# Amateur Athletic Union of the United States

In: [Learn](https://handball.theperfectship.com/learn.md) > [History](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history.md) > [Organizations](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/organizations.md) > Amateur Athletic Union of the United States

US.

Games: American four-wall; One-wall (small and big ball); Three-wall; Irish 60x30 (hardball and softball).

## Championships it ran

- [A.A.U. national amateur handball championship (singles)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/championships/aau-handball-championship.md)
- [AAU national four-wall handball championships](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/championships/aau-national-four-wall-championships.md)
- [AAU national three-wall handball championships](https://handball.theperfectship.com/history/championships/aau-national-three-wall-championships.md)

## Rulebook editions

- A.A.U. handball rules for the first national championship, January 1897 (title not known)
- [Revised Handball Rules of the Amateur Athletic Union of America, For the Government of the National Championship in Singles](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-fourwall-1903.md)
- [Hand Ball](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-fourwall-1920.md)
- [Official Handball Rules of the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-fourwall-1923.md)
- [Official Handball Playing Rules of the A.A.U. (in Spalding's Official Handball Guide, 1928)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-fourwall-1928.md)
- [A.A.U. Soft Ball Four-Wall Rules (in Charles J. O'Connell, How to Play Handball, 1931)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-fourwall-1931.md)
- Official rules handball : four-wall, one-wall, four-wall handball
- [A.A.U. Hard Ball Rules (in Charles J. O'Connell, How to Play Handball, 1931)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-fourwall-hardball-1931.md)
- Official rules handball, four-wall, one-wall, four-wall hardball; codeball, volleyball, horseshoe pitching
- Spalding's Official Handball Guide (AAU rules)
- Spalding's Official Handball Guide (AAU rules)
- How to Play Handball ... including official rules for play
- Rules for volley ball, ice hockey, hand ball, squash-handball, field-handball, code ball
- Official hand ball rules. Also rules for squash handball, field-handball, code ball, volley ball
- Amateur Athletic Union official rules handball, four-wall, one-wall, four-wall hardball, squash handball, field handball, code ball, volley ball
- Amateur Athletic Union official rules handball, four-wall, one-wall, four-wall hardball, code ball, volley ball
- Amateur Athletic Union official rules handball, four-wall, one-wall, four-wall hardball, squash handball, field handball, code ball, volley ball
- Amateur Athletic Union official rules handball
- Official rules handball
- Official Handball A.A.U. Rules
- Official Rules, Handball (A.A.U.)
- Official Rules, Handball (A.A.U.)
- [A.A.U. One-Wall Rules](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923.md)
- [One-Wall Playing Rules (in Spalding's Official Handball Guide, 1928)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1928.md)
- [A.A.U. One-Wall Rules (in Charles J. O'Connell, How to Play Handball, 1931)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1931.md)
- Official rules handball : four-wall, one-wall, four-wall handball
- Official AAU One Wall Handball Rules

## Dated facts

- by 9 November 1896: The A.A.U. takes jurisdiction over amateur handball (reported 9 Nov 1896) Source: [The Evening Times (Washington, D.C.), 9 November 1896, p. 3](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn84024441/1896-11-09/ed-1/?sp=3) (OCR lines 574-575)
- 17 November 1896: A.A.U. Board creates an amateur handball championship on the Jersey City club's application and adopts The Sun's rules of competition Source: [The Sun (New York), 18 November 1896, p. 4](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1896-11-18/ed-1/?sp=4) (OCR lines 195-200)
- 7 January 1897 to 8 January 1897: First A.A.U. national amateur handball championship, Jersey City; Michael J. Egan wins [Sources disagree] Newspaper reports of the first A.A.U. championship give either 7 January 1897 (the preliminary round) or 7 and 8 January (preliminary round and final). Source: [The Jersey City News (Jersey City), 9 January 1897, p. 3](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn87068097/1897-01-09/ed-1/?sp=3) (OCR lines 805-815)

  **Date: sources disagree.** The value from the stronger source (the lower rank number) is preferred.
  - 7 January 1897 to 8 January 1897 (preferred, source rank 2): [The Jersey City News (Jersey City), 9 January 1897, p. 3](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn87068097/1897-01-09/ed-1/?sp=3) (OCR lines 805-815)
  - 7 January 1897 (also given, source rank 2): [Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), 8 January 1897, p. 9](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045462/1897-01-08/ed-1/?sp=9) (OCR lines 352-356)

- 8 April 1905: Dispute over the Yale handball champion (Moore 11-1 v. DeForest 10-1) submitted to 'the handball expert of the American Amateur Athletic union' Source: [The New Haven Union (New Haven), 8 April 1905, p. 1](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn92051126/1905-04-08/ed-1/?sp=1) (OCR lines 350)
- 30 October 1919: A.A.U. legislation committee submits an entirely new set of handball rules to the Boston annual convention of 16-17 Nov 1919 Source: [The News Scimitar (Memphis), 13 November 1919, p. 15](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn98069867/1919-11-13/ed-1/?sp=15) (OCR lines 211-226)
- 4 January 1920 to 22 February 1920: First Metropolitan Association A.A.U. handball championship, Annunciation A.C., New York: 'amateur handball came in for official recognition for the first time on the A.A.U. curriculum'; Cyril Regan beat Dan Shea in the singles final Source: [The New York Herald (New York), 5 January 1920, p. 20](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030313/1920-01-05/ed-1/?sp=20) (OCR lines 431-441)
- 7 April 1920 to 9 April 1920: A.A.U. warns its associations off the Detroit A.C.'s unsanctioned 'junior national championship' handball tournament; Carl Haedge beat William Sackman in the Detroit national invitational singles final (9 Apr) Source: [New-York Tribune (New York), 8 April 1920, p. 12](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1920-04-08/ed-1/?sp=12) (OCR lines 856-862)
- 22 May 1920 to 29 May 1920: A.A.U. national handball championships at the Los Angeles Athletic Club: Max Gold beat George Klawitter in the singles final; holder Bill Ranft lost in the semi-final Source: [New-York Tribune (New York), 25 April 1920, p. 19](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1920-04-25/ed-1/?sp=19) (OCR lines 783-791)
- 16 November 1920: A.A.U. convention (16 Nov 1920) awards the 1921 national handball championships: junior to the New York A.C., senior to the Detroit Y.M.C.A. Source: [The Birmingham Age-Herald (Birmingham), 16 November 1920, p. 10](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn85038485/1920-11-16/ed-1/?sp=10) (OCR lines 82-87)
- 22 March 1921 to 25 March 1921: A.A.U. national handball championships at Detroit: Dr Carl Haedge (St. Paul) retained the senior singles title over William Sackman, 14-21, 21-16, 21-12 Source: [Great Falls Tribune (Great Falls), 27 March 1921, p. 11](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045217/1921-03-27/ed-1/?sp=11) (OCR lines 328-333)
- 23 July 1921 to 9 October 1921: A.A.U. outdoor handball tournaments on the Brighton Beach Baths' seaside courts, July-October 1921 (first major tournament 23 July; second from 11 September, finals 25 September; Sakman winner of singles and doubles in the first) Source: [New-York Tribune (New York), 23 July 1921, p. 8](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1921-07-23/ed-1/?sp=8) (OCR lines 613-622)
- 13 November 1921 to 11 December 1921: Metropolitan Association A.A.U. handball championship at the Van Kelton Stadium courts (57th St. and 8th Ave.): Jack Byrne (West Side Y.M.C.A.) beat William Sakman in five games on 11 December Source: [The New York Herald (New York), 12 December 1921, p. 12](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045774/1921-12-12/ed-1/?sp=12) (OCR lines 482-496)
- 19 December 1921: Central A.A.U. (Milwaukee, Dec 1921): Milwaukee Athletic Club awarded the national handball championships (held March 1922) Source: [The Milwaukee Leader (Milwaukee), 20 December 1921, p. 10](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045293/1921-12-20/ed-1/?sp=10) (OCR lines 610-613)
- 20 March 1922 to 25 March 1922: A.A.U. national handball championships at the Milwaukee Athletic Club: Art Schinner beat William Sakman for the singles; Gold and Laswell (Los Angeles) won the senior doubles; format reported as four-wall (preview) and one-wall (year review) [Sources disagree] The newspapers disagree on the form of the 1922 championship: a March preview called it the national four-wall championship, but a December review said the doubles, like the singles, was played at one wall. Source: [The New York Herald (New York), 26 March 1922, p. 56](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045774/1922-03-26/ed-1/?sp=56) (OCR lines 903-909)

  **Detail: sources disagree.** The value from the stronger source (the lower rank number) is preferred.
  - senior singles: A. J. Schinner of Milwaukee beat William Sakman of New York, two games to one (Schinner lost the first game) (preferred, source rank 2): [The New York Herald (New York), 26 March 1922, p. 56](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045774/1922-03-26/ed-1/?sp=56) (OCR lines 903-909)
  - preview calls the event the national 'four wall handball championship tournament', opening at the Milwaukee Athletic Club on Monday 20 March (also given, source rank 2): [New-York Tribune (New York), 15 March 1922, p. 14](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1922-03-15/ed-1/?sp=14) (OCR lines 279-285)
  - Tribune's 24 Dec review says the doubles title 'like the singles, was played at one wall' (also given, source rank 2): [New-York Tribune (New York), 24 December 1922, p. 12](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1922-12-24/ed-1/?sp=12) (OCR lines 689-690)

- 6 May 1922 to 10 September 1922: A.A.U. tournaments on the 'new courts' of the Brighton Beach Baths, Coney Island, May-September 1922 (singles/doubles, New York v. Boston intercity match 29 July, invitation tournament at Manhattan Beach Baths); Murray Vernon the leading player Source: [The Evening World (New York), 3 May 1922, p. 23](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030193/1922-05-03/ed-1/?sp=23) (OCR lines 562-575)
- 22 October 1922 to 12 November 1922: Metropolitan Association A.A.U. singles one-wall championship at the Van Kelton Handball Club courts (58th St. and 8th Ave.): Jack Byrnes (West Side Y.M.C.A.) beat Robert Powers 21-12, 21-14, 21-12 Source: [The Evening World (New York), 17 October 1922, p. 20](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030193/1922-10-17/ed-1/?sp=20) (OCR lines 168-184)
- 16 November 1922 to 10 December 1922: A.A.U. handball committee ordered the Metropolitan four-wall final (Shea v. Sakman) replayed; Sakman retained the title on 10 December, 3 games to 1 Source: [New-York Tribune (New York), 17 November 1922, p. 14](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1922-11-17/ed-1/?sp=14) (OCR lines 365-382)
- 19 November 1922 to 21 November 1922: A.A.U. national convention (19-21 Nov 1922): amendments sought included 'numerous minor changes' to handball rules; 1923 national handball championships awarded to St. Paul (senior) and Pittsburgh (junior) Source: [The Birmingham Age-Herald (Birmingham), 13 November 1922, p. 6](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn85038485/1922-11-13/ed-1/?sp=6) (OCR lines 231-234)
- 24 December 1922: Tribune annual review: with more than fifty new courts in the New York district the 'present set of rules is to be revised and added to by the National A. A. U. committee on handball' Source: [New-York Tribune (New York), 24 December 1922, p. 12](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1922-12-24/ed-1/?sp=12) (OCR lines 668-678)
- 19 March 1923 to 24 March 1923: A.A.U. national handball championships at the St. Paul Athletic Club: Joe 'Red' Murray (Olympic Club, San Francisco) beat Maynard Laswell for the singles; holder Art Schinner eliminated; scores reported two ways [Sources disagree] Newspapers reported the scores of the 1923 national singles final in two different ways; this entry follows the Associated Press dispatch from St. Paul. Source: [The Omaha Morning Bee (Omaha), 20 March 1923, p. 11](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn84024326/1923-03-20/ed-1/?sp=11) (OCR lines 118-124)

  **Detail: sources disagree.** The value from the stronger source (the lower rank number) is preferred.
  - Schinner (Milwaukee, national champion) beat George Sudheimer of St. Paul 21-?, 21-9 in the first round on 19 March (preferred, source rank 2): [The Omaha Morning Bee (Omaha), 20 March 1923, p. 11](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn84024326/1923-03-20/ed-1/?sp=11) (OCR lines 118-124)
  - Murray won the national singles title on 24 March over Maynard Laswell of Los Angeles, 21-9, 20-21, 21-6, having beaten 1922 champion Schinner, Haedge and a Baltimore player (also given, source rank 2): [San Antonio Light (San Antonio), 25 March 1923, p. 51](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn85060004/1923-03-25/ed-1/?sp=51) (OCR lines 374-391)

- 24 April 1923: Syndicated column quotes 'the new rules for handball': standard court four walls approximately 24 by 48 feet, ceilings 25 feet at the front wall (the revised A.A.U. text; the 1920/21 text said 24 by 50) Source: [The Laramie Republican (Laramie), 24 April 1923, p. 4](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn92066979/1923-04-24/ed-1/?sp=4) (OCR lines 237-248)
- 20 November 1923 to 26 December 1923: A.A.U. awards its 1924 national handball championships: four-wall senior at Los Angeles, four-wall junior at Pittsburgh, one-wall at New York, hard-ball at Brooklyn (convention at Detroit closed 20 Nov 1923) Source: [The Seattle Star (Seattle), 20 November 1923, p. 13](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn87093407/1923-11-20/ed-1/?sp=13) (OCR lines 601-610)
- 1924-1927: A.A.U. four-wall national champions 1924-1927 in Spalding's 1928 guide: Maynard Laswell three years running, then George Nelson; two doubles teams trade the title Source: [Spalding's Official Handball Guide (American Sports Publishing Company, 1928)](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435000469544)
- 20 November 1927: A.A.U. annual meeting adopts a revised set of one-wall rules on 20 November 1927; the short line moves to 14 ft from the wall (15 ft by the 1931 text) Source: [Spalding's Official Handball Guide (American Sports Publishing Company, 1928)](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435000469544)
- 1928: Spalding's 1928 guide prints the A.A.U. four-wall court as 22 x 46 x 22 ft, down from 24 x 48 ft in the 1923 text Source: [Spalding's Official Handball Guide (American Sports Publishing Company, 1928)](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435000469544) (OCR lines 1928)
- 1928: Spalding's Official Handball Guide for 1928 combines Ripley's guide with Brokaw's 'How to Play American Hand Ball' and prints the A.A.U. four-wall and one-wall rules and the Irish rules Source: [Spalding's Official Handball Guide (American Sports Publishing Company, 1928)](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435000469544)
- March 1929: At the March 1929 national championship in New York the players vote that a player must give an opponent a clear unobstructed chance at the ball; standing still after a shot to block the view is ruled out Source: [Charles J. O'Connell, How to Play Handball (American Sports Publishing Company, 1931)](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435007267735), pp. 58-59
- 1930-1939: The USHA champions page puts the 1930s A.A.U. four-wall nationals, over ten years, in eight cities (St. Louis, Minneapolis, New York twice, Chicago twice, Washington, Los Angeles, Memphis and San Francisco); its venue column names no source Source: [US Handball Association, "National Champions" (seen 28 October 2026)](https://www.ushandball.org/about/national-champions/)
- 1931: The A.A.U. prints separate hard-ball rules in 1931 for a four-wall court about 65 ft long and 25 ft wide with a 12 ft back wall, a length and back wall like those of Casey's old Brooklyn court (his was 24 ft wide with a 35 ft front wall) Source: [Charles J. O'Connell, How to Play Handball (American Sports Publishing Company, 1931)](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435007267735) (OCR lines 1931)
- 1931: O'Connell's 1931 book describes four-wall and one-wall partisans arguing which game is more scientific or more strenuous, and notes champions in both codes Source: [Charles J. O'Connell, How to Play Handball (American Sports Publishing Company, 1931)](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435007267735) (OCR lines 1931)
- 1931: Charles J. O'Connell's 'How to Play Handball' (Spalding, 1931) prints the A.A.U. four-wall, one-wall and hard-ball rules; the USHA later calls it the first printed book of handball rules and dates it 1930 [Sources disagree] The book carries a 1931 copyright line, but a 1971 USHA magazine tribute dates it to 1930 and calls it the first printed book of handball rules, which earlier guides and rule books (1893 to 1928) contradict. Source: [Charles J. O'Connell, How to Play Handball (American Sports Publishing Company, 1931)](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435007267735) (OCR lines 1931)

  **Date: sources disagree.** The value from the stronger source (the lower rank number) is preferred.
  - 1931 (preferred, source rank 2): [Charles J. O'Connell, How to Play Handball (American Sports Publishing Company, 1931)](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435007267735) (OCR lines 1931)
  - 1930 (also given, source rank 3): [Handball (USHA), December 1971](https://archive.teamusa.com/-/media/usa_racquetball/documents/magazine/archived-issues/handball-magazine/1971/1971_hb_dec24fa.pdf?la=en&hash=ACEEF2D04DD71FFF1E5D5CB043508DFA62593534)
  
  **Detail: sources disagree.** The value from the stronger source (the lower rank number) is preferred.
  - 'How to Play Handball ... Including Official Rules for Play and Diagrams of Court Construction' by Charles J. O'Connell (Spalding's Athletic Library no. 114R, American Sports Publishing Company, copyright 1931) prints A.A.U. four-wall rules (pp. 65-69), one-wall rules (pp. 97-100) and hard-ball rules (pp. 102-104), and opens with Robert L. Ripley's essay on the antiquity of handball (preferred, source rank 2): [Charles J. O'Connell, How to Play Handball (American Sports Publishing Company, 1931)](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435007267735)
  - The USHA magazine's December 1971 tribute credits O'Connell, 'author of first printed book on handball rules' and dates it 1930; printed rule books and guides of 1893, 1903, 1916, 1923 and 1928 already exist in our holdings, so the claim holds at best for a book by O'Connell himself (also given, source rank 3): [Handball (USHA), December 1971](https://archive.teamusa.com/-/media/usa_racquetball/documents/magazine/archived-issues/handball-magazine/1971/1971_hb_dec24fa.pdf?la=en&hash=ACEEF2D04DD71FFF1E5D5CB043508DFA62593534)

- 1935-1941: Joe Platak wins the A.A.U. four-wall national singles title seven years running, 1935-1941, across cities from Washington to San Francisco Source: [US Handball Association, "National Champions" (seen 28 October 2026)](https://www.ushandball.org/about/national-champions/)
- 21 April 1945: A glass-enclosed handball court at the Town Club of Chicago hosts the A.A.U. nationals from 21 April 1945; the USHA later credits its president Bob Kendler with inventing the glass court Source: [eBay listing 236990513620: seller photographs of a Converse handball handbook (1946) (seen 30 October 2026)](https://www.ebay.com/itm/236990513620)
- 1951: Bob Kendler breaks with the A.A.U. in 1951 'to form' the players' fraternity (by a 1972 USHA cover note): the first USHA four-wall (Chicago) and three-wall (Detroit) nationals; Avery Brundage was most instrumental in mediating a lasting agreement Source: [Handball (USHA), June 1972](https://archive.teamusa.com/-/media/usa_racquetball/documents/magazine/archived-issues/handball-magazine/1972/1972_hb_june1bc3.pdf?la=en&hash=9D26F4A7CBAD5CB11FD9F1F28B8407F5F171D84B), PDF p. 3
- 1956: Jimmy Jacobs of the Los Angeles A.C. becomes the first player to hold the 'Triple Crown': the A.A.U., USHA and Y.M.C.A. four-wall national titles in the same year, 1956 Source: [eBay listing 286432748460: seller photographs of an A.A.U. handball rules booklet (1960) (seen 30 October 2026)](https://www.ebay.com/itm/286432748460)
- 1956-1965: Charles J. O'Connell chairs the A.A.U. National Handball Committee from 1956 to 1965; Robert Quinn follows for 1966-68 Source: [eBay listing 800810243429: seller photographs of "Handball Official Unified Playing Rules" (A.A.U., J.W.B., Y.M.C.A., 1968) (seen 30 October 2026)](https://www.ebay.com/itm/800810243429)
- 1957: Three New York Athletic Club players play seven matches in Ireland in 1957 and win four: the first international match in over twenty years, by the A.A.U.'s account Source: [eBay listing 178429923015: seller photographs of an A.A.U. handball rules booklet (1962) (seen 30 October 2026)](https://www.ebay.com/itm/178429923015), p. 45
- 1958: The Y.M.C.A., A.A.U., Jewish Welfare Board and USHA adopt common 'Unified' four-wall rules in 1958, with Charles J. O'Connell as chairman of the rules committee Source: [eBay listing 800810243429: seller photographs of "Handball Official Unified Playing Rules" (A.A.U., J.W.B., Y.M.C.A., 1968) (seen 30 October 2026)](https://www.ebay.com/itm/800810243429)
- 29 November 1959: The first three-wall 'jai-alai type' handball court officially opens at Forrest Park Playground, Queens, New York, on 29 November 1959 Source: [eBay listing 178429923015: seller photographs of an A.A.U. handball rules booklet (1962) (seen 30 October 2026)](https://www.ebay.com/itm/178429923015), p. 62
- 1960: A Unified Handball Rules Committee of the USHA, Y.M.C.A. and A.A.U. (with the Jewish Welfare Board) agrees to serve 'for the year of 1960', with O'Connell as its chairman Source: [eBay listing 206605328625: seller photographs of the unified handball playing rules (Y.M.C.A., 1960) (seen 30 October 2026)](https://www.ebay.com/itm/206605328625)
- 1961: At the 1961 USHA nationals and convention in Denver the Association is locked in a 'bitter dialogue' with the A.A.U. for handball supremacy and names a lawyer as its national commissioner Source: [Handball (USHA), February 1972](https://archive.teamusa.com/-/media/usa_racquetball/documents/magazine/archived-issues/handball-magazine/1972/1972_hb_febd6c5.pdf?la=en&hash=7EF67610C721BF2136F4EA75E3651D1254E36FE0), PDF p. 91
- 1962: The A.A.U.'s Official Rules: Handball (copyright 1962) still prints the unified four-wall rules adopted by the A.A.U., Y.M.C.A., USHA and J.W.B., beside one-wall, three-wall, hard-ball and glass-court sections Source: [eBay listing 178429923015: seller photographs of an A.A.U. handball rules booklet (1962) (seen 30 October 2026)](https://www.ebay.com/itm/178429923015)
- 1964: The first world handball championship is held in 1964 at the New York Athletic Club, with O'Connell as chairman, and, by a 1972 reader's letter, the world championships then recur every three years, the 1970 edition in Ireland Source: [Handball (USHA), December 1971](https://archive.teamusa.com/-/media/usa_racquetball/documents/magazine/archived-issues/handball-magazine/1971/1971_hb_dec24fa.pdf?la=en&hash=ACEEF2D04DD71FFF1E5D5CB043508DFA62593534), PDF p. 17
- 1965: O'Connell's 'Handball Illustrated' appears in 1965 (Ronald Press) Source: [Handball (USHA), December 1971](https://archive.teamusa.com/-/media/usa_racquetball/documents/magazine/archived-issues/handball-magazine/1971/1971_hb_dec24fa.pdf?la=en&hash=ACEEF2D04DD71FFF1E5D5CB043508DFA62593534), PDF p. 17
- 4 June 1967: A Long Beach newspaper of 4 June 1967 lists 'Official Unified Handball Rules' and 'Official AAU One Wall Handball Rules' booklets as available from Champion Glove of Des Moines Source: [Independent Press-Telegram, 4 June 1967](https://archive.org/details/independent-press-telegram-1967-06-04)
- 19 January 1968: A.A.U., Jewish Welfare Board and Y.M.C.A. issue a 1968 revision of the unified rules without the USHA, which 'decided not to participate in publishing' it; its four-wall court is 20 x 40 x 20 ft Source: [eBay listing 800810243429: seller photographs of "Handball Official Unified Playing Rules" (A.A.U., J.W.B., Y.M.C.A., 1968) (seen 30 October 2026)](https://www.ebay.com/itm/800810243429)
- December 1971: The USHA's December 1971 tribute to Charles O'Connell lists his handball diary from a first one-wall court at Brighton Beach in 1909 to the world championship of 1964 Source: [Handball (USHA), December 1971](https://archive.teamusa.com/-/media/usa_racquetball/documents/magazine/archived-issues/handball-magazine/1971/1971_hb_dec24fa.pdf?la=en&hash=ACEEF2D04DD71FFF1E5D5CB043508DFA62593534)

## Sources

- [Robert L. Ripley (ed.), Spalding's Official Handball Guide (1923)](https://www.loc.gov/item/23002979/) (OCR lines 3497)
- [The Evening Times (Washington, D.C.), 9 November 1896, p. 3](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn84024441/1896-11-09/ed-1/?sp=3) (OCR lines 574-575)
- [The Sun (New York), 18 November 1896, p. 4](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030272/1896-11-18/ed-1/?sp=4) (OCR lines 195-200)
- [The Jersey City News (Jersey City), 9 January 1897, p. 3](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn87068097/1897-01-09/ed-1/?sp=3) (OCR lines 805-815)
- [New York Journal (New York), 8 January 1897, p. 9](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn84024350/1897-01-08/ed-1/?sp=9) (OCR lines 21-23)
- [The New Haven Union (New Haven), 8 April 1905, p. 1](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn92051126/1905-04-08/ed-1/?sp=1) (OCR lines 350)
- [The News Scimitar (Memphis), 13 November 1919, p. 15](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn98069867/1919-11-13/ed-1/?sp=15) (OCR lines 211-226)
- [The Sun (New York), 31 October 1919, p. 19](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030431/1919-10-31/ed-1/?sp=19) (OCR lines 822-828)
- [The New York Herald (New York), 5 January 1920, p. 20](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030313/1920-01-05/ed-1/?sp=20) (OCR lines 431-441)
- [The Evening World (New York), 23 February 1920, p. 8](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030193/1920-02-23/ed-1/?sp=8) (OCR lines 365-373)
- [New-York Tribune (New York), 8 April 1920, p. 12](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1920-04-08/ed-1/?sp=12) (OCR lines 856-862)
- [The Milwaukee Leader (Milwaukee), 10 April 1920, p. 7](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045293/1920-04-10/ed-1/?sp=7) (OCR lines 241-249)
- [New-York Tribune (New York), 25 April 1920, p. 19](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1920-04-25/ed-1/?sp=19) (OCR lines 783-791)
- [East Oregonian (Pendleton), 28 May 1920, p. 9](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn88086023/1920-05-28/ed-1/?sp=9) (OCR lines 67-80)
- [The Sun and the New York Herald (New York), 31 May 1920, p. 9](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030273/1920-05-31/ed-1/?sp=9) (OCR lines 934-940)
- [The Birmingham Age-Herald (Birmingham), 16 November 1920, p. 10](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn85038485/1920-11-16/ed-1/?sp=10) (OCR lines 82-87)
- [Great Falls Tribune (Great Falls), 27 March 1921, p. 11](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045217/1921-03-27/ed-1/?sp=11) (OCR lines 328-333)
- [The New York Herald (New York), 26 March 1921, p. 10](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045774/1921-03-26/ed-1/?sp=10) (OCR lines 1106-1119)
- [New-York Tribune (New York), 23 July 1921, p. 8](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1921-07-23/ed-1/?sp=8) (OCR lines 613-622)
- [New-York Tribune (New York), 6 September 1921, p. 13](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1921-09-06/ed-1/?sp=13) (OCR lines 330-342)
- [The New York Herald (New York), 12 December 1921, p. 12](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045774/1921-12-12/ed-1/?sp=12) (OCR lines 482-496)
- [The Milwaukee Leader (Milwaukee), 20 December 1921, p. 10](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045293/1921-12-20/ed-1/?sp=10) (OCR lines 610-613)
- [The New York Herald (New York), 26 March 1922, p. 56](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045774/1922-03-26/ed-1/?sp=56) (OCR lines 903-909)
- [The Milwaukee Leader (Milwaukee), 25 March 1922, p. 14](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045293/1922-03-25/ed-1/?sp=14) (OCR lines 702-709)
- [New-York Tribune (New York), 15 March 1922, p. 14](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1922-03-15/ed-1/?sp=14) (OCR lines 279-285)
- [New-York Tribune (New York), 24 December 1922, p. 12](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1922-12-24/ed-1/?sp=12) (OCR lines 689-690)
- [The Evening World (New York), 3 May 1922, p. 23](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030193/1922-05-03/ed-1/?sp=23) (OCR lines 562-575)
- [The New York Herald (New York), 18 June 1922, p. 51](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045774/1922-06-18/ed-1/?sp=51)
- [The New York Herald (New York), 30 July 1922, p. 50](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045774/1922-07-30/ed-1/?sp=50) (OCR lines 1046-1062)
- [New-York Tribune (New York), 10 September 1922, p. 16](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1922-09-10/ed-1/?sp=16) (OCR lines 491-501)
- [The Evening World (New York), 17 October 1922, p. 20](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030193/1922-10-17/ed-1/?sp=20) (OCR lines 168-184)
- [New-York Tribune (New York), 13 November 1922, p. 10](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1922-11-13/ed-1/?sp=10) (OCR lines 218-229)
- [New-York Tribune (New York), 17 November 1922, p. 14](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1922-11-17/ed-1/?sp=14) (OCR lines 365-382)
- [The New York Herald (New York), 11 December 1922, p. 13](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045774/1922-12-11/ed-1/?sp=13) (OCR lines 695-708)
- [The Birmingham Age-Herald (Birmingham), 13 November 1922, p. 6](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn85038485/1922-11-13/ed-1/?sp=6) (OCR lines 231-234)
- [The New York Herald (New York), 22 November 1922, p. 16](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83045774/1922-11-22/ed-1/?sp=16) (OCR lines 103-105)
- [The Omaha Morning Bee (Omaha), 20 March 1923, p. 11](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn84024326/1923-03-20/ed-1/?sp=11) (OCR lines 118-124)
- [San Antonio Light (San Antonio), 25 March 1923, p. 51](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn85060004/1923-03-25/ed-1/?sp=51) (OCR lines 374-391)
- [The Laramie Republican (Laramie), 24 April 1923, p. 4](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn92066979/1923-04-24/ed-1/?sp=4) (OCR lines 237-248)
- [The Seattle Star (Seattle), 20 November 1923, p. 13](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn87093407/1923-11-20/ed-1/?sp=13) (OCR lines 601-610)
- [The Washington Times (Washington, D.C.), 26 December 1923, p. 18](https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn84026749/1923-12-26/ed-1/?sp=18) (OCR lines 421-432)
- [Spalding's Official Handball Guide (American Sports Publishing Company, 1928)](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435000469544)
- [US Handball Association, "National Champions" (seen 28 October 2026)](https://www.ushandball.org/about/national-champions/)
- [Charles J. O'Connell, How to Play Handball (American Sports Publishing Company, 1931)](https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435007267735)
- [Handball (USHA), December 1971](https://archive.teamusa.com/-/media/usa_racquetball/documents/magazine/archived-issues/handball-magazine/1971/1971_hb_dec24fa.pdf?la=en&hash=ACEEF2D04DD71FFF1E5D5CB043508DFA62593534)
- [eBay listing 236990513620: seller photographs of a Converse handball handbook (1946) (seen 30 October 2026)](https://www.ebay.com/itm/236990513620)
- [Handball (USHA), June 1972](https://archive.teamusa.com/-/media/usa_racquetball/documents/magazine/archived-issues/handball-magazine/1972/1972_hb_june1bc3.pdf?la=en&hash=9D26F4A7CBAD5CB11FD9F1F28B8407F5F171D84B)
- [eBay listing 286432748460: seller photographs of an A.A.U. handball rules booklet (1960) (seen 30 October 2026)](https://www.ebay.com/itm/286432748460)
- [eBay listing 800810243429: seller photographs of "Handball Official Unified Playing Rules" (A.A.U., J.W.B., Y.M.C.A., 1968) (seen 30 October 2026)](https://www.ebay.com/itm/800810243429)
- [eBay listing 178429923015: seller photographs of an A.A.U. handball rules booklet (1962) (seen 30 October 2026)](https://www.ebay.com/itm/178429923015), p. 45
- [eBay listing 206605328625: seller photographs of the unified handball playing rules (Y.M.C.A., 1960) (seen 30 October 2026)](https://www.ebay.com/itm/206605328625)
- [Handball (USHA), February 1972](https://archive.teamusa.com/-/media/usa_racquetball/documents/magazine/archived-issues/handball-magazine/1972/1972_hb_febd6c5.pdf?la=en&hash=7EF67610C721BF2136F4EA75E3651D1254E36FE0), PDF p. 91
- [Handball (USHA), August 1972](https://archive.teamusa.com/-/media/usa_racquetball/documents/magazine/archived-issues/handball-magazine/1972/1972_hb_aug70ff.pdf?la=en&hash=C76D0819F2754D5FD03B01481CC3483E7AA732DD)
- [US Handball Association, "History of Handball" (Wayback snapshot of 9 December 2016)](https://web.archive.org/web/20161209005848/https://www.ushandball.org/index.php/about/history-of-handball)
- [Independent Press-Telegram, 4 June 1967](https://archive.org/details/independent-press-telegram-1967-06-04)

## Corrections

Found a mistake, or a source we missed? Email perfectshipllc@gmail.com with the subject "History correction: Amateur Athletic Union of the United States (/history/organizations/aau/)". Please name the page and, if you can, the source.