fair territory and an infielder can make a play on the ball with ordinary effort (including on balls that reach the outfield grass), the infield fly rule is enforced and the batter is immediately out. Runners can advance at their own discretion as soon as an infield fly is called. (The batter is still out even if the ball is not caught).
Lineups will feature your entire team roster. If you have a 20-person lineup, you will bat in order without skipping anyone. Even if you have players sitting out in the field for an inning, they will still bat at their spot in the order.
There will be a 10-run mercy rule per inning. All games will be completed regardless of the score, but if your team scores 10 runs in an inning, it will end, and the fielding team will come to bat. You can score more than 10 runs in an inning if you get more runs as a result of a particular at-bat. (For example, if your team has scored 9 runs in the inning, and you have runners on second and third, and a base hit scores both runners, both runs will count). In the final inning, there is no mercy rule, even for the team that is ahead.
Runners and fielders should make their best effort to avoid collisions and dirty slides if there is a play at a base. Fielders should leave a lane to allow runners access to the base. Runners should slide or adjust their bodies accordingly if a fielder is blocking their path. Runners also should not make an attempt to jar a ball loose by barreling into a fielder.
This league has no umpires. It is possible that we may have someone volunteer to be an umpire. Otherwise, games will be self-umpired. The honor system will be in place for called strikes and for plays at the bases. If teams/players cannot come to an agreement on a call, rock-paper-scissors will determine the call. It will be a best-of-one. We don’t want to stand around waiting for you to do a best of three or best of five.
Players who don’t want to play the field, can be a DH (Designated Hitter) as long as your team has enough other players to play in the field. However, everyone on the roster is required to bat when their spot comes up in the lineup. The only exception to this is if a player gets injured and is physically unable to bat.
All players must adhere to our Code of Conduct.
Games will be canceled under the following circumstances:
Less than 14 people RSVP saying that they’ll show up to play
Heavy precipitation
Lightning
NYC Parks closes the field/park
Given the fields at Seton Park are mostly turf, rain that occurs earlier in the day or light rain will not prevent the game from taking place unless NYC Parks says otherwise. If you don’t receive an email saying the games are canceled, then plan to show up!
Please make sure you join our listserv and our WhatsApp Group to get reminders about RSVPing and to get notified if games are canceled.
The following rules are set by NYC Parks in general or in relation to our permit. Breaking these rules could result in the removal of our permit:
Consuming alcohol is not allowed under any circumstance
Smoking is not allowed in NYC Parks (smoking in parking lots or sidewalks outside the park is allowed).
You must throw out all garbage
You cannot sell items at the games (a separate vendor permit is required for this)
You cannot hang banners/signage on the backstop or near the dugouts etc. (Again, this requires a separate permit)
This is something we are interested in doing. However, there are a few hurdles:
Parks facilities are more in-demand with many youth sports leagues taking place in the fall and winter. This makes it harder to reserve outdoor spaces.
For indoor sports, this would require us to rent space inside a school. Rental costs are much higher and the schools require liability insurance coverage of $4,000,000 which also drives up costs significantly.
With that being said, we are exploring options to expand into other sports. We most likely will charge a fee to participate if we expand to other sports due to the cost of renting a space plus insurance. If you have suggestions of sports to play and potential locations, please email info@riverdalesandlot.com