Rule

A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules · American four-wall

Rule 21

Historical rulebook: not the current rules. The current rules are here (USHA Four-Wall Rulebook, as of 26 January 2025).

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

How this rule changed

See the wording of this rule in every rulebook, with the changes marked.

How these ideas connect in this rule

together ×3together ×3together ×8together ×5together ×8together ×5together ×3together ×6Opponent actorPartner actorPlayer actorReferee actorHinder actionBall thingDoubles concept

9 weaker links (terms mentioned together in few sub-rules) are not drawn.