# A.A.U. One-Wall Rules, 20 November 1922 (historical) > **Historical rulebook: not the current rules.** The current rules are here: https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/one-wall/ **Historical rulebook, 20 November 1922** (not the current rules) - Issued by: Amateur Athletic Union of the United States - Date: 20 November 1922 (the date the rules were adopted) - Code: American one-wall, small ball - Form: Full rulebook ## Contents - [Rule 1](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/1.md) - [Rule 2](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/2.md) - [Rule 3](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/3.md) - [Rule 4](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/4.md) - [Rule 5](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/5.md) - [Rule 6](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/6.md) - [Rule 7](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/7.md) - [Rule 8](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/8.md) - [Rule 9](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/9.md) - [Rule 10](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/10.md) - [Rule 11](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/11.md) - [Rule 12](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/12.md) - [Rule 13](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/13.md) - [Rule 14](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/14.md) - [Rule 15](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/15.md) - [Rule 16](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/16.md) - [Rule 17](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/17.md) - [Rule 18](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/18.md) - [Rule 19](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/19.md) - [Rule 20](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/20.md) - [Rule 21](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/21.md) - [Rule 22](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/22.md) - [Rule 23](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/23.md) - [Rule 24](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/24.md) - [Rule 25](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/25.md) - [Rule 26](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/26.md) - [Rule 27](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/27.md) - [Rule 28](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/28.md) - [Rule 29](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/29.md) - [Rule 30](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/30.md) - [Rule 31](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/31.md) - [Rule 32](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/32.md) - [Rule 33](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/33.md) - [Rule 34](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/34.md) - [Rule 35](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/aau-onewall-1923/35.md) ## A.A.U. One-Wall Rules ### Rule 1 Standard one-wall courts shall be approximately 20 feet in width by 34 feet in length and the wall to be 16 feet in height. The short line to be at least 13 feet from the board. ### Rule 2 Ball to be standard rubber handball, Spalding No. 101, or similar thereto. ### Rule 3 Twenty-one points shall constitute a game. ### Rule 4 First service shall be determined by the toss of a coin, or in any other manner agreed by the contestants. ### Rule 5 If the players cannot agree upon a ball a new ball shall be selected by the referee. ### Rule 6 In serving, the ball must be bounced on the floor within the square formed by the two side lines, the short and the rear line, and struck on the first bounce. Missing the ball puts the server out. The server has the privilege of several attempts at bouncing the ball before serving. ### Rule 7 The server must stand between the short line and the back line before commencing his service, with at least one foot between the side lines, and must not step over the short line while serving. Stepping over the short line while serving (or serving with both feet outside of the court) shall be counted a fault the same as a short or long ball. Doing so twice in succession shall be counted a hand out. ### Rule 8 The server must serve the ball so that it will first strike the board and bounce from the board inside of the square formed by the two side lines, the short line and the rear line. ### Rule 9 Two short balls in succession, or two long balls in succession, or a short ball and a long ball in succession, shall count as a hand out. ### Rule 10 One ball served outside of the side line shall count as a hand out. ### Rule 11 Hitting the ceiling, floor or any other part of the room before the front wall while serving counts as a hand out. ### Rule 12 If either side catches or stops the ball on the service, or play before it hits the floor, it counts as a hand out or a point against the offending side. ### Rule 13 The receiver cannot play a short nor a long ball. The server or his partner may stop a short ball after it touches the floor and before it has been touched by the opposing side. ### Rule 14 While his partner is serving, the player must stand outside of the court and must not enter the court until the ball having hit the board has returned past the short line. ### Rule 15 The receiver may strike the ball in returning same on the fly or on the first bounce. ### Rule 16 After the receiver strikes the ball, it must return to the front wall before hitting the floor and bound back into the court between the side lines, the board and rear line. If the receiver fails to hit the front wall first and returns the ball so it bounces within the limit of the court, it shall be counted as a point for the server. ### Rule 17 If the receiver fails to return the ball it counts as a tally for the side serving. If the server fails to return the adversary's play, it counts as a hand out and the side loses the serve. ### Rule 18 If a player strikes the ball and it hits an adversary before striking the floor or the front wall, the ball is dead and the point must be played over. ### Rule 19 If a ball before it is dead touches a player on the way back from the front wall, it loses the point for the player touched and the ball is immediately out of play. ### Rule 20 Hitting a partner with the ball immediately puts the ball out of play and loses the point for that side. ### Rule 21 If a player is interfered with unintentionally by his opponent, he may claim a hinder and the point shall be played over. ### Rule 22 A player being interfered with in playing the ball by an opponent may claim a hinder, unless his opponent after having played the ball shall have stood still, in which case no hinder shall be allowed. ### Rule 23 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 decision on a hinder, even though it might be the partner's ball and notwithstanding that the partner may be attempting to play the ball or that he may have already missed it. ### Rule 24 When, in the opinion of the referee, a player is hindered intentionally he should decide that point against the offending player. ### Rule 25 It is the duty of the referee to decide all hinders without being appealed to by the players as it is often distasteful to a player to make claim, especially in close cases, and failure to claim a hinder does not relieve the referee from the duty of rendering a decision. ### Rule 26 During a play the ball may not be played by a player after it has been touched either by a partner or by himself. ### Rule 27 A player may not claim a hinder when interfered with by his partner. ### Rule 28 Kicking the ball is not allowed. ### Rule 29 In all match games there should be a linesman, a referee and scorekeeper, who should sit next to the referee. ### Rule 30 During tournament or match play, leaving the court without consent of adversary forfeits the series unless excused by the referee. ### Rule 31 After a completion of a rally both players shall be allowed a reasonable time to get in position, after which the referee may call play. If the server fails to serve the ball after play is called the referee may count ten as nearly as possible at the rate of one count per second and if the ball is not served before the completion of the count the server shall be declared out. ### Rule 32 The referee's decision is final. ### Rule 33 Any player refusing to abide by the decision of referee forfeits the match. ### Rule 34 Drawings may be made either 48 or 72 hours before the scheduled time of the contest and the method of drawing shall be the same as prescribed in the A.A.U. boxing rules. (See A.A.U. Official Handbook—Spalding's Athletic Library.) ### Rule 35 If the ball strikes the ceiling or other obstructions either in going or coming from the front wall, it shall be counted as a point against the player who struck the ball. ## Terms in this rulebook - [Appeal](https://handball.theperfectship.com/appeal.md): 21, 22, 25, 27 - [Ball](https://handball.theperfectship.com/ball.md): 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 26, 28, 31, 35 - [Ceiling](https://handball.theperfectship.com/ceiling.md): 11, 35 - [Coin](https://handball.theperfectship.com/coin.md): 4 - [Court](https://handball.theperfectship.com/court.md): 1, 7, 14, 16, 30 - [Doubles](https://handball.theperfectship.com/doubles.md): 23 - [Draw & seeding](https://handball.theperfectship.com/draw.md): 34 - [Fault serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/fault-serve.md): 7 - [Floor](https://handball.theperfectship.com/floor.md): 6, 11, 12, 13, 16, 18 - [Forfeit / default](https://handball.theperfectship.com/forfeit.md): 30, 33 - [Front wall](https://handball.theperfectship.com/front-wall.md): 1, 8, 11, 14, 16, 18, 19, 35 - [Game, match, tiebreaker](https://handball.theperfectship.com/game.md): 3, 29, 30 - [Hand-out](https://handball.theperfectship.com/hand-out.md): 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17 - [Hinder](https://handball.theperfectship.com/hinder.md): 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27 - [Line judge](https://handball.theperfectship.com/line-judge.md): 29 - [Long line](https://handball.theperfectship.com/long-line.md): 6, 7, 8, 16 - [Long serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/long-serve.md): 7, 9, 13 - [One-wall (GAA: Wallball)](https://handball.theperfectship.com/one-wall.md): 1 - [Opponent](https://handball.theperfectship.com/opponent.md): 21, 22 - [Partner](https://handball.theperfectship.com/partner.md): 13, 14, 20, 23, 26, 27 - [Player](https://handball.theperfectship.com/player.md): 5, 14, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 31, 33, 35 - [Point](https://handball.theperfectship.com/point.md): 3, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 35 - [Rally](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rally.md): 31 - [Receiver](https://handball.theperfectship.com/receiver.md): 13, 15, 16, 17 - [Referee](https://handball.theperfectship.com/match-referee.md): 5, 24, 25, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 - [Scorer](https://handball.theperfectship.com/scorer.md): 29 - [Serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/serve.md): 8, 10, 17, 31 - [Server](https://handball.theperfectship.com/server.md): 6, 7, 8, 13, 16, 17, 31 - [Short line](https://handball.theperfectship.com/short-line.md): 1, 7, 8, 14 - [Short serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/short-serve.md): 9, 13 - [Side lines](https://handball.theperfectship.com/side-lines.md): 6, 7, 8, 16 - [Wall](https://handball.theperfectship.com/wall.md): 1, 11, 16, 18, 19, 35 Printed title: A.A.U. One-Wall Rules Source: Spalding's Official Handball Guide, 1923 (Library of Congress, LCCN 23002979). Public domain.