Clause history · American four-wall
Rule 24 Rule 24: how the wording changed
7 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 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 moved |
| 1931 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1931 | 1 unchanged |
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 24, part 1 of 3
Begins: “All disputed balls shall be decided by a referee…”
1873 James's Four-Wall Rules
All disputed balls shall be decided by a referee chosen by the players, whose decision in all cases shall be final.
- 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.
Same words as the rulebook it was compared with. Nothing to mark.
Rule 24, part 2 of 3
Begins: “It is the duty of the referee to decide…”
1 January 1920 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
It is the duty of the referee to decide all hinders and covered balls without being appealed to by the players as it is often distasteful to a player to make claims especially in close cases, and failure to claim a hinder or covered ball does not relieve the referee from the duty of rendering a decision.
- 1923 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
Rule 24, part 3 of 3
Begins: “Kicking the ball is not allowed.”
1 January 1920 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
Kicking the ball is not allowed.
- 1923 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
1928 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1923.
Same words as the rulebook it was compared with. Nothing to mark.
- 1931 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
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