# Rule 12 Rule 12: how the wording changed (American four-wall)

5 rulebooks state this rule, from 1873 to 1931. No rewording or change was found.

## 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 punctuation only |
| 17 March 1889 | The Sun Four-Wall Rules, 1889 | 1 moved |
| 1928 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928 | 1 first recorded |
| 1931 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1931 | 1 moved |

## The wording

### Rule 12, part 1 of 2

Begins: “A ball that is served short to the player…”

- **1873, James's Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic).

  > A ball that is served short to the player and he strikes it with his foot upon the front wall, the striker after returning it on the wall, has the priviledge of preventing the player from striking it again.

- **1886, Spalding Four-Wall Rules**: Punctuation only (automatic). Compared with James's Four-Wall Rules, 1873.

  > A ball that is served short to the player and he strikes it with his foot upon the front wall, the striker after returning it on the wall, has the [- priviledge -] [+ privilege +] of preventing the player from striking it again.
  
  1 word added, 1 removed.

- **17 March 1889, The Sun Four-Wall Rules**: Moved (automatic). Compared with Spalding Four-Wall Rules, 1886.

  Same words as the rulebook compared with.

### Rule 12, part 2 of 2

Begins: “If two short balls of any kind are served…”

- **1928, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic).

  > If two short balls of any kind are served in succession the server is out.

- **1931, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: Moved (automatic). Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928.

  Same words as the rulebook compared with.

All rules: [clause history](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/clause-history/).