# Rule 14 Rule 14: how the wording changed (American four-wall)

7 rulebooks state this rule, from 1873 to 1931. The wording was reworded or changed 1 time.

## 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 moved |
| 1 January 1920 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1 January 1920 | 2 first recorded |
| 1923 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1923 | 2 unchanged |
| 1928 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928 | 1 changed |
| 1931 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1931 | 1 unchanged |

## The wording

### Rule 14, part 1 of 3

Begins: “When the player is about to strike the ball…”

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

  > When the player is about to strike the ball and his opponent jostles him or gets in his way intentionally, it is an ace or a hand out.

- 1886, Spalding Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic).

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

  > When the player is about to strike the [- ball -] [+ ball, +] and his opponent jostles him or gets in his way intentionally, it is an ace or a hand out.
  
  1 word added, 1 removed.

### Rule 14, part 2 of 3

Begins: “The server or his partner may stop a short…”

- **1 January 1920, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic).

  > The server or his partner may stop a short ball after it touches the floor and before it has been touched by the opposing side.

- 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 server or his partner may stop -] [+ If +] a short ball [- after it touches the floor and before it has been -] [+ is +] touched [+ or stopped +] by the [- opposing side. -] [+ server or his partner the server is out. +]
  
  12 words added, 19 removed.

- 1931, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic).

### Rule 14, part 3 of 3

Begins: “While his partner is serving a player should stand…”

- **1 January 1920, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic).

  > While his partner is serving a player should stand between the lines with his back to the wall and while in this position it does not count as a hand out if he is struck by a served ball.

- 1923, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic).

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