# Rule 15 (A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1931, historical)

> **Historical rulebook: not the current rules.** The current rules are here: https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/

After the ball is served the server's opponents must return the ball to the front wall. The ball may be played on the fly or on the first bounce, but must strike the front wall after it is returned before hitting the floor. If it strikes the front wall and floor at the same time it counts as a miss. If the opponents fail to return the ball properly it counts as a tally for the server. If the server or his partner in doubles fails to return the adversary's play properly the server is out.

## Mentioned here

- [Server](https://handball.theperfectship.com/server.md)
- [Partner](https://handball.theperfectship.com/partner.md)
- [Opponent](https://handball.theperfectship.com/opponent.md)
- [Serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/serve.md)
- [Front wall](https://handball.theperfectship.com/front-wall.md)
- [Ball](https://handball.theperfectship.com/ball.md)
- [Point](https://handball.theperfectship.com/point.md)
- [Doubles](https://handball.theperfectship.com/doubles.md)
- [Wall](https://handball.theperfectship.com/wall.md)
- [Floor](https://handball.theperfectship.com/floor.md)

How this rule changed: [wording in every rulebook](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/clause-history/code-fourwall-american/15.md)

## Relationships

- Server relates to Serve: mentioned together in 5 sub-rules.
- Server relates to Front wall: mentioned together in 4 sub-rules.
- Server relates to Ball: mentioned together in 8 sub-rules.
- Server relates to Wall: mentioned together in 4 sub-rules.
- Server relates to Floor: mentioned together in 4 sub-rules.
- Partner relates to Ball: mentioned together in 5 sub-rules.
- Serve relates to Front wall: mentioned together in 4 sub-rules.
- Serve relates to Ball: mentioned together in 7 sub-rules.
- Front wall relates to Ball: mentioned together in 6 sub-rules.
- Front wall relates to Wall: mentioned together in 6 sub-rules.
- Ball relates to Wall: mentioned together in 7 sub-rules.
- No link to the other terms shown: Opponent, Doubles, Point.
- 19 weaker links (terms mentioned together in few sub-rules) are not drawn.

Rulebook: [A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1931](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-fourwall-1931.md)

Source: Charles J. O'Connell, How to Play Handball ... Including Official Rules for Play and Diagrams of Court Construction (New York: American Sports Publishing Company, copyright 1931; Spalding's 'Red Cover' Series of Athletic Handbooks No. 114R), pp. 65-69; Ohio State University copy (HathiTrust osu.32435007267735), page screenshots saved by the user from HathiTrust's viewer. Public domain in the US.