Clause history · American four-wall
Rule 1 Rule 1: how the wording changed
7 rulebooks state this rule, from 1873 to 1931. The wording was reworded or changed 3 times.
How to read this page
- Added words are underlined and sit inside [+ +].
Removed wordsare struck through and sit inside [- -].- Each rulebook says in words what kind of change it is: unchanged (same wording as the rulebook it was compared with); punctuation only (only punctuation, spacing or capitals differ); moved (same wording, in another place or under another number); reworded (the sense is the same, said in other words); changed (the rule now says something different).
- 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, so a wrong match is possible.
Rulebook by rulebook
The table has one row per rulebook; each date jumps to its wording below.
| 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
Each part of the rule is followed on its own, oldest rulebook first. Rulebooks of other codes that borrowed the wording appear in their place by date.
Rule 1, part 1 of 9
Begins: “A game of hand ball shall consist of twenty-one…”
1873 James's Four-Wall Rules
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 Read the rule
17 March 1889 The Sun Four-Wall Rules
Compared with Spalding Four-Wall Rules, 1886.
A game of
hand ballhandball shall consist of twenty-one aces, to be played with a ball about two inches indiameter.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
Standard courts shall be four walls of approximately 24 feet by 50 feet in size.
1923 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1 January 1920.
Standard courts shall be four walls of approximately 24 feet by
5048 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
The ceilings shall be at least 25 feet at the front wall.
- 1923 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
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
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 Read the rule
1928 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1923.
The building and use of standard courts is advised,
although for the time beingbut championships may be held on courts of other sizesand 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 Read the rule
Rule 1, part 5 of 9
Begins: “Standard courts shall have four walls and a ceiling,…”
1928 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
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 Read the rule
Rule 1, part 6 of 9
Begins: “A serving space enclosed by two parallel lines, five…”
1928 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
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
Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928.
A serving space enclosed by two parallel lines,
five5 feet apart, drawn across the width, shall be laid out on the floor of the court (the back line shall be called theshort lineshort-line and shall divide the court equally and the front line shall befive5 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
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 Read the rule
Rule 1, part 8 of 9
Begins: “Should he leave the box before the ball crosses…”
1928 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
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
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
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 Read the rule
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