Clause history · American four-wall
Rule 26 Rule 26: how the wording changed
4 rulebooks state this rule, from 1 January 1920 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January 1920 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1 January 1920 | 1 first recorded |
| 1923 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1923 | 1 unchanged |
| 1928 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928 | 1 first recorded |
| 1931 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1931 | 1 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 26, part 1 of 2
Begins: “In doubles it is customary to serve to the…”
1 January 1920 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
In doubles it is customary to serve to the adversaries alternately but this is not compulsory.
- 1923 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
Rule 26, part 2 of 2
Begins: “After the completion of a rally the players shall…”
1928 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
After the completion of a rally the players shall be allowed a reasonable time to get into position, after which the referee shall call "play." If the server fails to serve the ball after the play is called the referee shall count ten as nearly as possible at the rate of one count per second and if the ball is not served before the completion of the count of ten the server shall be declared out.
1931 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928.
After the completion of a rally the players shall be allowed a reasonable time to get into position, after which the referee shall call "play." If the server fails to serve the ball after the play is
calledcalled, the referee shall count ten as nearly as possible at the rate of one count per second and if the ball is not served before the completion of the count of ten the server shall be declared out.1 word added, 1 removed.
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