# Rule 17 (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/

If a ball while in play touches a player on the way back from the front wall, it counts as a miss for this player, putting his side out if serving, or scoring for his opponent if they are serving, and the ball is immediately dead or out of play.

## Mentioned here

- [Player](https://handball.theperfectship.com/player.md)
- [Opponent](https://handball.theperfectship.com/opponent.md)
- [Change of serve (side-out)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/change-of-serve.md)
- [Front wall](https://handball.theperfectship.com/front-wall.md)
- [Ball](https://handball.theperfectship.com/ball.md)
- [Wall](https://handball.theperfectship.com/wall.md)

How this rule changed: [wording in every rulebook](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/clause-history/code-fourwall-american/17.md)

## Relationships

- Player relates to Opponent: mentioned together in 3 sub-rules.
- Player relates to Ball: mentioned together in 8 sub-rules.
- Opponent relates to Front wall: mentioned together in 2 sub-rules.
- Opponent relates to Ball: mentioned together in 3 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: Change of serve (side-out).
- 1 weaker link (terms mentioned together in few sub-rules) is 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.