Clause history · American four-wall
Rule 21 Rule 21: how the wording changed
7 rulebooks state this rule, from 1873 to 1931. The wording was reworded or changed 4 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 reworded |
| 1 January 1920 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1 January 1920 | 2 first recorded |
| 1923 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1923 | 1 punctuation only, 1 changed |
| 1928 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928 | 2 reworded |
| 1931 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1931 | 2 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 21, part 1 of 3
Begins: “In striking the ball the player shall not touch…”
1873 James's Four-Wall Rules
In striking the ball the player shall not touch the ball with any part of his person other than the hand or foot, under a forfeit of an ace or hand out.
- 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.
In striking the ball the player shall not touch the ball with any part of his person other than the hand or foot, under
aforfeit of an ace or hand out.1 word removed.
Rule 21, part 2 of 3
Begins: “In doubles, both players on a side are entitled…”
1 January 1920 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
In doubles, both players on a side are entitled to a fair and unobstructed chance at the ball and either one is entitled to a decision on a hinder or covered ball even though it naturally would be his partner's ball and notwithstanding the fact that his partner may be attempting to play the ball or that he may already have missed it.
1923 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1 January 1920.
In doubles, both players on a side are entitled to a fair and unobstructed chance at the ball and either one is entitled to a decision on a
hinder or covered ballhinder, even though it naturally would be his partner's ball and notwithstanding the fact that his partner may be attempting to play the ball or that he may already have missed it.1 word added, 4 removed.
1928 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1923.
In doubles, both players on a side are entitled to a fair and unobstructed chance at the ball and either one is entitled to a
decision on a hinder,hinder if interfered with by an opponent even though it naturally would be his partner's ball and notwithstanding the fact that his partner may be attempting to play the ball or that he may already have missed it.7 words added, 4 removed.
1931 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928.
In doubles, both players on a side are entitled to a fair and unobstructed chance at the ball and either one is entitled to a hinder if interfered with by an
opponentopponent, even though it naturally would be his partner's ball and notwithstanding the fact that his partner may be attempting to play the ball or that he may already have missed it.1 word added, 1 removed.
Rule 21, part 3 of 3
Begins: “The referee should be liberal in rendering decisions under…”
1 January 1920 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
The referee should be liberal in rendering decisions under this rule so as to discourage any practice of playing the ball where an adversary cannot see it until too late to get into position and it is no excuse that the ball is "killed dead" or that the adversary "could not get it".
He is entitled to a chance to try and in the absence of this chance is entitled to the decision.1923 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1 January 1920.
The referee should be liberal in rendering decisions under this rule so as to discourage any practice of playing the ball where an adversary cannot see it until too late to get into position and it is no excuse that the ball is "killed dead" or that the adversary "could not get
it".it." He is entitled to a chance to try and in the absence of this chance is entitled to the decision.1 word added, 1 removed.
1928 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1923.
The referee should be liberal in rendering decisions under this rule
so asin order to discourageanythe practice of playing the ball where an adversary cannot see it until too late to get into position and it is no excuse that the ball is "killed dead" or that the adversary "could not get it." He is entitled to a chance to try and in the absence of this chance is entitled to the decision.3 words added, 3 removed.
1931 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928.
The referee should be liberal in rendering decisions under this rule in order to discourage the practice of playing the ball where an adversary cannot see it until too late to get into position and it is no excuse that the ball is "killed dead" or that the adversary "could not get it." He is entitled to a chance to
trytry, and in the absence of this chance is entitled to the decision.1 word added, 1 removed.
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