# Rule 16 Rule 16: how the wording changed (American four-wall)

7 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 | 2 first recorded |
| 1886 | Spalding Four-Wall Rules, 1886 | 2 unchanged |
| 17 March 1889 | The Sun Four-Wall Rules, 1889 | 1 unchanged, 1 moved |
| 1 January 1920 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1 January 1920 | 1 first recorded |
| 1923 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1923 | 1 punctuation only |
| 1928 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928 | 1 first recorded |
| 1931 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1931 | 1 moved |

## The wording

### Rule 16, part 1 of 4

Begins: “In a match for a prize the contestants are…”

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

  > In a match for a prize the contestants are allowed one minute for refreshments at the expiration of each game before commencing another.

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

- **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 16, part 2 of 4

Begins: “The one failing to respond to the call of…”

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

  > The one failing to respond to the call of time loses the match.

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

- 17 March 1889, The Sun Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic).

### Rule 16, part 3 of 4

Begins: “If the server fails to return the adversaries' play,…”

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

  > If the server fails to return the adversaries' play, it counts as a hand out.

- **1923, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: Punctuation only (machine-reviewed). Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1 January 1920.

  > If the server fails to return the [- adversaries' -] [+ adversary's +] play, it counts as a hand out.
  
  1 word added, 1 removed.

### Rule 16, part 4 of 4

Begins: “If a returned ball hits an adversary as decided…”

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

  > If a returned ball hits an adversary as decided by the referee before hitting the front wall, it is out of play and it shall be served over without penalty to either side.

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

  > If a returned ball hits an [- adversary -] [+ adversary, +] as decided by the [- referee -] [+ referee, +] before hitting the front wall, it is out of play and it shall be served over without penalty to either side.
  
  2 words added, 2 removed.

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