Clause history · American four-wall
Rule 12 Rule 12: how the wording changed
5 rulebooks state this rule, from 1873 to 1931. No rewording or change was found.
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 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
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 12, part 1 of 2
Begins: “A ball that is served short to the player…”
1873 James's Four-Wall Rules
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
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
priviledgeprivilege of preventing the player from striking it again.1 word added, 1 removed.
17 March 1889 The Sun Four-Wall Rules
Compared with Spalding Four-Wall Rules, 1886.
Same words as the rulebook it was compared with. Nothing to mark.
Rule 12, part 2 of 2
Begins: “If two short balls of any kind are served…”
1928 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
If two short balls of any kind are served in succession the server is out.
1931 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928.
Same words as the rulebook it was compared with. Nothing to mark.
All rules: clause history. The family tree is at Rulebooks.