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Brokaw One-Wall Rules, 1916

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

Historical

Historical rulebook, 1916

Issued by
not recorded
Dated
1916 (the year in our earlier research notes)
Code
American one-wall, small ball
Form
Full rulebook

Rules of American Hand Ball

Rule 1

The players must stand outside the court, in the field, until the ball is put in play by the server.

Rule 2

The ball is in play when the server drops or throws it to the floor anywhere within the court on that side of the service line farthest from the board (or wall).

Rule 3

The ball must touch the floor before the server can play it to the board and the play must be made on the first bound.

Rule 4

A served ball, after leaving the board, must, without touching the floor, cross to that side of the service line farthest from the board and land within the court.

Rule 5

A served ball must not be played on a fly, but on the first bounce only.

Rule 6

If a served ball leaving the board first touches the floor before crossing the service line it is "short" and the same server serves again.

Rule 7

If a served ball leaving the board first touches the floor on that side of the front line farthest from the board, it is "long."

Rule 8

If one "long" and one "short" or two "long" or two "short" balls served consecutively by the same server fail to touch the floor first within the court, between the service line and the front line, the server is out, and in doubles the side is out.

Rule 9

If a served ball touch the floor outside the side lines of court, the server is out, and in doubles the side is out.

Rule 10

All served balls and all returned balls must touch the board first before touching the floor.

Rule 11

A ball leaving the board strikes an opposition player, it is against the side so struck and is either a point or a putout for the other side.

Rule 12

A ball leaving the board strikes the player who returned it or, in doubles, that player's partner, it is against the side so struck, and is either a point or putout for the opposition.

Rule 13

A ball, after leaving the hand of the player and while on its course toward the board, strikes an opposition player before touching the floor, it is a "hinder," and two "hinders" on one service constitute a point or a putout against the side making the "hinders."

Rule 14

In doubles, a player, making an attempt to play a ball, completely misses it, his partner may play it.

Rule 15

A ball that is short or long or outside the side lines is nevertheless played, the play may continue to the end of the rally and appeal then be taken to the referee, who must decide whether the ball was good or not.

Rule 16

All balls must be played from the first bounce or fly, except the serve, which must be played from first bounce only.

Rule 17

After the serve, any returned ball that first touches the floor or board outside the actual dimensions of the court, it is a point or a putout against the side making the return.

Rule 18

The player must strike the ball with the front of either hand and no other part of his anatomy.

Rule 19

A player may place a ball with relation to himself so as to block or prevent his opponent from having free access to the ball, but the blocking movement must be complete at the time of returning the ball and not after the ball has left his hand.

Rule 20

In doubles, a player may place a ball so that his partner may block either opponent, as in Rule 19.

Rule 21

In doubles, a player must not take up a position to block an opponent after the ball has left the board.

Rule 22

A player running away from the board in pursuit of the ball has the right of way and is not subject to any form of blocking after he has passed the service line.

Rule 23

A player already in position, or while taking a position to return the ball, must not be blocked, unless the blocking movement was made before the ball left the board.

Rule 24

In doubles, the server's partner may stand at each serve, between their two opponents, but he must move away from any served ball so at least one of their opponents shall have free access to the ball.

Rule 25

A player may return the ball and block his opponent by a single act, but the blocking part of the act must end when the ball leaves the hand.

Rule 26

In doubles, each side shall alternate in the service as well as in the defensive positions, and no player shall play the same defensive position or do the serving all the time.

Rule 27

When the ball is coming off the board, a player must not pass between the oncoming ball and his opponent, but may pass under the ball or around his opponent.

Rule 28

Twenty-one points constitutes a full game.

Rule 29

Should each side score twenty points, either must score two consecutive points on one service to win.

Rule 30

Before starting a game, the players may agree among themselves as to the defensive positions they will play; after the first game they must alternate in each game.

Rule 31

The players shall toss a coin to determine which side shall serve the first ball, after which they will play for the service, the first point or putout winning said service, when the regular game shall start.

Rule 32

The officials of the game shall be a referee and an umpire.

Rule 33

The referee shall have charge of the game, direct the players, make the decisions, impose all penalties and enforce the rules.

Rule 34

The referee may move about to any position in the field, but not in the court while the ball is in play.

Rule 35

After the start of game, neither side shall delay the game more than one minute without the consent of the referee.

Rule 36

The referee may order the game resumed at any time after one minute, time to be computed from the last score or putout.

Rule 37

For unfair blocking or any kind of intentional interference the referee may impose a fine against the offending side of from one to five points by subtracting such points from the score, thus requiring the offender to earn the fine plus twenty-one points to win.

Rule 38

If a player be injured while playing, he may ask for time to recover, and the referee may grant one or more minutes, in his discretion, but not more than five minutes without the consent of the other side.

Rule 39

For refusing to abide by a decision of the referee, he may fine the offending side one point for every minute the game is delayed, up to five minutes, when he shall forfeit the game to the innocent side, and the score shall stand 21 to 0 in favor of the innocent side.

Rule 40

In all important or championship games, the winner must be victorious in at least three of five games.

Rule 41

The time between games shall be not more than ten minutes, at the end of which time the referee shall direct the players to start the next game.

Rule 42

For fighting or roughing, the referee may fine the offending side from one to five points, as in Rule 37, or forfeit the game to the innocent side.

Rule 43

If a player be guilty of an unfair act which does not affect the play, the referee may warn him, but upon repeating the same unfair act, whether intentional or not, he may fine him, even if the play was not affected.

Rule 44

The umpire shall watch the players for any kind of unfair play; watch the balls that land on or near the side lines; keep the score of game; and call the attention of the referee to any irregularities of play.

Rule 45

On any point involving the interpretation of the rules, appeal from the referee's decision may be made to the umpire, whose decision shall be final.

Rule 46

The referee may stop play any time and confer with the umpire on any point before rendering his decision if he believes the umpire has better knowledge of the play.

Rule 47

During the progress of the game, if a legal ball should strike either the referee or the umpire the ball is "dead," with no advantage to either side.

Rule 48

Points can only be scored by the side serving; putouts by the defensive or side not serving.

Rule 49

Any ball after leaving the board first touches the floor on any line of the court is deemed good, but where such balls are very doubtful, the referee may direct the ball be served over again, without advantage to either side; provided, however, that if both the referee and the umpire decide any ball good, it shall not be played over.

Rule 50

Gloves must be worn, and they must be made so as to effectually prevent the sweat of the hands from getting on the ball.

Rule 51

During the progress of the game, if a ball become wet from any cause the referee may stop the play, see that the ball is properly dried, then direct play be resumed with the serve without advantage to either side.

Rule 52

The ball must be not less than one inch and seven-eighths of an inch and not more than two inches in diameter, when inflated with air pressure to thirty pounds per square inch, made of gum and carbon and to weigh not more than two and one-quarter ounces and not less than two ounces.

Rule 53

The court shall consist of a floor, a board and a field. The board shall be 10 feet high and 20 feet wide, made of at least two layers of finished boards, both tongued and grooved, backed by studding not less than 2 inches by 4 inches, twelve inches apart, and secured to a wall or in the ground in a manner to completely prevent vibration. The surface of board must be smooth and painted with at least two coats of white paint, but no lines. The space immediately adjoining the board shall be of such material as to produce a distinctly different sound when struck by the ball than the board gives.

Rule 54

The floor shall be 20 feet wide and 26 feet long; the service line shall be drawn across the floor at a point exactly in the middle between the front line and the board, and the lines of the floor shall be red, 2 inches wide, and the floor must be smooth but not polished.

Rule 55

The field shall be the territory immediately adjoining the "floor" on all sides except the board side and shall be 55 feet wide, including floor of court, and 40 feet long, including floor of court, and shall not be polished or slippery.

Terms in this rulebook

Each glossary term this rulebook uses, with the rules that use it (matched on the wording of its date).

About this rulebook

Printed title
Rules of American Hand Ball
Rules or sections
55
Source
James I. Brokaw, How to Play American Hand Ball (Spalding's Athletic Library No. 13; American Sports Publishing Company, copyright 1915; Library of Congress copy LCCN 16024697, catalogued 1916). Public domain.