# Handball codes compared, 1923 The rules in force in 1923, one column per code. Each cell is the code's newest edition on or before 1923. - American four-wall: Four-wall (A.A.U., 1923) - One-wall, small ball: One-wall (A.A.U., 1923) - Three-wall: no edition yet - Wallball, big ball: no edition yet - Irish 60x30 hardball: Gaelic Rules ## Concepts - **Appeals and finality**: American four-wall: rule 32: Referee's decision final; One-wall, small ball: rule 32: Referee's decision final; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 14, 23, 28) - **Ball from the wall hits a player**: American four-wall: rule 17, 18: Ball touching a player on the way back loses the point for him; One-wall, small ball: rule 19: Ball on the way back touching a player loses the point for him; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Ball hits an opponent before reaching the wall**: American four-wall: rule 17: If it still reaches the front wall it is in play (not a hinder); One-wall, small ball: rule 18: Ball is dead, point played over (not called a hinder); Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 21) - **Ball hits the hitter or his partner**: American four-wall: rule 19: Hitting a partner loses the point (except partner in serving position); One-wall, small ball: rule 20: Hitting a partner puts the ball out of play, loses the point; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 15, 22) - **Ball: selection by the referee**: American four-wall: rule 5: Referee selects a new ball if players cannot agree; One-wall, small ball: rule 5: Referee selects a new ball if players cannot agree; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Ball: specification**: American four-wall: rule 2: Standard rubber handball (Spalding No. 101 used at nationals); One-wall, small ball: rule 2: Standard rubber handball, Spalding No. 101 or similar; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 5) - **Catching or stopping the ball**: American four-wall: rule 11: Catching/stopping the serve before the floor = hand out; One-wall, small ball: rule 12: Catching/stopping on serve or play before the floor = hand out or point; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 13, 20) - **Ceiling and overhead obstructions**: American four-wall: not in this edition; One-wall, small ball: rule 35: Ball striking ceiling or other obstructions = point against the striker; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Change of serve**: American four-wall: rule 16: 'Hand out'; One-wall, small ball: rule 17: Hand out: the side loses the serve; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 11) - **Court: dimensions**: American four-wall: rule 1: Four walls about 24 x 48 ft, ceiling at least 25 ft; other courts allowed for now; One-wall, small ball: rule 1: About 20 ft wide x 34 ft long; wall 16 ft high; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 3, 4) - **Court: long (back) line**: American four-wall: not in this edition; One-wall, small ball: rule 6, 7, 8: 'Rear line' / 'back line'; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 2) - **Court: service zone**: American four-wall: rule 7: Between the short line and the service line; One-wall, small ball: rule 6: Bounce within the square of side lines, short line and rear line; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Court: short line (minimum serve length)**: American four-wall: rule 7: 'Short line' (one of two serving lines; mapping to ace line unproven, H-67); One-wall, small ball: rule 1: 'Short line' at least 13 ft from the board; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 1) - **Court: wall surface and top**: American four-wall: not in this edition; One-wall, small ball: not in this edition; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 4) - **Doubles: serving order and first hand**: American four-wall: not in this edition; One-wall, small ball: not in this edition; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 9) - **Doubles: serving to each receiver in turn**: American four-wall: rule 26: Customary, not compulsory; One-wall, small ball: not in this edition; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Equipment: gloves**: American four-wall: rule 34: Only soft material or soft kid/cloth gloves; no hard material; One-wall, small ball: not in this edition; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **First service (toss)**: American four-wall: rule 4: Coin toss or any agreed manner decides first service; One-wall, small ball: rule 4: Coin toss or any agreed manner; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 9) - **Game length**: American four-wall: rule 3: 21 points (unit renamed); One-wall, small ball: rule 3: 21 points; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 6) - **Game types: singles, doubles, cutthroat**: American four-wall: rule 19, 22: Doubles / 'four handed match' provided for again; One-wall, small ball: not in this edition; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 9, 16) - **Lines: ball on a line**: American four-wall: not in this edition; One-wall, small ball: not in this edition; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 18) - **Match format**: American four-wall: not in this edition; One-wall, small ball: not in this edition; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 7, 8) - **Obstruction: benefit of the doubt**: American four-wall: rule 23: Claimed hinders generally allowed unless clearly none; One-wall, small ball: not in this edition; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Obstruction: blocking the view (covered ball / screen)**: American four-wall: rule 22, 24: Referee 'liberal' against play where the adversary cannot see the ball; 'covered balls' named but undefined; One-wall, small ball: not in this edition; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Obstruction: duty to give way**: American four-wall: rule 20, 23: Right to an unobstructed opportunity; side that played must keep out of the way; One-wall, small ball: not in this edition; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Obstruction: either doubles partner may claim**: American four-wall: rule 22: Either partner entitled to a hinder decision; One-wall, small ball: rule 23: Either partner entitled to a hinder decision; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Obstruction: interference by one's partner**: American four-wall: rule 25: No hinder when interfered with by a partner; One-wall, small ball: rule 27: No hinder when interfered with by a partner; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Obstruction: legal block by position**: American four-wall: not in this edition; One-wall, small ball: rule 22: No hinder if the opponent, after playing, stood still; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Obstruction: penalised (intentional / avoidable) interference**: American four-wall: rule 21: Intentional hinder: point against the offender; One-wall, small ball: rule 24: Intentional hinder: point decided against the offender; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 24) - **Obstruction: unintentional interference replayed (dead-ball hinder)**: American four-wall: rule 20: Unintentional interference = hinder, played over; One-wall, small ball: rule 21, 22: Unintentional interference: claim a hinder, point played over; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 24) - **Obstruction: who calls hinders**: American four-wall: rule 24: Referee decides all hinders and covered balls without appeal; One-wall, small ball: rule 25: Referee decides all hinders without appeal; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 23, 24) - **Officials: line official**: American four-wall: not in this edition; One-wall, small ball: rule 29: 'Linesman'; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Officials: scorer**: American four-wall: rule 29: 'Score keeper' next to the referee; duties unstated; One-wall, small ball: rule 29: 'Scorekeeper', next to the referee; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Officials: who officiates**: American four-wall: rule 29: Referee and score keeper; One-wall, small ball: rule 29: Linesman, referee and scorekeeper; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 17, 23, 28) - **Penalty: leaving the court**: American four-wall: rule 30: Forfeits the series unless the referee excuses it; One-wall, small ball: rule 30: Forfeits the series unless the referee excuses it; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Penalty: refusing the referee's decision**: American four-wall: rule 33: Forfeits the match; One-wall, small ball: rule 33: Forfeits the match; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Rally: ball landing out**: American four-wall: not in this edition; One-wall, small ball: rule 16: Return must bound back between the side lines, board and rear line; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 14, 25, 27) - **Rally: failure to return**: American four-wall: rule 16: Outside fails = tally; server fails = hand out; One-wall, small ball: rule 17: Receiver fails = tally; server fails = hand out; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 11) - **Rally: one touch only**: American four-wall: rule 28: No second touch by the player or his partner; One-wall, small ball: rule 26: No second touch by the player or his partner; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 12) - **Rally: play before the second bounce**: American four-wall: not in this edition; One-wall, small ball: rule 15: Stated only for the receiver: fly or first bounce; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 12) - **Return of serve: on the fly**: American four-wall: not in this edition; One-wall, small ball: rule 15: Receiver may return on the fly or the first bounce; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Return: front wall before floor**: American four-wall: rule 15: Returned to the front wall before the floor; floor and wall together = miss; One-wall, small ball: rule 16: Return to the front wall before the floor, back into the court; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Scoring: who scores and the unit**: American four-wall: rule 16: Tally for the serving side when the outside fails to return any ball; One-wall, small ball: rule 17: Receiver's failure = 'tally' for the serving side; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 11) - **Serve hits a player**: American four-wall: rule 14: Partner in position struck by the serve: not a hand out; One-wall, small ball: not in this edition; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 19) - **Serve: faults that lose the serve**: American four-wall: rule 9: Three short balls = hand out; One-wall, small ball: rule 9: Two shorts, two longs, or one of each = hand out; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 18) - **Serve: foot fault**: American four-wall: rule 8: Once = short ball; twice in succession = hand out; One-wall, small ball: rule 7: Over the short line (or both feet outside) = fault like a short; twice = hand out; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Serve: how it is put in play**: American four-wall: rule 6: Bounced, struck on the first bounce; several attempts allowed; One-wall, small ball: rule 6: Bounced in the zone, struck on the first bounce; several bounce attempts allowed; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 10, 18) - **Serve: landing outside the side lines**: American four-wall: not in this edition; One-wall, small ball: rule 10: One such serve = hand out; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 18) - **Serve: long**: American four-wall: not in this edition; One-wall, small ball: rule 9: 'Long ball' (fault); Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 18, 26) - **Serve: missed serve**: American four-wall: rule 6: Missing the ball puts the server out; One-wall, small ball: rule 6: Missing the ball puts the server out; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 18) - **Serve: must hit the front wall first**: American four-wall: rule 10: Ceiling, floor or side walls first = hand out ('roof' -> 'ceiling'); One-wall, small ball: rule 8, 11: Serve must strike the board first; ceiling/floor/room first = hand out; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 18) - **Serve: playing a fault serve**: American four-wall: rule 12, 13: Optional to accept a short ('fair ball'); server side may stop a short; One-wall, small ball: rule 13: Receiver may not play a short or long; server side may stop a short after it bounces; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 19, 26) - **Serve: positions of the other players**: American four-wall: rule 14, 19: Partner between the lines, back to the wall; not a hand out if struck; One-wall, small ball: rule 14: Server's partner outside the court until the ball returns past the short line; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 16) - **Serve: receiver's position**: American four-wall: not in this edition; One-wall, small ball: not in this edition; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 17) - **Serve: screening / moving on the serve**: American four-wall: not in this edition; One-wall, small ball: not in this edition; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 19) - **Serve: server's position**: American four-wall: rule 7: Between short line and service line; not over the service line; One-wall, small ball: rule 7: Between short line and back line, a foot between the side lines; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Serve: short**: American four-wall: rule 9: 'Short ball' (undefined); One-wall, small ball: rule 8, 9: 'Short ball' (fault); Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 18, 26) - **Striking: hand only**: American four-wall: rule 27: Kicking not allowed (no penalty stated); One-wall, small ball: rule 28: Kicking not allowed (only stated limit); Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Striking: one hand at a time**: American four-wall: not in this edition; One-wall, small ball: not in this edition; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: in the rules, text not republished (rule 15) - **Time between rallies and service delay**: American four-wall: rule 31: Reasonable time after each rally, then a ten count; One-wall, small ball: rule 31: Reasonable time, referee calls play, counts ten; server out; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition - **Tournament draw**: American four-wall: rule 35: Immediately before the contest; boxing-rules method; One-wall, small ball: rule 34: 48 or 72 hours before; A.A.U. boxing-rules method; Three-wall: no edition yet; Wallball, big ball: no edition yet; Irish 60x30 hardball: not in this edition ## What the codes share - Shared (27): Appeals and finality; Ball hits an opponent before reaching the wall; Ball hits the hitter or his partner; Ball: specification; Change of serve; Court: long (back) line; Court: service zone; Court: short line (minimum serve length); First service (toss); Game length; Game types: singles, doubles, cutthroat; Obstruction: penalised (intentional / avoidable) interference; Officials: who officiates; Rally: ball landing out; Rally: play before the second bounce; Scoring: who scores and the unit; Serve hits a player; Serve: faults that lose the serve; Serve: how it is put in play; Serve: landing outside the side lines; Serve: long; Serve: must hit the front wall first; Serve: playing a fault serve; Serve: positions of the other players; Serve: short; Striking: hand only; Time between rallies and service delay - Converging (18): Ball from the wall hits a player; Ball: selection by the referee; Catching or stopping the ball; Court: dimensions; Obstruction: either doubles partner may claim; Obstruction: interference by one's partner; Obstruction: unintentional interference replayed (dead-ball hinder); Obstruction: who calls hinders; Officials: scorer; Penalty: leaving the court; Penalty: refusing the referee's decision; Rally: failure to return; Rally: one touch only; Return: front wall before floor; Serve: foot fault; Serve: missed serve; Serve: server's position; Tournament draw - Unique (16): Ceiling and overhead obstructions (One-wall, small ball); Court: wall surface and top (Irish 60x30 hardball); Doubles: serving order and first hand (Irish 60x30 hardball); Doubles: serving to each receiver in turn (American four-wall); Equipment: gloves (American four-wall); Lines: ball on a line (Irish 60x30 hardball); Match format (Irish 60x30 hardball); Obstruction: benefit of the doubt (American four-wall); Obstruction: blocking the view (covered ball / screen) (American four-wall); Obstruction: duty to give way (American four-wall); Obstruction: legal block by position (One-wall, small ball); Officials: line official (One-wall, small ball); Return of serve: on the fly (One-wall, small ball); Serve: receiver's position (Irish 60x30 hardball); Serve: screening / moving on the serve (Irish 60x30 hardball); Striking: one hand at a time (Irish 60x30 hardball)