OBR Forfeit?
 

Does rule 4.17 apply to before, after, AND during a game? or just before a game??

4.17 A game shall be forfeited to the opposing team when a team is unable or refuses to place nine players on the field.

When/if do we have a forfeit?

Ex: 9 players total to start the game, one gets hurt and can not play.

Can they play w/ 8 or is the game over?

The game is over.

Rich Ives is correct providing the team that is short is going on defense. If they are on offense, the game ends when the hole in the batting order is reached. If that hole is not reached during the half inning and the third out occurs, the team is now unable to field 9 players, game over.

Is OBR the only rule set being used? I'm working a league right now that uses OBR but they gave me a list of about 20 local rules that supercede OBR. (courtesy runners, re-entry, FPSR, and also must have 9 to start but can play with 8 except for in the case of an ejection)

If there are no local rules covering it, the game is over if they don't have 9.

I sometimes work for a league that says they play Babe Ruth rules with the exception of important local rules. NFHS rules apply where not superseded by local or Babe Ruth rules.

Some of the local rules just repeat a Babe Ruth rule, and some supersede (ie game can start with 8 players, the 9th slot in batting order is an out) and some repeat a NFHS rule (no pitches are required to be thrown to intentional walk a batter) and are opposite to a Babe Ruth rule.

And sometime during the year there will be a complaint that the umpires just don't know the rules, when in fact it is more likely the coaches don't. There is one coach in this league who knows them, the rest are often confused.

Could the team not just take the three called strikes for refusal to get into the batters box? That would buy them a few minutes to maybe get another player to the park.

No.