# Rule 3 Rule 3: how the wording changed (American four-wall)

7 rulebooks state this rule, from 1873 to 1931. The wording was reworded or changed 1 time.

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

## The wording

### Rule 3, part 1 of 3

Begins: “When a match is made, be it double or…”

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

  > When a match is made, be it double or single, the players (after entering the court) shall toss for the first hand, the winner to have one hand only in the first inning.

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

- **17 March 1889, The Sun Four-Wall Rules**: Reworded (machine-reviewed). Compared with Spalding Four-Wall Rules, 1886.

  > When a match is made, be it double or single, the players [- (after entering the court) -] shall toss for the first hand, the winner to have one hand only in the first inning.
  
  4 words removed.

### Rule 3, part 2 of 3

Begins: “Twenty-one points shall constitute a game.”

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

  > Twenty-one points shall constitute a game.

3 more rulebooks with the same words:

  - 1923, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic).
  - 1928, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic).
  - 1931, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic).

### Rule 3, part 3 of 3

Begins: “All matches shall be the best two out of…”

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

  > All matches shall be the best two out of three games.

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

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