# Open questions In: [Learn](https://handball.theperfectship.com/learn.md) > [History](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history.md) > Open questions Some statements in this history rest on an idea we think is likely but have not proved. Each is listed here with where it stands and what would settle it. Only the questions that a page on this site relies on appear. 105 questions: 70 open, 26 supported, 8 narrowed, 1 refuted. A status describes what we have found so far, not what is true. ## Questions ### H-01: Refuted The first widely sanctioned American handball rules were published in 1886. This conflicts with [H-02](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-02) A source we have seen contradicts it, so it is not used as support. What would settle it: An 1886 rulebook, or a newspaper or club record of its adoption; check the Brooklyn Eagle 1885–87 Pages that rely on it: - [Casey's court, the Brooklyn Handball Club and The Sun's rul…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-casey-brooklyn-and-the-suns-rules.md) Related questions: H-86, H-88, H-89 ### H-02: Open The AAU codified handball rules and held a national championship in 1897 We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: An AAU 1897 rulebook or minutes; newspaper reports 1897 Related questions: H-01 ### H-03: Open YMCA and other rule sets were merged into the Unified Handball Rules in 1959 We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: The 1959 rulebook; USHA Handball magazine 1959 Pages that rely on it: - [The USHA, the common rules and the end of A.A.U. handball (…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-and-the-common-rules.md) - [The Y.M.C.A. and the gym game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ymca-and-the-gym-game.md) - [The Y.M.C.A., A.A.U., Jewish Welfare Board and USHA adopt c…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - and 2 more Related questions: H-19, H-32 ### H-04: Open USHA has been the sole US governing body since 1978 We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: USHA/AAU records; Handball magazine 1978 Pages that rely on it: - [The USHA prints 'Official USHA Four-Wall Handball Rules' in…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The USHA, the common rules and the end of A.A.U. handball (…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-and-the-common-rules.md) - [USHA alone: one body, three codes, online rules (1978-)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-alone.md) - and 1 more Related questions: H-107 ### H-05: Narrowed The one-wall rules descend from Brokaw's "American hand ball" (1915/16), via the A.A.U. one-wall rules printed in Spalding 1923, to USHA one-wall The sources rule out part of the idea, and a smaller claim remains. What would settle it: Compare the texts of Brokaw's 1916 one-wall rules, the 1923 Spalding guide and the USHA one-wall rules Pages that rely on it: - [Columbia beats Yale 7-0 in the opening Intercollegiate Hand…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The Sun answers a reader: American handball court, 26-ft si…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) Related questions: H-50 ### H-06: Supported Egan's 1913 "Revised Handball Rules" reuses Deshong's 1903 text The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: Text comparison: 1903 L1074 vs. 1913 L1522 Pages that rely on it: - [The A.A.U. takes the amateur game; the professionals keep t…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-amateur-championships.md) ### H-07: Narrowed The 1909 Official Sporting Rules reprints Y.M.C.A. hand ball rules The sources rule out part of the idea, and a smaller claim remains. What would settle it: Read the PDF pages Pages that rely on it: - [The A.A.U. takes the amateur game; the professionals keep t…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-amateur-championships.md) - [The Y.M.C.A. and the gym game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ymca-and-the-gym-game.md) - [Who writes the rules: court keeper, newspaper, federation,…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/who-writes-the-rules.md) ### H-10: Narrowed Michael Egan (author 1913) was also a leading champion player of the 1890s–1900s The sources rule out part of the idea, and a smaller claim remains. What would settle it: The book's own front matter ([Michael Egan, Hand Ball and How to Play It (1914)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/sources.md#s-9ab80c3ae1db)); newspaper results 1895–1910 Pages that rely on it: - [Newark Evening Star gives the A.A.U. handball diameter as 1…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [Professionals and amateurs: the world title and the A.A.U.](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/professionals-and-amateurs-the-world-title-and-the-aau.md) - [Salt Lake Tribune (SF dispatch): Michael J. Egan, born Coun…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - and 1 more Related questions: H-93 ### H-11: Supported The "Handball Rules and Explanations" in Spalding's Official Sporting Rules 1894 ([James E. Sullivan (comp.), Spalding's Official Sporting Rules](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/sources.md#s-27c9bb7a558e) ~L6150) reprint Deshong's 1893 "Rules and Explanations" ([Maurice W. Deshong, The Game of Hand Ball and How to Play It (1893)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/sources.md#s-8ed7e10f7508) L606); i.e. the Spalding 1894 four-wall rules (no edition record yet) are the same text as `Rules and Explanations (1893)` The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: Proofread both passages against the PDFs Pages that rely on it: - [Who writes the rules: court keeper, newspaper, federation,…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/who-writes-the-rules.md) ### H-12: Supported Deshong's 1903 "Rules and Explanations" ([Michael Egan, Handball and How to Play It (1903)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/sources.md#s-a2b710b41681) L418) revise the 1893 text (parent `Rules and Explanations (1893)`), and Egan's book ([Michael Egan, Hand Ball and How to Play It (1914)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/sources.md#s-9ab80c3ae1db) L813) reprints the 1903 text The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: Corrected transcriptions of all three Pages that rely on it: - [The A.A.U. takes the amateur game; the professionals keep t…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-amateur-championships.md) ### H-13: Open The 28 "Gaelic Rules" / "Rules for Irish Hand Ball" printed in US books in 1903, 1914, 1915 and 1923 ([Michael Egan, Handball and How to Play It (1903)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/sources.md#s-a2b710b41681) L881, [Michael Egan, Hand Ball and How to Play It (1914)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/sources.md#s-9ab80c3ae1db) L1325, [James I. Brokaw, How to Play American Hand Ball (1915)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/sources.md#s-431a1bc9c775) L2219, [Robert L. Ripley (ed.), Spalding's Official Handball Guide (1923)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/sources.md#s-4cc18b5ece5b) L3923) are one GAA edition, adopted by the GAA some time 1884–1903; the year of adoption is unknown We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: An Irish printing (GAA guide or newspaper) with a date; GAA archive Pages that rely on it: - [The A.A.U. takes the amateur game; the professionals keep t…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-amateur-championships.md) - [The alley game before the Association (-1884)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/ie-alley-game-before-the-gaa.md) - [The GAA's rules and the Atlantic matches (1884-1923)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/ie-gaa-rules-and-the-atlantic-matches.md) - and 2 more ### H-14: Open The A.A.U. "Revised Handball Rules … for the Government of the National Championship in Singles" (printed 1903 and again 1914) revise the rules "especially drafted by the A.A.U." for the first national championship, Jersey City, 7–8 January 1897 We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: An 1897 AAU rule text or newspaper report; AAU minutes 1896–1903 Pages that rely on it: - [Who writes the rules: court keeper, newspaper, federation,…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/who-writes-the-rules.md) Related questions: H-78 ### H-15: Narrowed The 1923 A.A.U. four-wall rules (35 numbered rules, [Robert L. Ripley (ed.), Spalding's Official Handball Guide (1923)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/sources.md#s-4cc18b5ece5b) L3552–3703) descend from the "Revised Handball Rules" of 1903/1914 through AAU editions not yet found The sources rule out part of the idea, and a smaller claim remains. What would settle it: AAU Official Handball Rules issues 1915–1922; text comparison Pages that rely on it: - [The A.A.U. takes the amateur game; the professionals keep t…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-amateur-championships.md) - [The serve: one ace line, then two lines, then the short line](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-serve.md) - [Who writes the rules: court keeper, newspaper, federation,…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/who-writes-the-rules.md) ### H-16: Supported LOC item 16024697 (cataloged 1916) is a copy of the 1915 first edition of Brokaw's How to Play American Hand Ball (it prints "Copyright, 1915"), so it may be the same edition as LOC 16001736 The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: Compare 16001736 in the reading room (R8); check CCE 1915 Pages that rely on it: - [One-wall rises in New York (1915-1922)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-one-wall-rises-in-new-york.md) ### H-17: Supported The digitized LOC copy 13015574 (cataloged 1913) is the 1914 printing of Egan's Hand Ball and How to Play It (it prints "Copyright, 1914" and "Prices in effect January 5, 1914"); its relation to LOC 14009966 (1914) is unknown The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: Catalog records for 13015574 and 14009966; the PDF title page Related questions: H-26 ### H-18: Open Some of the seven "Suggested Rule Changes" in the 1923 guide ([Robert L. Ripley (ed.), Spalding's Official Handball Guide (1923)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/sources.md#s-4cc18b5ece5b) L3707–3742) were adopted in a later A.A.U. edition (1924–1928) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: The 1926–28 Spalding guides (LOC 26010065, 27015576, 28012960) Pages that rely on it: - [A.A.U. annual meeting adopts a revised set of one-wall rule…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [One-wall rises in New York (1915-1922)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-one-wall-rises-in-new-york.md) - [Spalding's 1928 guide prints the A.A.U. four-wall court as…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - and 4 more Related questions: H-31, H-65 ### H-19: Open The AAU, USHA and YMCA agreed common rules in 1958 (not 1959) and held one tournament; the USHA broke away again in 1961. Related to [H-03](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-03) (1959) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: The common rulebook itself; Handball magazine 1958–59; AAU minutes Pages that rely on it: - [At the 1961 USHA nationals and convention in Denver the Ass…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The USHA, the common rules and the end of A.A.U. handball (…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-and-the-common-rules.md) - [The Y.M.C.A. and the gym game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ymca-and-the-gym-game.md) - and 2 more ### H-20: Open USWA's "Wall Ball Rules" page (dated 2018-08-30 in page markup; saved 2021-04-11) is the older text; the "USWA Official Rules" page (dated 2018-10-19; saved 2020-08-08 and 2022-11-16 with the same rules) revises it; the live rules "Revised October 22, 2026" revise the latter We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: USWA confirmation; more Wayback captures 2018–2020 Related questions: H-20 ### H-21: Supported GAA's "Official Irish 1-Wall (Wallball) Playing Rules, As of January 2019" derive from USHA one-wall rules The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: Text comparison with a USHA one-wall edition of c.2018 Pages that rely on it: - [GAA Handball: four codes, one rulebook (2009-)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/ie-gaa-handball-four-codes.md) - [One-wall becomes its own game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/one-wall-becomes-its-own-game.md) - [The Irish game abroad and at home](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-irish-game-abroad-and-at-home.md) - and 2 more ### H-22: Open The "Wallball" section of the GAA combined rulebook (2025, 2026-06) replaced the separate GAA 1-wall rules of 2019 We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: GAA Congress motions 2024–25 Pages that rely on it: - [GAA Handball: four codes, one rulebook (2009-)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/ie-gaa-handball-four-codes.md) ### H-23: Narrowed The CIJB "WALLBALL RULES" (2023) are a one-wall code derived from American one-wall: court 6.10 m x 10.60 m with a 4.90 m wall (about 20 x 34.8 ft, 16 ft), close to the USHA one-wall court (20 x 34 ft, 16 ft wall) The sources rule out part of the idea, and a smaller claim remains. What would settle it: CIJB history of its wallball rules; WWBA/WHC documents Pages that rely on it: - [One-wall becomes its own game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/one-wall-becomes-its-own-game.md) ### H-24: Supported GAA "International 4-Wall (40x20)" rules derive from USHA four-wall rules (same Part/Rule numbering, e.g. 4.7 dead-ball hinders, 4.8 avoidable hinders) The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: Text comparison; WHC documents Pages that rely on it: - [GAA Handball: four codes, one rulebook (2009-)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/ie-gaa-handball-four-codes.md) - [The Irish game abroad and at home](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-irish-game-abroad-and-at-home.md) - [USHA alone: one body, three codes, online rules (1978-)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-alone.md) - and 1 more ### H-26: Supported Michael Egan's "How to Play Hand Ball" was Spalding Athletic Library No. 13 in 1909, advertised as "By the world's champion, Michael Egan" (before the 1913/1914 printing in LOC 13015574 / [H-17](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-17)) The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: Find a 1909-era copy of No. 13; compare with LOC 13015574; check whether Egan's book is the "Hand Ball" in the Library before 1909 Pages that rely on it: - [Professionals and amateurs: the world title and the A.A.U.](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/professionals-and-amateurs-the-world-title-and-the-aau.md) - [Spalding Athletic Library list: 'No. 13 - How to Play Hand…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [Syndicated press notices say Mike Egan, 'the world's champi…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) ### H-27: Open The Y.M.C.A. published hand ball rules in its Official Handbook (Spalding No. 302) by 1909, separate from the A.A.U./Deshong/Egan rules We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: A copy of No. 302 c.1908-10 (HathiTrust/IA/LOC); Y.M.C.A. Athletic League records Pages that rely on it: - [The A.A.U. takes the amateur game; the professionals keep t…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-amateur-championships.md) - [The Hawaiian Star prints seven 'new rules for hand ball' ad…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The Y.M.C.A. and the gym game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ymca-and-the-gym-game.md) Related questions: H-83, H-109 ### H-28: Open LC record ca33000972 ("Official rules, handball; four-wall, one-wall, four-wall hardball, codeball, volleyball, horseshoe pitching") describes the AAU issue(s) of about 1949, which WorldCat lists with the same contents as [1949] We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: WorldCat record OCLC numbers and holdings; the physical volume at LC (GV731 .A45) Pages that rely on it: - [The A.A.U. rule codes: four-wall, one-wall, hardball (1920-…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-rule-codes.md) - [The ball: from 'about two inches' to 1 7/8 in and 61 grams](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ball.md) Related questions: H-32 ### H-31: Open The 1928 Spalding's Official Handball Guide (HT record 100821394, full view) prints AAU four-wall (p. 31), one-wall (p. 34) and Irish (p. 37) rules that differ from 1923, possibly adopting the 1923 "Suggested Rule Changes" ([H-18](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-18)) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Read HT seq 37-46 and compare with LOC 23002979 Pages that rely on it: - [A.A.U. awards its 1924 national handball championships: fou…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) Related questions: H-64, H-65, H-81 ### H-32: Open AAU Official Rules, Handball ran as a serial through the 1950s: HathiTrust holds volumes labeled 1955, 1957 and 1960 (record 102896696, search-only), alongside the 1949 printings ([H-28](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-28)) and the LOC 1962- serial We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: HT in-volume search (search-only allowed) for "unified", "1958", "1959" to test [H-03](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-03)/H-19 Pages that rely on it: - [The A.A.U. rule codes: four-wall, one-wall, hardball (1920-…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-rule-codes.md) - [The A.A.U.'s Official Rules: Handball (copyright 1962) stil…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The USHA, the common rules and the end of A.A.U. handball (…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-and-the-common-rules.md) - and 1 more Related questions: H-101, H-107, H-123, H-125 ### H-33: Supported By August 1908 the AAU constitution claimed jurisdiction over handball (Art. X, "4. Handball", one of 12 sports) The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: Proofread the PDF page (printed p.80); find the earliest AAU constitution listing handball Pages that rely on it: - [Professionals and amateurs: the world title and the A.A.U.](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/professionals-and-amateurs-the-world-title-and-the-aau.md) - [The A.A.U. takes the amateur game; the professionals keep t…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-amateur-championships.md) - [Who writes the rules: court keeper, newspaper, federation,…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/who-writes-the-rules.md) ### H-50: Supported The 1923 A.A.U. one-wall rules (35 rules, A.A.U. One-Wall Rules (1922)) were not drafted as a revision of Brokaw's 1915 "Rules of American Hand Ball" (55 rules, Rules of American Hand Ball (1916)): they share little wording and use different terms (A.A.U. "short line", "rear line", "tally", "hand out", linesman/referee/scorekeeper vs Brokaw "service line", "front line", "putout", referee and umpire) and different penalties (A.A.U. R18: ball hitting an adversary before the wall is dead and replayed; Brokaw R13: a "hinder", two hinders = point or putout). If [H-05](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-05) holds, the descent is of the game, not of the text. Narrows [H-05](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-05) The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: R16 crosswalk and R17 rule-by-rule comparison Pages that rely on it: - [One-wall becomes its own game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/one-wall-becomes-its-own-game.md) - [One-wall rises in New York (1915-1922)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-one-wall-rises-in-new-york.md) ### H-51: Open The A.A.U. 1922 short line "at least 13 feet from the board" (A.A.U. One-Wall Rules (1922) R1) keeps Brokaw's service-line distance: Brokaw's 26-ft floor has the service line "exactly in the middle between the front line and the board" (Rules of American Hand Ball (1916) R54), i.e. 13 ft, while the court grew from 26 to 34 ft long and the wall from a 10-ft board to 16 ft We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Intermediate one-wall rule texts or court plans 1916-1922 (newspapers, AAU handbooks) Pages that rely on it: - [One-wall becomes its own game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/one-wall-becomes-its-own-game.md) - [One-wall rises in New York (1915-1922)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-one-wall-rises-in-new-york.md) - [The Sun answers a reader: American handball court, 26-ft si…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) ### H-54: Supported The 1903 (Deshong), 1914 (Egan) and 1915 (Brokaw) printings of the GAA rules were printed from the same plates (American Sports Publishing reused the setting) The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: View the 1914 and 1915 page images of the same rules side by side with 1903 Pages that rely on it: - [The GAA's rules and the Atlantic matches (1884-1923)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/ie-gaa-rules-and-the-atlantic-matches.md) ### H-55: Open The 1923 reading "two-thirds of the length from the short wall" (GAA rules, R1 Note, [Robert L. Ripley (ed.), Spalding's Official Handball Guide (1923)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/sources.md#s-4cc18b5ece5b) p. 80) is a compositor's error for "from the front wall", which all four earlier printings have We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: A later printing (1924-1928 guides) or an Irish printing of the same Note Pages that rely on it: - [The GAA's rules and the Atlantic matches (1884-1923)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/ie-gaa-rules-and-the-atlantic-matches.md) ### H-56: Supported The parenthesis in R2 of the 1923 guide's A.A.U. four-wall rules ("Spalding's No. 101 ball is used in the national championship tournaments") is a publisher's note, not A.A.U. rule text The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: The A.A.U. minutes of the meeting that adopted these rules, or another A.A.U. printing of 1922-1924 Pages that rely on it: - [The ball: from 'about two inches' to 1 7/8 in and 61 grams](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ball.md) ### H-57: Narrowed The 1903 revision of Deshong's "Rules and Explanations" ([Rules and Explanations (1903)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/deshong-fourwall-1903.md)) was a publisher's update of the explanatory text (for American Sports Publishing, Spalding's house) rather than a revision of the playing rules: the rule sentences are kept from 1893 while the ball passage now advertises Spalding balls and prices. The same book prints the AAU "Revised Handball Rules" (Revised Handball Rules of the Amateur Athletic Union of America, For the Government of the National Championship in Singles (1903), pp. 41-42), which debar the foot that Deshong's R6 still allows, so the book carries two inconsistent rule sets. Who made the revision is not stated (the back-matter blurb, [Michael Egan, Handball and How to Play It (1903)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/sources.md#s-a2b710b41681) OCR lines 1751-1755, says No. 13 "has been rewritten and brought up to date in every particular" and that "every move is thoroughly explained by the author") The sources rule out part of the idea, and a smaller claim remains. What would settle it: An intermediate printing of Spalding No. 13 (1894-1902) or a publisher's notice naming the reviser; Spalding catalogs dating the "Match"/"Expert"/"Amateur" ball line Pages that rely on it: - [Rock Island Argus quotes the history section of 'Spaulding'…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [Spalding Athletic Library list: 'No. 13 - How to Play Hand…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) Related questions: H-62 ### H-58: Open In Brokaw's rules "one service" (Rules of American Hand Ball (1916) R13 two hinders, R29 two consecutive points at 20-all) means a server's whole turn (his run of consecutive serves), not one rally, as the book defines "Service—A number of consecutive serves by the same player" ([James I. Brokaw, How to Play American Hand Ball (1915)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/sources.md#s-431a1bc9c775) L2002-2003) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: A contemporary account of American (one-wall) hand ball scoring or hinder counting, 1913-1922 (newspaper match reports, club rules) Pages that rely on it: - [The Sun answers a reader: American handball court, 26-ft si…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) ### H-62: Supported Same claim as the second row headed "[H-57](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-57)" (R15, Brokaw review: the A.A.U. one-wall rules of 1922 were drafted by adapting the A.A.U. four-wall rules, with one-wall-specific changes matching Brokaw R1, R6-R9, R44). That row was appended under an ID already taken by the Deshong 1903 row a moment earlier; it is renumbered [H-62](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-62) here. Cite it as [H-62](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-62) The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: see the second "[H-57](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-57)" row Pages that rely on it: - [A.A.U. national convention (19-21 Nov 1922): amendments sou…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [Hinder: a word that changed meaning](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/hinder-a-word-that-changed-meaning.md) - [One-wall becomes its own game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/one-wall-becomes-its-own-game.md) - and 2 more ### H-63: Open The A.A.U. four-wall text printed in 1923 (Official Handball Rules of the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States (1923)) was adopted between the A.A.U. handbooks in force 1 Jan 1921 and 1 Jan 1922, probably at the annual meeting of November 1921; the earlier 35-rule text (court 24 x 50 ft, 'covered ball' rules) was adopted between the handbooks in force 1 Jan 1919 (no handball rules) and 1 Jan 1920, probably at the November 1919 meeting. The earlier text is a separate edition (proposed Hand Ball (1920)) and the parent of Official Handball Rules of the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States (1923) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: A.A.U. annual-meeting minutes Nov 1919 and Nov 1921; page images of the three handbooks Pages that rely on it: - [A.A.U. annual meeting awards the national hand ball champio…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [Syndicated column quotes 'the new rules for handball': stan…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The A.A.U. rule codes: four-wall, one-wall, hardball (1920-…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-rule-codes.md) - and 3 more Related questions: H-83 ### H-64: Supported The orphan 'covered balls' in Official Handball Rules of the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States (1923) R24 is a leftover of the 1920/1921 A.A.U. text, which defined a covered ball in R20 (prevented from seeing the ball until too late; played over) and used it in R21, R22, R24, R25; the 1922 revision deleted the definition and three uses but missed R24 The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: A later A.A.U. four-wall edition (1926-28 guides, [H-31](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-31)) showing whether R24 was corrected or 'covered ball' restored Pages that rely on it: - [Hinder: a word that changed meaning](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/hinder-a-word-that-changed-meaning.md) - [The A.A.U. rule codes: four-wall, one-wall, hardball (1920-…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-rule-codes.md) - [Wheeling Intelligencer serialises 'Hand Ball Rules' (rules…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) ### H-65: Open The seven 'Suggested Rule Changes' of the 1923 guide (p. 73) aimed to bring the four-wall rules into line with the A.A.U. one-wall rules adopted 20 Nov 1922: P1 = 1W R9 (two faults = hand out), P3 = 1W R18 (ball hitting adversary dead), P4 first half = 1W R13 (receiver cannot play a short), P7 in part = 1W R7, P2 in part = 1W R35 We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: The 1926-28 Spalding guides ([H-18](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-18), [H-31](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-31)); A.A.U. handbooks 1924-1928 Pages that rely on it: - [A.A.U. national convention (19-21 Nov 1922): amendments sou…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [One-wall becomes its own game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/one-wall-becomes-its-own-game.md) - [One-wall rises in New York (1915-1922)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-one-wall-rises-in-new-york.md) - and 1 more ### H-67: Supported The A.A.U. 'short line' (the line a serve must pass) and 'service line' (the front limit of the server's zone) of 1920-1923 (Official Handball Rules of the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States (1923) R7-R9) correspond to the 1903 'ace line' and 'inner line' (Revised Handball Rules of the Amateur Athletic Union of America, For the Government of the National Championship in Singles (1903) R4-R5); none of these rules locates the lines The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: The page image of the 1923 diagram (PDF page 80); a dimensioned A.A.U. court plan 1903-1928 Pages that rely on it: - [The court shrinks: 60 x 30 in Ireland, 65 x 24 to 20 x 40 i…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-court-shrinks.md) - [The serve: one ace line, then two lines, then the short line](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-serve.md) ### H-70: Open The second service line of the 1893 rules ('within the two parallel lines', 'stepping beyond the inner line', Rules and Explanations (1893) R2) is the 'Line under the Sun's Rules', drawn six feet on the front-wall side of the half-court ace line, with the server standing between the two (1893 plate PDF p. 11; L403-412); it was introduced c.1890-1892 after a proposal in the New York Sun ('Until within a couple of years ago', L403; Casey's endorsement L811-815) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: The New York Sun 1888-1893 (Chronicling America) for the proposal and a description of the new service lines; a measured court diagram of the 1890s; AAU-4W-1923 R7 (short line and service line) positions Related questions: H-91 ### H-72: Open The foot ban, the referee-and-scorer apparatus and the glove/bare-feet clauses of Revised Handball Rules of the Amateur Athletic Union of America, For the Government of the National Championship in Singles (1903) (R7, R11-R12, R14) already stood in the rules 'especially drafted by the A.A.U.' for the first national championship (Jersey City, 7-8 Jan 1897), i.e. they are 1896/97 changes, not 1903 ones We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Newspaper reports of the Jan 1897 championship and of the 1896 A.A.U. annual meeting; any 1897-1902 A.A.U. handbook printing handball rules Related questions: H-72 ### H-74: Open The 'full regulation Spalding ball' of the 1903 A.A.U. rules (Revised Handball Rules of the Amateur Athletic Union of America, For the Government of the National Championship in Singles (1903) R3: 1 7/8 in, 1 5/8 oz) was a leather-covered hard ball of the Irish type (Spalding No. 1 'Match Balls, regulation size and weight, leather cover'), not a rubber ball; its weight falls within the GAA range of 1 1/2-1 3/4 oz (Gaelic Rules (1903) R5) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: A Spalding catalog of 1897-1903 describing the regulation hand ball; a contemporary report of the A.A.U. championships naming the ball Pages that rely on it: - [The ball: from 'about two inches' to 1 7/8 in and 61 grams](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ball.md) ### H-75: Supported The USWA rules (2018 'Wall Ball Rules', 2018 'USWA Official Rules', 2026 'USWA playing rules') are a tournament officiating and conduct supplement, not a complete code: none states court, wall, ball, scoring or game length, so they presuppose the NYC park one-wall big-ball game as played. They do not borrow wording from the USHA one-wall rulebook: shared points (doubles partner straddles the service line; foot faults at the short line; ball between the server's legs; wet ball) are worded differently (USWA 'automatic block' vs USHA 'automatic hinder serve'; USHA 'astraddle the indicated service line'), and USWA's terms 'block', 'down', 'screen', 'keep a short', 'linesmen', 'buy-backs' do not occur in the USHA text The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: A USWA statement of what rules govern court/ball/scoring; a written NYC park wallball rule set (e.g. an N.Y.H.A. or park tournament sheet) that the USWA text was drawn from Pages that rely on it: - [One-wall becomes its own game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/one-wall-becomes-its-own-game.md) - [The ball: from 'about two inches' to 1 7/8 in and 61 grams](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ball.md) - [Wallball organizes: the big ball finds its bodies (1996-)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-wallball-organises.md) ### H-76: Open 'N.Y.H.A.' in rule 12 of both 2018 USWA texts (a penalty that bars players from N.Y.H.A. tournaments) shows the USWA rules were adapted from the tournament rules of another New York body (a New York handball association; expansion not verified); the 2026 revision drops the reference We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: An N.Y.H.A. rules document or a USWA account of where its rules came from; directory search for an organization abbreviated N.Y.H.A. Related questions: H-76 ### H-78: Open The first A.A.U. handball championship (Jersey City, 7-8 Jan 1897) was played under rules the A.A.U. adopted from The Sun (New York) - 'The Board adopted THE SUN's rules of competition' (A.A.U. Board, 16-17 Nov 1896) - not under rules drafted by the A.A.U. as the 1923 guide says ([H-14](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-14)); whether 'rules of competition' were playing rules or only tournament conditions is not stated We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: The Sun's handball rules as printed 1895-96 (Sun sweep: 'handball rules'); A.A.U. Board minutes Nov 1896; any A.A.U. handball rule text dated 1897 Pages that rely on it: - [Casey's court, the Brooklyn Handball Club and The Sun's rul…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-casey-brooklyn-and-the-suns-rules.md) - [Who writes the rules: court keeper, newspaper, federation,…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/who-writes-the-rules.md) ### H-80: Open The American obstruction sense of 'hinder' (interference with a player's chance to play the ball, replayed if unintentional: A.A.U. four-wall text in force by 1920/1922 R20; A.A.U. one-wall 1923 R21) was taken from the Irish rules, which already use 'hinder' for obstruction (GAA 1903 R24 'the judge may give a hinder'), rather than developed from the 1893 American sense (a ball striking a player, Deshong 1893 R5; A.A.U. 1903 R6 'give way' duty without the word) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: A.A.U. or other American four-wall texts of 1904-1919 showing when and in what words the obstruction sense entered; any contemporary statement that the A.A.U. adopted Irish wording Pages that rely on it: - [Hinder: a word that changed meaning](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/hinder-a-word-that-changed-meaning.md) ### H-81: Open 'Covered ball' in the A.A.U. four-wall rules of 1920/1921 (Hand Ball (1920) R20: a player 'prevented by an adversary from seeing the ball until too late to get in position'; played over) is the period name of the interference that later four-wall rules call a screen (a ball passing so close to a player that the opponent's view is blocked; replayed) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: An A.A.U. or U.S.H.A. four-wall text 1923-1960 that uses 'screen' or 'screen ball', or a period article that glosses 'covered ball'; the 1926-1928 Spalding guides ([H-31](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-31)) Pages that rely on it: - [Hinder: a word that changed meaning](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/hinder-a-word-that-changed-meaning.md) ### H-83: Open The A.A.U. 35-rule four-wall text first printed in the handbook in force 1 Jan 1920 (Hand Ball (1920)) was drafted afresh rather than revised from the 1903 A.A.U. 'Revised Handball Rules' (Revised Handball Rules of the Amateur Athletic Union of America, For the Government of the National Championship in Singles (1903)); its wording came from some other rule text, possibly the Y.M.C.A. hand ball rules in Spalding No. 302 ([H-27](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-27)) or club rules of 1910-1919 We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: A Y.M.C.A. Official Handbook (Spalding No. 302) or other hand ball rule text of 1909-1919, compared with Hand Ball (1920); A.A.U. minutes of the 1919 annual meeting ([H-63](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-63)) Pages that rely on it: - [Hinder: a word that changed meaning](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/hinder-a-word-that-changed-meaning.md) - [The A.A.U. rule codes: four-wall, one-wall, hardball (1920-…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-rule-codes.md) - [The A.A.U. takes the amateur game; the professionals keep t…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-amateur-championships.md) - and 3 more Related questions: H-109 ### H-84: Open The USHA magazine began in 1950 as 'Ace' (Internet Archive SIM record) rather than 1951 (USHA's own history); renamed 'Handball' from v.21 no.3, June 1971 We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: First issue (v.1 no.1) masthead date; USHA archive; Texas A&M / other holdings Pages that rely on it: - [A group of leading handball players and administrators form…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The USHA's magazine Ace is renamed Handball with vol. 21 no…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) Related questions: H-147 ### H-85: Supported The Madison Street court in New York named as 'Hogan's/Kogins' in The Sun of 1880-11-24 is Regan's hand ball and racquet court (keeper Patrick Regan, shot dead by a policeman 10 June 1883) described in The Sun of 1883-04-18 and 1883-06-11/12 The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: Image check of Sun 1880-11-24 p.1 and 1883-06-11 p.1; Brooklyn Eagle/NY Times June 1883 on the Regan shooting giving the street number Related questions: H-85 ### H-86: Supported Phil Casey was already a Brooklyn alderman (Tenth Ward) and a champion handball player in 1880, i.e. the Brooklyn handball scene around Casey and Dunne predates any 1886 rules publication ([H-01](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-01)) by at least six years The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: Brooklyn Eagle 1880-86 on the Brooklyn Handball Club's founding date; Sun 1884-86 rules items Related questions: H-86 ### H-87: Open Casey v Lawlor (Cork racquet court, Grattan Street, 4 Aug 1887, 21 games for 400 pounds/ $2000 a side; Lawlor won 6-4 in Cork) was concluded at Sweeney's court, 159 East 35th Street, New York, in Nov 1887 with Casey winning the first seven games and the match, played alternately with the American large ball and the small Irish ball We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: NY Sun/Evening World/Brooklyn Eagle late Nov 1887; Irish papers Aug 1887 (Cork Examiner) Pages that rely on it: - [The ball: from 'about two inches' to 1 7/8 in and 61 grams](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ball.md) - [The GAA's rules and the Atlantic matches (1884-1923)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/ie-gaa-rules-and-the-atlantic-matches.md) - [The Irish game abroad and at home](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-irish-game-abroad-and-at-home.md) ### H-88: Open A New York 'Metropolitan Committee' of handball and racket players (chair James Dunn, vice chair Denis Burns, treasurer P. J. Meagher, secretary Bernard McQuade; members incl. Phil Casey) was formed c.22 Feb 1876 at McQuade's court, 404 Madison St, to hold a Centennial international tournament and to create a permanent national organization 'to have the supervision of the game in America'; this is the first American governing-body attempt, ten years before the supposed 1886 rules ([H-01](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-01)), and may have issued rules or an address We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: The committee's printed address (New York Clipper/Herald March 1876, Brooklyn Eagle), any report of the June 1876 tournament, a name for the national body, any rules it issued Pages that rely on it: - [Professionals and amateurs: the world title and the A.A.U.](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/professionals-and-amateurs-the-world-title-and-the-aau.md) - [Racket courts and saloon alleys: New York before the clubs…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-racket-courts-and-saloon-alleys.md) - [Who writes the rules: court keeper, newspaper, federation,…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/who-writes-the-rules.md) ### H-89: Narrowed The 'set rules of the game' printed in The Sun of 17 March 1889 p.7 (21 aces; ball c.2 in, 1 1/3 oz; ace line in the centre of the court; hinders; referee chosen by the players) are the rules of the Brooklyn Handball Club or of Casey's circle, and are the 'rules formulated by [its] committee' that the Tribune of 27 Dec 1896 calls standard ([H-01](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-01)), not an 1886 publication The sources rule out part of the idea, and a smaller claim remains. What would settle it: Compare line-by-line with Rules and Explanations (1893) and with Sun 1890-1892; find who wrote the Sun article; Brooklyn Eagle 1887-1889 on the club's rules committee Pages that rely on it: - [Casey's court, the Brooklyn Handball Club and The Sun's rul…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-casey-brooklyn-and-the-suns-rules.md) - [Who writes the rules: court keeper, newspaper, federation,…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/who-writes-the-rules.md) ### H-90: Open Phil Casey's own court moved from the corner of Hoyt and Douglass Streets, Brooklyn (c.No. 111 Douglass St; in use Nov 1875 to at least Dec 1878, with Thomas Courtney's court, Centre St, as a rival) to the Brooklyn Handball Club's new court at 297 Degraw Street (new Nov 1887, 65 x 24 ft, 35-ft marble front wall) - two different Casey courts We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Brooklyn Eagle and Brooklyn directories 1876-1890; the house number on Douglass Street image-checked; when the Degraw court was built Pages that rely on it: - [Casey's court, the Brooklyn Handball Club and The Sun's rul…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-casey-brooklyn-and-the-suns-rules.md) - [Racket courts and saloon alleys: New York before the clubs…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-racket-courts-and-saloon-alleys.md) ### H-91: Open The Sun (New York) proposed on 27 Oct 1890 (article A Change in the Style of Play) that service be restricted, either by a line on the front wall or by compelling the server to stand at the ace line, and by 21 Nov 1890 the Brooklyn and Murray Hill courts played under it; the Brooklyn Handball Club voted on 4 Jan 1891 to play all games under the new rules; by Sept 1892 the Sun speaks of service from the short line. The Sun line of the 1893 rules ([H-70](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-70)) is this reform, so the 1893 second service line is the Sun short line of 1890-92, not an A.A.U. innovation We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Image-check the 1890 Sun articles; find the Sun text defining the line positions (1890-91, 1892); compare with Rules and Explanations (1893) plate Pages that rely on it: - [Casey's court, the Brooklyn Handball Club and The Sun's rul…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-casey-brooklyn-and-the-suns-rules.md) - [The A.A.U. takes the amateur game; the professionals keep t…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-amateur-championships.md) - [The serve: one ace line, then two lines, then the short line](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-serve.md) - and 1 more ### H-92: Open A handball convention planned at Cork for July 1896 (Dunne and Casey to represent America) was meant to arrange uniform rules, with THE SUN code used by the American experts probably adopted as the standard; a Cork press proposal of Aug 1895 for a world conference to draw up a code of rules preceded it. Whether the convention was held is unknown We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Cork Examiner/Cork Herald/Kerryman 1895-96; Irish handball histories; Sun July-Aug 1896 reports of Casey and Dunne in Ireland Pages that rely on it: - [Casey's court, the Brooklyn Handball Club and The Sun's rul…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-casey-brooklyn-and-the-suns-rules.md) - [The GAA's rules and the Atlantic matches (1884-1923)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/ie-gaa-rules-and-the-atlantic-matches.md) - [The Irish game abroad and at home](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-irish-game-abroad-and-at-home.md) - and 1 more ### H-93: Open John Egan, proprietor of the Jersey City Handball Court (223 Mercer St, opened 29 Aug 1893), was the brother of Mike (Michael J.) Egan, the first A.A.U. amateur champion (Jan 1897): JCN 1896-10-20 says John Egan challenged Dunne on behalf of his brother Mike Egan. Identity of Michael J. Egan with the author of the 1913-14 book is still unproven ([H-10](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-10)) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Egan family obituaries or census (Jersey City); Egan 1913 book front matter; later newspaper identifications of Michael J. Egan Pages that rely on it: - [Salt Lake Tribune (SF dispatch): Michael J. Egan, born Coun…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) ### H-94: Supported The Houston Daily Post's 23 numbered handball rules (13 Mar 1898, p.15) were set from a NUMBERED printing of the code first seen unnumbered in The Sun, 17 Mar 1889 ([The set rules of the game (1889)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/sun-fourwall-1889.md)), not from the Sun page: the Post numbers the scoring rule 'Rule 4 1/2' and has no Rule 8, and its Rule 7 joins the openings of the Sun's two 'stops the ball intentionally' rules (eye-skip), so its exemplar ran 1-23 with 4 1/2 inserted (24 rules, the Sun's order). The 4 1/2 implies the scoring rule was added to an earlier 23-rule numbered list. The Post's other changes (weight of the ball omitted; '(after entering the court)'; 'until' for 'before'; 'for the striker' added to Rule 10, its hand-stroke sentence omitted) may be that exemplar's revisions or the paper's The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: Another printing of the code with printed rule numbers (a club card, a court's posted rules, a sporting paper or almanac 1885-1898); a pre-1889 printing with 23 rules and no scoring rule Pages that rely on it: - [The A.A.U. takes the amateur game; the professionals keep t…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-amateur-championships.md) ### H-97: Open By April 1915 one-wall handball, played outdoors with gloves, was a tournament game in New York City: the Evening World (26 Apr 1915 p.12) reports a match at the 'Van Kelton Field, next door to the West Side Y. M. C. A.' between a West Side and a 23rd Street branch Y. M. C. A. player that 'had but one wall to the tournament court' and was played with gloves, and the paper says the sport has 'suddenly recovered all its former popularity' with courts installed 'indoors, on roofs and even in vacant lots'. This precedes Brokaw's book (copyright 1915, deposit stamp 18 Dec 1915) and fits the game described in it (gloves, R50); it does not show that Brokaw's rules were used We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: The Evening World's other 1915 handball items (a Y.M.C.A. handball column?), the Tribune/Sun/Evening World of Mar-Dec 1915 for the rules used at Van Kelton Field; Brooklyn Eagle; any Y.M.C.A. West Side annual report 1915 Pages that rely on it: - [A.A.U. awards its 1924 national handball championships: fou…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [A.A.U. national handball championships at the Milwaukee Ath…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [A.A.U. tournaments on the 'new courts' of the Brighton Beac…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - and 13 more Related questions: H-105, H-148 ### H-98: Open James Dunn (chair of the Metropolitan Committee, New York, Feb 1876; 'Alderman James Dunn' 1874-76) and James Dunne (ex-Alderman of Brooklyn, Phil Casey's doubles partner 1883-96; 'Dunne Jr' 1896) are the same man. The two spellings are kept as two person records ([James Dunn](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/people/james-dunn.md), [James Dunne](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/people/james-dunne.md)) until positive evidence joins them; R31's ledgers treated them as one. We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: A single report naming one man with both spellings, or a biography/obituary giving his offices (alderman of which city, which years) and his handball career; the City of New York and Brooklyn aldermanic lists for 1874-1884 Pages that rely on it: - [New York handball and racket players elect a provisional co…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [Notice, not a report: a double-handed match 'will be played…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [Sun reports a handball convention planned at Cork for July…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) ### H-99: Open Until about 1902 the championship-match convention in the Jersey City/Brooklyn game was service from a centre space; the May 1902 Egan v. Drew conditions (21 aces, service from anywhere inside a short line, 'alley cracker' ball, each player may use his own ball) were a change from 'the former championship matches', agreed to suit the Irish challenger We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Sun 1902-05 reports of the Egan-Drew conditions; Sun rules 1890-92 service text (Sun, 1890 and 1892); Irish papers 1902 Pages that rely on it: - [The serve: one ace line, then two lines, then the short line](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-serve.md) ### H-100: Open Handball was played in New York racket courts and saloon alleys before 1860: the Clipper's April 1860 notice 'Hand Ball in Philadelphia' ([A New-York Daily Tribune advertisement for the New York Clipper lists 'Hand Ball in Philadelphia' (10 April 1860); the Clipper's report itself is not seen](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md#1860-clipper-hand-ball-philadelphia)) is the earliest report found, not the beginning of the game here; [Racket courts and saloon alleys: New York before the clubs (1860s-1887)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-racket-courts-and-saloon-alleys.md) starts at 1860 only as the earliest witness We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Pre-1860 New York Clipper, Herald and Brooklyn Eagle (1841-1859) reports of hand-ball matches or courts Pages that rely on it: - [Racket courts and saloon alleys: New York before the clubs…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-racket-courts-and-saloon-alleys.md) Related questions: H-107 ### H-101: Open The A.A.U.'s era as American handball's rule-maker ends with the 1950 championships: ushandball.org's champions page labels 1950 the last AAU year and 1951 the first USHA year ('All future years are USHA'), yet the AAU printed Official Rules, Handball at least to 1960 ([H-32](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-32)), so the AAU code outlived its national championship by about a decade We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: AAU national handball results 1951-1960 in newspapers or Ace magazine; contents of the AAU 1955, 1957 and 1960 rules volumes (HathiTrust search-only) Pages that rely on it: - [A group of leading handball players and administrators form…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [Bob Kendler breaks with the A.A.U. in 1951 'to form' the pl…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The A.A.U. rule codes: four-wall, one-wall, hardball (1920-…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-rule-codes.md) - and 1 more ### H-102: Open The Irish Amateur Handball Association (first meeting 27 Jan 1924, from a secondary source) and the Irish Handball Council 'established' in 1924 (gaahandball.ie history page, [GAA Handball Ireland, "History" (seen 28 October 2026)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/sources.md#s-fab60d047420)) are one body under two names, or the Council succeeded the Association within months We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Irish newspapers Jan-Dec 1924 (Irish Independent, Freeman's Journal), GAA Congress minutes 1924, 'Irish handball 1924-1974' (NLI pamphlet B2492) Pages that rely on it: - [An Irish Times article of 2025 says handball was not in the…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [Irish handball gets a national governing body in 1924: the…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [Tailteann Games 1924 include handball: a visiting American…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - and 5 more ### H-103: Open GAA Handball became the name of the Irish governing body in 2009, succeeding the Irish Handball Council; this record has no dated statement ([GAA Handball](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/organizations/gaa-handball.md) notes: the 2009 foundingDate in the page source belongs to the web agency), so [GAA Handball: four codes, one rulebook (2009-)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/ie-gaa-handball-four-codes.md) starts at 2009 only by this hypothesis We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Irish Handball Council / GAA Handball annual reports 2008-2010; GAA Congress 2009 motions; Top Ace 2009-2010 mastheads Pages that rely on it: - [GAA Handball: four codes, one rulebook (2009-)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/ie-gaa-handball-four-codes.md) - [The Irish Handball Council: All-Irelands, softball, the 40x…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/ie-irish-handball-council.md) ### H-104: Open Irish 60x30 softball was a separate championship code by 1925 (the All-Ireland senior softball roll begins in 1925, [All-Ireland 60x30 Softball Championships](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/championships/gaa-all-ireland-60x30-softball.md)) and had its own rules distinct from the 28-rule hardball text (Gaelic Rules (1903)) by then; the start of the softball code is not found in any captured source We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: IHC rules or Official Guide 1924-1930; Irish newspapers 1900-1925 on 'soft ball' alley matches; McElligott 1984 and Holland 2004 histories Pages that rely on it: - [The ball: from 'about two inches' to 1 7/8 in and 61 grams](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ball.md) - [The GAA Handball rolls of honour for the All-Ireland senior…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The GAA's rules and the Atlantic matches (1884-1923)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/ie-gaa-rules-and-the-atlantic-matches.md) - and 2 more ### H-105: Open The Sun's 1889 code already provided for courts 'with boundary lines drawn, and no side walls' ([The set rules of the game (1889)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/sun-fourwall-1889.md) rule 23: a ball rebounding outside the side boundary line is foul), so open-sided handball was played under the New York rules in 1889, a generation before the first one-wall tournament reports of 1915 ([H-97](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-97)) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: 1880s-1890s reports of New York or Brooklyn courts without side walls (Brooklyn Eagle; the Sun's handball columns 1887-1896); the 1898 Houston printing's equivalent rule Pages that rely on it: - [One-wall becomes its own game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/one-wall-becomes-its-own-game.md) - [One-wall rises in New York (1915-1922)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-one-wall-rises-in-new-york.md) ### H-106: Narrowed The USHA four-wall court of 20 x 40 ft (Four-Wall Rulebook (2025) Rule 2.1/A) replaced the A.A.U.'s 24 x 48 ft court (Official Handball Rules of the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States (1923) R1) through an intermediate standard adopted between 1923 and 1951, probably in the AAU rules of the late 1920s-1930s; no captured text dates the change The sources rule out part of the idea, and a smaller claim remains. What would settle it: AAU Official Handball Guide 1926-1928 (LOC physical, HathiTrust 1928 full view), AAU Official Rules 1930s-1949 (LC ca33000972), USHA guide 1961-62 Pages that rely on it: - [Spalding's 1928 guide prints the A.A.U. four-wall court as…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The A.A.U. rule codes: four-wall, one-wall, hardball (1920-…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-rule-codes.md) - [The court shrinks: 60 x 30 in Ireland, 65 x 24 to 20 x 40 i…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-court-shrinks.md) - and 1 more ### H-107: Open The era of USHA as the sole US governing body ([USHA alone: one body, three codes, online rules (1978-)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-alone.md)) begins in 1978 only by the secondary claim [H-04](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-04); the AAU may have stopped sanctioning handball earlier (its last listed national is 1950, [H-100](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-100)) or later (AAU rules were still printed in 1960, [H-32](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-32)) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: AAU annual-meeting minutes and sports lists 1951-1980; Ace/Handball magazine 1961-1978; AAU Official Rules, Handball issues after 1960 Pages that rely on it: - [Bob Kendler breaks with the A.A.U. in 1951 'to form' the pl…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The USHA, the common rules and the end of A.A.U. handball (…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-and-the-common-rules.md) - [USHA alone: one body, three codes, online rules (1978-)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-alone.md) - and 1 more ### H-109: Open The seven 'new rules for hand ball' printed in the Honolulu Hawaiian Star on 23 Oct 1907 as adopted on the Y.M.C.A. courts (fault, hand-out, hindrance, ace or service line, red boundary lines, games of eleven points, no more than three games when others wait) are an extract of a Y.M.C.A. handbook handball code (candidate: Spalding Y.M.C.A. handbook No. 302, [H-27](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-27)), not a local Honolulu invention We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Compare the text with Spalding's Y.M.C.A. Official Handbook / Y.M.C.A. handball rules of 1905-1908 (R17 transcriptions, [H-83](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-83)), earlier Honolulu papers (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, Hawaiian Gazette Oct 1907), and the 1920 AAU text Pages that rely on it: - [The Y.M.C.A. and the gym game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ymca-and-the-gym-game.md) ### H-111: Supported The four-wall hand-ball code printed as 'Hand Ball Rules' in Ed. James, Manual of Sporting Rules (New York: Ed. James, 88-90 Centre St [New York Clipper Building], 1873, pp.76-77; 23 rules, 21 aces, 2-inch ball, ace line in the centre, foot allowed on a short serve, referee chosen by the players) is the earliest dated printing so far of the American code later reprinted by Chadwick 1884, Spalding/Benedict 1886, the Police Gazette Standard Book of Rules (1887), The Sun 1889, Champlin 1890, Chadwick 1893, Houston Daily Post 1898 and US encyclopedias 1911-12; it is a candidate new edition (e.g. Hand Ball Rules (1873)) and may itself derive from the New York Clipper The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: Page-image check of James pp.76-77; New York Clipper 1860s-1873 for an earlier printing; Ed. James earlier manuals; collation James 1873 / Chadwick 1884 / Benedict 1886 / Sun 1889 Pages that rely on it: - [Racket courts and saloon alleys: New York before the clubs…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-racket-courts-and-saloon-alleys.md) - [Who writes the rules: court keeper, newspaper, federation,…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/who-writes-the-rules.md) ### H-113: Open The March 1922 A.A.U. national handball championships at the Milwaukee Athletic Club were played one-wall, not four-wall: the New-York Tribune of 24 Dec 1922 says the singles and doubles titles were 'played at one wall' (page image checked), whereas the Tribune of 15 Mar 1922 previewed them as 'four wall' championships and the USHA list says 'AAU Four-Wall, Milwaukee' We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Milwaukee Athletic Club / Journal reports of 20-25 Mar 1922 stating the court type; the A.A.U. 1922 handbook or the 1923 guide's account of the Milwaukee championship Related questions: H-113 ### H-114: Open The twelve 'regulation' handball courts that the Brighton Beach Baths (Coney Island) opened free to the public in May 1921 (Tribune 1921-05-15 p20) were one-wall courts, the nucleus of the 'no less than twenty' one-wall courts described in the 1923 Spalding guide; the newspapers of 1921-22 never state the wall count We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Brooklyn Daily Eagle or NY Times 1921-22 describing the Baths' courts (walls, number); photographs Pages that rely on it: - [The USHA's December 1971 tribute to Charles O'Connell lists…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) Related questions: H-148 ### H-115: Open The Wheeling Intelligencer's serial 'HAND BALL RULES' of 17-18 May 1922 (rules 1-14 and 15 onward; sn86092536 p7) is a newspaper printing of the A.A.U. 1920/21 four-wall text (Hand Ball (1920)): rule 1 says 24 x 50 ft [OCR damaged] and rules 20-22 define 'covered ball'. It may be a printed edition in its own right; the installments after 18 May and the paper's source were not found We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Transcribe both parts and word-diff against the project's transcription of Hand Ball (1920); read the Wheeling Intelligencer 16 and 19-25 May 1922 on the page images for the heading, source note and remaining rules Related questions: H-115 ### H-118: Open The title line 'With Interpretations and One-Wall and Three-Wall Addendum Revised 1991' dates the whole USHA rulebook publication (four-wall rules, interpretations and the one- and three-wall addenda) to a 1991 revision, while the four-wall rules text itself carries its last amendment date, 20 June 1990 ('Above rules amended June 20, l990' after Rule 5.8); i.e. the 1991 book printed the four-wall rules as amended in June 1990 and added or revised the addenda We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: The printed 1991 USHA rulebook (title page and addenda), or Handball magazine 1990-1991 reporting the June 1990 board changes and the 1991 printing Pages that rely on it: - [A USHA four-wall rule text is amended on 20 June 1990; the…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [USHA publishes a 'Revised 1991' rule book with one-wall and…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) ### H-119: Open USHA adopts rule changes at board meetings and dates its rulebook texts by them: printed dates found are 'amended June 20, 1990', 'amended Jan. 31, 1999', 'amended Jan. 16, 2005' (four-wall) / 'April 1, 2005' (one-wall), 'rules changes passed by the USHA Board, June 2006' and 'May 2007', 'as of February 6, 2015', and January dates later (22 Jan 2017 per the user's lead; 26 Jan 2025 printed); the January dates may be a winter board meeting We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: USHA board minutes (the 2025 page says changes are kept in 'the most recent USHA Board Meeting Minutes'); Handball magazine board-meeting reports Pages that rely on it: - [A USHA four-wall rule text is amended on 20 June 1990; the…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The 1995 USHA One-Wall Rules with Interpretations harmonise…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) ### H-120: Open The USHA four-wall rules of 2005 (amended Jan. 16, 2005; published as of April 15, 2005) are a revision of the 1999 text (amended Jan. 31, 1999), not a new drafting: same five parts and rule numbering, much of the wording kept, interpretations moved inline We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: A USHA statement of the 2000-2005 rule changes (Handball magazine, board minutes) or an intermediate text (the reported August 20, 2002 rules, not yet found) Related questions: H-120 ### H-121: Open An undated Irish Handball Council rule book, titled 'Official Playing Rules' and sponsored by The Willwood Sports Foundation, with the Council's Irish-language name on the cover (cover photo, user-supplied), dates from the Council era 1924-2008; the Willwood sponsorship should narrow it We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: date from inside pages (imprint, printer, foreword, rule dates); search Irish newspapers/GAA Handball history for Willwood sponsorship of handball (web search 2026-10-30 for "Willwood Sports Foundation" handball: 0 relevant results) Pages that rely on it: - [The Irish Handball Council: All-Irelands, softball, the 40x…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/ie-irish-handball-council.md) ### H-122: Open Phil Casey died on 11 July 1904 (headstone and Find a Grave memorial 170807793), not 12 July as [Phil Casey, for 25 years handball champion of the world, died at his Brooklyn home on 12 July 1904, aged 56](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md#1904-phil-casey-dies) has it from newspaper reports We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: read the 12-13 July 1904 reports for 'died yesterday/last night/this morning' with their issue times; Brooklyn Daily Eagle death notice; NYC death certificate index (Kings, 1904); burial record at Holy Cross Related questions: H-122 ### H-123: Supported [H-32](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-32) update: the AAU's 1960 Official Rules Handball (copyright 1960) lists 'United Four-Wall Rules Adopted by A.A.U.-Y.M.C.A.-U.S.H.A. and J.W.B.' on p.5, so by 1960 the unified four-wall rules were jointly adopted by the AAU, YMCA, USHA and the Jewish Welfare Board The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: obtain the book (or a library copy) and read p.5-6 for the adoption date and wording; check copyright renewal 1987-88 (Stanford/CCE renewals) Pages that rely on it: - [A Unified Handball Rules Committee of the USHA, Y.M.C.A. an…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The USHA, the common rules and the end of A.A.U. handball (…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-and-the-common-rules.md) - [The Y.M.C.A. and the gym game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ymca-and-the-gym-game.md) - and 2 more Related questions: H-124, H-125 ### H-124: Supported AAU Official Rules Handball 1962 (copyright 1962) still prints 'Unified Four-Wall Rules Adopted by A.A.U.-Y.M.C.A.-U.S.H.A. and J.W.B.' on p.6 and has the same contents as 1960 repaginated by +1 to +2 pages, with a 1962 officer slate (Louis J. Fisher president) and a champions table to 1962; so the joint-adoption wording was unchanged from 1960 to 1962 ([H-123](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-123)) The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: obtain the book and read pp.5-7 for the adoption wording and date; compare with the 1960 book Pages that rely on it: - [The A.A.U.'s Official Rules: Handball (copyright 1962) stil…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The USHA, the common rules and the end of A.A.U. handball (…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-and-the-common-rules.md) - [The Y.M.C.A. and the gym game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ymca-and-the-gym-game.md) ### H-125: Open The unified four-wall rules were prepared by a 'Unified Handball Rules Committee' of four bodies (USHA, YMCA, AAU, JWB) chaired by Chas. J. O'Connell of the New York Athletic Club, which in the Champion Glove 'Official Unified Handball Rules' booklet 'agreed to serve for the year of 1960'; the adoption meeting was in Chicago in a December (year cut off in the photo), consistent with the 1958/59 unification ([H-32](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-32), [H-123](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-123)) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: obtain the booklet's full facing page (adoption narrative) to read the date and place; check USHA records for the Chicago meeting Pages that rely on it: - [A Unified Handball Rules Committee of the USHA, Y.M.C.A. an…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The USHA, the common rules and the end of A.A.U. handball (…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-and-the-common-rules.md) - [The Y.M.C.A. and the gym game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ymca-and-the-gym-game.md) - and 2 more ### H-126: Open A later unified booklet 'Handball Official Unified Playing Rules for Four Wall, Three Wall, One Wall courts' names only AAU, JWB and YMCA on its cover and contents header (no USHA); the seller dates it 1968, which would mean USHA was no longer a co-issuer of the unified rules by then, but no year is printed in the photos We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: obtain the booklet and read its introduction, committee page and any copyright or date line Pages that rely on it: - [A.A.U., Jewish Welfare Board and Y.M.C.A. issue a 1968 revi…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The USHA, the common rules and the end of A.A.U. handball (…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-and-the-common-rules.md) - [The Y.M.C.A. and the gym game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ymca-and-the-gym-game.md) Related questions: H-129 ### H-127: Open The 1952 YMCA Handball Rules (National Y.M.C.A. Handball Committee) and the 1940 YMCA Hand Ball Rules (revised Feb. 15, 1940, with 17 changes) share the same four-wall Rule I wording; the YMCA ran its own handball code, with doubles teams required to be from one YMCA and branch (1952), until it joined the unified rules about 1958-60 We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: obtain both booklets in full and diff the rules; find YMCA committee minutes on joining the unified rules Pages that rely on it: - [The National Y.M.C.A. Handball Committee's 1952 rules, issu…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The Y.M.C.A. and the gym game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ymca-and-the-gym-game.md) - [The Y.M.C.A.'s national physical education committee issues…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) ### H-128: Supported The AAU's 1962 handball book dates the three-wall jai-alai type court's official opening to November 29, 1959 at Forrest Park Playground, Queens, New York, and the first all-glass court to the Aurora, Illinois YMCA in 1958; it also says the first international match in over twenty years was held in Ireland in 1957 with New York Athletic Club players winning four of seven matches The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: check New York Parks Department and Irish handball council sources for 1957 and 1959; verify with a library copy Pages that rely on it: - [One-wall becomes its own game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/one-wall-becomes-its-own-game.md) - [The court shrinks: 60 x 30 in Ireland, 65 x 24 to 20 x 40 i…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-court-shrinks.md) - [The first three-wall 'jai-alai type' handball court officia…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - and 5 more ### H-129: Supported The 1968 'Handball Official Unified Playing Rules' booklet (AAU-JWB-YMCA) is a revision of the 1958 four-organization unified rules made without the USHA: its printed introduction says the USHA took part in the rules discussion meetings but decided not to participate in publishing the revision. This supports and dates [H-126](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-126) from the printed text (committee page dated January 19, 1968) rather than from the seller. The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: A second printed source on why the USHA left (USHA minutes, Handball magazine 1967-68, AAU or YMCA handball committee reports), and the later AAU and USHA four-wall rules for 1968-70 showing different wording Pages that rely on it: - [A.A.U., Jewish Welfare Board and Y.M.C.A. issue a 1968 revi…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The USHA, the common rules and the end of A.A.U. handball (…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-and-the-common-rules.md) - [The Y.M.C.A. and the gym game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ymca-and-the-gym-game.md) - and 2 more ### H-130: Open The 1963 'Official rules' recorded in a UK union catalog (Open Library OL19862672M; author heading 'Irish Handball Association', publisher 'Gaelic Athletic Assoc') is a handball rule book of the Irish Handball Council (Official rules (1963)) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: the item itself or a fuller catalog record (BL, NLI, TCD) naming handball in title or subject Pages that rely on it: - [The Irish Handball Council: All-Irelands, softball, the 40x…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/ie-irish-handball-council.md) - [Who writes the rules: court keeper, newspaper, federation,…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/who-writes-the-rules.md) ### H-131: Open The 46-page 'The New and official United States Handball Association rulebook: with interpretations, one-wall, and three-wall addendums' (Tucson, 1991; Open Library OL16888717M from a Washington library MARC record) is the printed book of The Official United States Handball Association Handball Rules With Interpretations and One-Wall and Three-Wall Addendum Revised 1991 (1990) ('Revised 1991') and carries the one-wall rules that R52 found only as a mention (the 1991 one-wall republication) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: the printed book (title page, amendment date, one-wall addendum date) Pages that rely on it: - [USHA alone: one body, three codes, online rules (1978-)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-alone.md) - [USHA publishes a 'Revised 1991' rule book with one-wall and…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) ### H-132: Open The Open Library record 'Official unified handball rules: AAU-YMCA-JWB for four-wall, three-wall, & one-wall courts. Official IRA racquetball rules' (Champion Glove Mfg. Co., Des Moines, 1968; 21, 10 p.; OCLC 15116513) is a library-held copy of R55's 1968 unified handball rules (no edition record yet), in a printing that adds the International Racquetball Association rules (10 p.) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: compare the library copy (Washington State Univ.?) with the eBay copies: pagination, back cover, IRA section Pages that rely on it: - [A.A.U., Jewish Welfare Board and Y.M.C.A. issue a 1968 revi…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The Y.M.C.A. and the gym game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ymca-and-the-gym-game.md) ### H-133: Open The AAU still issued an 'Official Handball Rules' in 1983 (cited 'Official handball rules, New York, 1983, The Amateur Athletic Union' in Sports and recreational activities, 1987 ed.); later handbooks cite 'current ed.' at 231 West 58th St. These may be stale bibliography entries rather than new AAU editions We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: an AAU handball rule book dated after 1968, or AAU minutes showing handball dropped Pages that rely on it: - [The USHA, the common rules and the end of A.A.U. handball (…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-and-the-common-rules.md) - [USHA alone: one body, three codes, online rules (1978-)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-alone.md) ### H-134: Supported The 'official rules for play' printed in O'Connell, How to Play Handball (American Sports Publishing, c1931, 104 p., Spalding Red Cover No. 114R; HathiTrust 100822367, full view pdus; LC 31003891) and its c1935 edition (106 p., LC ca35000248) are the AAU handball rules of those years, continuing the AAU rules printed in the 114R Spalding's Official Handball Guide to 1928 (How to Play Handball ... including official rules for play (1931), Amateur Athletic Union official rules handball, four-wall, one-wall, four-wall hardball, code ball, volley ball (1935)) The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: read the HathiTrust full-view scan (rules heading, AAU adoption statement) Pages that rely on it: - [The A.A.U. rule codes: four-wall, one-wall, hardball (1920-…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-rule-codes.md) ### H-135: Open Spalding's Official Handball Guide issues registered 30 Dec 1925 (A875688; LC 26010065) and 16 July 1927 (A997984; LC 27015576) print the AAU four-wall and one-wall rules of their year, as the 1923 and 1928 issues do (Spalding's Official Handball Guide (AAU rules) (1926), Spalding's Official Handball Guide (AAU rules) (1927)) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: the LC copies (1926 microfilm 67658 GV; 1927 GV1017.H2 .R5 1927): contents pages Pages that rely on it: - [The A.A.U. rule codes: four-wall, one-wall, hardball (1920-…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-rule-codes.md) - [The serve: one ace line, then two lines, then the short line](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-serve.md) Related questions: H-137 ### H-136: Open The 'Y.M.C.A. Hand Ball Rules' indexed in 1909 (Y.M.C.A. Hand Ball Rules (index entry) (1909)) are the YMCA single-wall-court rules 'Revised by a Committee of the Physical Directors' Conference at Thousand Island Park, June, 1900', printed in the YMCA Athletic League handbooks 1904 (Canada) to 1913; the YMCA four-wall court rules first appear in the 1915 handbook ('Adopted by Physical Directors' Society, Asilomar, Cal., May, 1915'). If so the 1909 edition is a one-wall (single wall) code, not four-wall. We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: A copy of Spalding No. 302 YMCA Official Handbook of 1909 showing its handball pages Pages that rely on it: - [One-wall becomes its own game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/one-wall-becomes-its-own-game.md) - [One-wall rises in New York (1915-1922)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-one-wall-rises-in-new-york.md) - [The Y.M.C.A. and the gym game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ymca-and-the-gym-game.md) ### H-137: Open The AAU one-wall text reprinted in H. C. Buck's Rules of Games and Sports (YMCA Publishing House, Calcutta; 1943-44, c.1945, 1950 editions; first ed. 1929) is an AAU one-wall edition between the 1922-11-20 rules (A.A.U. One-Wall Rules (1922)) and the 1927-11-20 rules (in the 1928 guide): it adds the service line 9 ft behind the short line and 'Spalding No. 131' but keeps 1923 wording that 1927 changed (short line 'at least 13 feet'; no match lengths; receiver/partner positions as 1923). Probably the one-wall rules of the 1926 or 1927 Spalding guide ([H-135](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-135)). We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: The one-wall pages of the 1926 or 1927 Spalding's Official Handball Guide (LC microfilm 67658 GV; GV1017.H2 .R5 1927) Pages that rely on it: - [A Calcutta Y.M.C.A. rule book of 1943-44 prints the A.A.U.…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [A.A.U. annual meeting adopts a revised set of one-wall rule…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The serve: one ace line, then two lines, then the short line](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-serve.md) ### H-138: Supported The A.A.U. Hard Ball Rules printed in O'Connell, How to Play Handball (1931, pp. 102-104; A.A.U. Hard Ball Rules (in Charles J. O'Connell, How to Play Handball, 1931) (1931)) were made by adapting the AAU four-wall rule text of the early 1920s (Hand Ball (1920) / Official Handball Rules of the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States (1923)) to the hard-ball court, rather than from the Irish (GAA) rules the 1928 guide printed The sources we have seen point this way, but it is not settled. What would settle it: an earlier printing of AAU hard ball rules (1920s AAU handbook or Spalding guide), or an AAU minute adopting hard ball rules, showing when and from what they were made Pages that rely on it: - [The A.A.U. rule codes: four-wall, one-wall, hardball (1920-…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-rule-codes.md) - [Who writes the rules: court keeper, newspaper, federation,…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/who-writes-the-rules.md) ### H-139: Open The YMCA single-wall 'Hand Ball Rules' revised at Thousand Island Park in June 1900 (Hand Ball Rules (1900); printed 1904-1910) replaced an earlier YMCA code headed 'Approved by the Physical Directors' Conference, 1898' (13 numbered rules; committee W. E. Day, H. H. Wikel, C. H. Carey) printed in the 1899 YMCA Athletic League handbook, so the 1898 text is the parent of the 1900 edition. We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Page images of the 1899 handbook (IA officialhandbook01athl, pp. 98-99) read and transcribed; a statement in the 1900 text or the Conference proceedings that it revises the 1898 rules Pages that rely on it: - [One-wall becomes its own game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/one-wall-becomes-its-own-game.md) - [One-wall rises in New York (1915-1922)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-one-wall-rises-in-new-york.md) - [The Y.M.C.A. and the gym game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ymca-and-the-gym-game.md) - and 1 more ### H-140: Open The revised YMCA single-wall text first seen in the 1913 handbook (Hand Ball Rules: Single Wall Court (1913): 'Revised by J. H. Scott for this issue'; Irish Ace ball, Rule 3 'When the server loses', Rule 10 shorter, hinder (d)) was made between the 1910 and 1913 handbooks, i.e. in the 1911 or 1912 issue or for the 1913 issue itself. We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: The 1911 and 1912 (and 1908/1909/1914) YMCA Athletic League handbooks, or a Physical Directors' Society / Athletic League notice of the revision Pages that rely on it: - [One-wall becomes its own game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/one-wall-becomes-its-own-game.md) - [The ball: from 'about two inches' to 1 7/8 in and 61 grams](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ball.md) - [The Y.M.C.A. and the gym game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ymca-and-the-gym-game.md) ### H-141: Open The June 1900 Thousand Island Park single-wall revision was adopted by the Athletic League's Governing Committee in 1900 (the 1904 Canadian handbook footnote reads 'Suggested changes by the Physical Directors' Conference, at Thousand Island Park, June, 1900. Adopted by the Governing Committee.', undated). We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Athletic League Governing Committee minutes or the 1900/1901 handbook announcing the new rules Pages that rely on it: - [The Y.M.C.A. and the gym game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ymca-and-the-gym-game.md) - [Who writes the rules: court keeper, newspaper, federation,…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/who-writes-the-rules.md) ### H-142: Open The handball rules in Draper & Maynard's Official Rules of 1 April 1931 (31 rules, 'Governed by the Amateur Athletic Union') are the AAU 1928 four-wall text with the D&M ball substituted for the Spalding ball, and not the AAU text of O'Connell 1931, which adds an AAU ball specification and has 34 rules We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: transcribe both pages from the images and align them with [Official Handball Playing Rules of the A.A.U. (in Spalding's Official Handball Guide, 1928) (1928)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-fourwall-1928.md) and A.A.U. Soft Ball Four-Wall Rules (in Charles J. O'Connell, How to Play Handball, 1931) (1931) clause by clause Pages that rely on it: - [The A.A.U. rule codes: four-wall, one-wall, hardball (1920-…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-aau-rule-codes.md) - [The ball: from 'about two inches' to 1 7/8 in and 61 grams](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/the-ball.md) ### H-146: Open USHA's one-wall rules were revised between 1998-01-28 and 1999-08-23: the 1999-08-23 interpretations page renumbers the Rule 4.3 cross-references of Interpretations 5-7 (4.3A(1)/4.3C(3)/4.3C(6) -> 4.3B(1)/4.3D(3)/4.3D(6)), matching the 1999 four-wall interpretations, but no one-wall rules page of that date is held We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: A capture of ushandball.org/handball/RULES.html (or the one-wall rules page) between 1998-01-28 and 2000-11-10 showing a 4.3 sub-item inserted, or a 1999 one-wall booklet Pages that rely on it: - [One-wall becomes its own game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/threads/one-wall-becomes-its-own-game.md) - [The 1995 USHA One-Wall Rules with Interpretations harmonise…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [USHA alone: one body, three codes, online rules (1978-)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/eras/us-usha-alone.md) ### H-147: Open The USHA began in 1950 as a Players' Fraternity pulled together by Bob Kendler and became an operating national body with its first nationals in 1951; the 1950 vs 1951 founding dates in USHA's own texts (1972 magazine: group formed 1950, Kendler broke with the AAU 1951; 1998 past-president letter: 'our 48 years'; website 1951; Irish Times 2025: founded 1951) describe two steps, not a conflict We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: A 1950-51 primary record of the Players' Fraternity (first newsletter or Ace issue, minutes, Chicago newspaper); the first ACE masthead date ([H-84](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-84)) Pages that rely on it: - [A group of leading handball players and administrators form…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) ### H-148: Open The USHA magazine's 1971 tribute to Charles J. O'Connell (Handball, Dec 1971 p.17) credits him with 'instrumental construction' of the first one-wall court at Brighton Beach in 1909 and with the first printed handball rules book in 1930; the 1909 date is earlier than any one-wall evidence we hold (1913-1915, [H-97](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-97)) and the Brighton Beach courts we hold date from 1921 ([H-114](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/open-questions.md#H-114)), and the 1930 book claim is contradicted by printed rule books of 1893-1928, so the 1909 claim is at best an early date for outdoor courts at Brighton Beach Baths We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Brooklyn Eagle, New York Times or Coney Island sources 1905-1913 naming a Brighton Beach handball or one-wall court; O'Connell's own accounts Pages that rely on it: - [Charles J. O'Connell's 'How to Play Handball' (Spalding, 19…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) - [The USHA's December 1971 tribute to Charles O'Connell lists…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) ### H-149: Open The USHA Hall of Fame page's first inductions (Al Banuet and Joe Platak, 1954; then 1955, 1957, 1959...) are the Helms Athletic Foundation's handball Hall of Fame selections, which the USHA later adopted into its own list: the 1971 USHA magazine says Banuet and Platak are inscribed 'in the highest place in the Helms Hall of Fame' and that O'Connell was named to the Helms Hall in 1957, and the USHA's own Hall of Fame is at Tucson (opened after the 1970s) We think this may be so, but no source we have seen decides it. What would settle it: Helms Athletic Foundation handball selections and years; the USHA Hall of Fame's founding date and first induction dinner Pages that rely on it: - [The USHA's Hall of Fame list opens in 1954 with Al Banuet a…](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/timeline.md) ## Corrections Found a mistake, or a source we missed? Email perfectshipllc@gmail.com with the subject "History correction: Open questions (/history/open-questions/)". Please name the page and, if you can, the source.