Clause history · American four-wall

Rule 31 Rule 31: how the wording changed

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

How to read this page

Added words are underlined and sit inside [+ +].
~~Removed words~~ are 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.

Every rulebook this rule appears in, in date order, with the kinds of change found
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	2 reworded
1928	A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928	1 first recorded
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 31, part 1 of 3

Begins: “After a completion of a rally both players shall…”

1 January 1920 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
First recorded automatic
After a completion of a rally both players shall be allowed a reasonable time to get in position, after which the referee may call play.
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1923 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
Reworded machine-reviewed
Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1 January 1920.
After a the completion of a rally both players shall be allowed a reasonable time to get in position, after which the referee may call play.
1 word added, 1 removed.
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Rule 31, part 2 of 3

Begins: “If the server fails to serve the ball after…”

1 January 1920 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
First recorded automatic
If the server fails to serve the ball after play is called the referee or the other player may 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 the server shall be declared out.
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1923 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
Reworded machine-reviewed
Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1 January 1920.
If the server fails to serve the ball after play is called the referee or ~~the~~ other player may 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 the server shall be declared out.
1 word removed.
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Rule 31, part 3 of 3

Begins: “Deliberate violation of the spirit of this rule shall…”

1928 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
First recorded automatic
Deliberate violation of the spirit of this rule shall result in the loss of the serve.
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1931 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule

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