# Rule 25 Rule 25: how the wording changed (American four-wall)

4 rulebooks state this rule, from 1 January 1920 to 1931. The wording was reworded or changed 2 times.

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

## The wording

### Rule 25, part 1 of 2

Begins: “A player may not claim a hinder or covered…”

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

  > A player may not claim a hinder or covered ball when interfered with by his partner.

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

  > A player may not claim a hinder [- or covered ball -] when interfered with by his partner.
  
  3 words removed.

### Rule 25, part 2 of 2

Begins: “During a play the ball may not be played…”

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

  > During a play the ball may not be played by a player after it has been touched either by his partner or by himself.

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

- **1928, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: Reworded (machine-reviewed). Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1923.

  > During a play the ball may not be [- played -] [+ struck +] by a player after it has been touched either by his partner or by himself.
  
  1 word added, 1 removed.

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

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