# Rule 21 (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/

In doubles, both players on a side are entitled to a fair and unobstructed chance at the ball and either one is entitled to a hinder if interfered with by an opponent, even though it naturally would be his partner's ball and notwithstanding the fact that his partner may be attempting to play the ball or that he may already have missed it.

The referee should be liberal in rendering decisions under this rule in order to discourage the practice of playing the ball where an adversary cannot see it until too late to get into position and it is no excuse that the ball is "killed dead" or that the adversary "could not get it." He is entitled to a chance to try, and in the absence of this chance is entitled to the decision.

## Mentioned here

- [Player](https://handball.theperfectship.com/player.md)
- [Partner](https://handball.theperfectship.com/partner.md)
- [Opponent](https://handball.theperfectship.com/opponent.md)
- [Referee](https://handball.theperfectship.com/match-referee.md)
- [Hinder](https://handball.theperfectship.com/hinder.md)
- [Ball](https://handball.theperfectship.com/ball.md)
- [Doubles](https://handball.theperfectship.com/doubles.md)

How this rule changed: [wording in every rulebook](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/clause-history/code-fourwall-american/21.md)

## Relationships

- Player relates to Partner: mentioned together in 3 sub-rules.
- Player relates to Opponent: mentioned together in 3 sub-rules.
- Player relates to Referee: mentioned together in 8 sub-rules.
- Player relates to Hinder: mentioned together in 5 sub-rules.
- Player relates to Ball: mentioned together in 8 sub-rules.
- Partner relates to Ball: mentioned together in 5 sub-rules.
- Partner relates to Doubles: mentioned together in 3 sub-rules.
- Referee relates to Ball: mentioned together in 6 sub-rules.
- 9 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.