# Rule 1 Rule 1: how the wording changed (American four-wall) 7 rulebooks state this rule, from 1873 to 1931. The wording was reworded or changed 3 times. ## How to read this - Added words are marked [+ like this +]; removed words [- like this -]. - Each rulebook says what kind of change it is: unchanged, punctuation only, moved, reworded or changed. - A program matched each clause with the one before it. Automatic matches were made by the program alone; machine-reviewed ones were also checked by a second program. A person has not checked either. ## Rulebook by rulebook | Date | Rulebook | Clauses, by kind of change | | --- | --- | --- | | 1873 | James's Four-Wall Rules, 1873 | 1 first recorded | | 1886 | Spalding Four-Wall Rules, 1886 | 1 unchanged | | 17 March 1889 | The Sun Four-Wall Rules, 1889 | 1 changed | | 1 January 1920 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1 January 1920 | 3 first recorded | | 1923 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1923 | 2 unchanged, 1 changed | | 1928 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928 | 5 first recorded, 1 changed | | 1931 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1931 | 4 unchanged, 2 punctuation only | ## The wording ### Rule 1, part 1 of 9 Begins: “A game of hand ball shall consist of twenty-one…” - **1873, James's Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > A game of hand ball shall consist of twenty-one aces, to be played with a ball about two inches in diameter. - 1886, Spalding Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). - **17 March 1889, The Sun Four-Wall Rules**: Changed (machine-reviewed). Compared with Spalding Four-Wall Rules, 1886. > A game of [- hand ball -] [+ handball +] shall consist of twenty-one aces, to be played with a ball about two inches in [- diameter. -] [+ diameter and 1⅓ ounces in weight. +] 7 words added, 3 removed. ### Rule 1, part 2 of 9 Begins: “Standard courts shall be four walls of approximately 24…” - **1 January 1920, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > Standard courts shall be four walls of approximately 24 feet by 50 feet in size. - **1923, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: Changed (machine-reviewed). Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1 January 1920. > Standard courts shall be four walls of approximately 24 feet by [- 50 -] [+ 48 +] feet in size. 1 word added, 1 removed. ### Rule 1, part 3 of 9 Begins: “The ceilings shall be at least 25 feet at…” - **1 January 1920, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > The ceilings shall be at least 25 feet at the front wall. - 1923, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). ### Rule 1, part 4 of 9 Begins: “The building and use of standard courts is advised,…” - **1 January 1920, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > The building and use of standard courts is advised, although for the time being championships may be held on courts of other sizes and of less than four walls. - 1923, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). - **1928, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: Changed (machine-reviewed). Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1923. > The building and use of standard courts is advised, [- although for the time being -] [+ but +] championships may be held on courts of other sizes [- and of less than four walls. -] [+ as approved by the Handball Committee. +] 7 words added, 11 removed. - 1931, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). ### Rule 1, part 5 of 9 Begins: “Standard courts shall have four walls and a ceiling,…” - **1928, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > Standard courts shall have four walls and a ceiling, shall be 22 feet in width, 46 feet in length and 22 feet in height. - 1931, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). ### Rule 1, part 6 of 9 Begins: “A serving space enclosed by two parallel lines, five…” - **1928, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > A serving space enclosed by two parallel lines, five feet apart, drawn across the width, shall be laid out on the floor of the court (the back line shall be called the short line and shall divide the court equally and the front line shall be five feet in front thereof; thus in a 46-foot court the short line will be 23 feet from the back wall and the front line 18 feet from the front wall). - **1931, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: Punctuation only (automatic). Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928. > A serving space enclosed by two parallel lines, [- five -] [+ 5 +] feet apart, drawn across the width, shall be laid out on the floor of the court (the back line shall be called the [- short line -] [+ short-line +] and shall divide the court equally and the front line shall be [- five -] [+ 5 +] feet in front thereof; thus in a 46-foot court the short line will be 23 feet from the back wall and the front line 18 feet from the front wall). 3 words added, 4 removed. ### Rule 1, part 7 of 9 Begins: “Eighteen inches from and parallel with each side wall…” - **1928, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > Eighteen inches from and parallel with each side wall a line shall be drawn to form a box where the partner to the man who is serving shall stand with his back to the side wall while the ball is being served. - 1931, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). ### Rule 1, part 8 of 9 Begins: “Should he leave the box before the ball crosses…” - **1928, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > Should he leave the box before the ball crosses the short line, the referee shall declare it a short ball. - **1931, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: Punctuation only (automatic). Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928. > Should he leave the box before the ball crosses the [- short line, -] [+ short-line, +] the referee shall declare it a short ball. 1 word added, 2 removed. ### Rule 1, part 9 of 9 Begins: “If the server's partner is hit by the ball…” - **1928, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > If the server's partner is hit by the ball while in the box, it shall be considered a dead ball, and the ball shall be out of play. - 1931, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). All rules: [clause history](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/clause-history/).