Handball

Clause history · American four-wall

Rule 4.7 Situations: how the wording changed

26 rulebooks state this rule, from 20 June 1990 to 26 January 2025. No rewording or change was found.

How to read this page

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
DateRulebookClauses, by kind of change
20 June 1990USHA Four-Wall Rules, 20 June 19901 first recorded
31 January 1999USHA Four-Wall Rules, 31 January 19991 unchanged
31 January 1999American four-wall, 31 January 19991 unchanged
19 January 2005USHA Three-Wall Addendum, December 20041 unchanged
15 April 2005USHA Four-Wall Rules, 16 January 20051 unchanged
June 2006USHA Four-Wall Rule Changes, June 20061 unchanged
May 2007USHA Four-Wall Rule Changes, May 20071 unchanged
13 October 2007American three-wall, 13 October 20071 unchanged
2012USHA Four-Wall Rules, 20121 punctuation only
2014USHA Four-Wall Rules, 20141 unchanged
6 February 2015USHA Four-Wall Rules, 6 February 20151 unchanged
6 February 2015USHA Three-Wall Addendum, 6 February 20151 punctuation only
22 January 2017USHA Four-Wall Rules, 22 January 20171 unchanged
22 January 2017USHA Three-Wall Addendum, 22 January 20171 unchanged
27 January 2019USHA Four-Wall Rules, 27 January 20191 unchanged
12 July 2019American four-wall, 12 July 20191 unchanged
26 January 2020USHA Four-Wall Rules, 26 January 20201 unchanged
21 September 2020USHA Four-Wall Rules, September 20201 unchanged
22 January 2021USHA Four-Wall Rules, 22 January 20211 unchanged
9 December 2021USHA Four-Wall Rules, December 20211 unchanged
23 January 2022USHA Four-Wall Rules, 23 January 20221 unchanged
27 November 2022American four-wall, 27 November 20221 unchanged
17 January 2024American four-wall, 17 January 20241 unchanged
26 January 2024USHA Four-Wall Rules, 26 January 20241 unchanged
26 January 2025USHA Four-Wall Rulebook, 26 January 20251 unchanged
26 January 2025USHA Three-Wall Addendum, 26 January 20251 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 4.7, rulebook by rulebook

Begins: “5.) Straddle ball. When a ball passes between the…”

  1. 20 June 1990 USHA Four-Wall Rules

    First recorded automatic

    5.) Straddle ball.
    When a ball passes between the legs of a player on the side that just returned the ball, if there is no fair chance for the opposing player to see or return the ball.
    This is not automatic.

    Read this rule in the rulebook

  2. 31 January 1999 USHA Four-Wall Rules

    Unchanged automatic

    Compared with USHA Four-Wall Rules, 20 June 1990.

    5.) Straddle ball.
    When a ball passes between the legs of a player on the side that just returned the ball, if there is no fair chance for the opposing player to see or return the ball.
    This is not automatic.

    no words changed.

    Read this rule in the rulebook

  3. 31 January 1999 American four-wall

    Unchanged automatic

    Compared with USHA Four-Wall Rules, 20 June 1990.

    5.) Straddle ball.
    When a ball passes between the legs of a player on the side that just returned the ball, if there is no fair chance for the opposing player to see or return the ball.
    This is not automatic.

    no words changed.

  4. 5 more rulebooks with the same words
    • 19 January 2005 USHA Three-Wall Addendum (American three-wall) Unchanged automatic Read the rule
    • 15 April 2005 USHA Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Same words as American four-wall, 31 January 1999. Read the rule
    • June 2006 USHA Four-Wall Rule Changes Unchanged automatic
    • May 2007 USHA Four-Wall Rule Changes Unchanged automatic
    • 13 October 2007 American three-wall (American three-wall) Unchanged automatic Same words as American four-wall, 31 January 1999.

  5. 2012 USHA Four-Wall Rules

    Punctuation only automatic

    Compared with USHA Four-Wall Rule Changes, May 2007.

    5.) 5) Straddle ball. When a ball passes between the legs of a player on the side that just returned the ball, if there is no fair chance for the opposing player to see or return the ball. This is not automatic.

    1 word added, 1 removed.

    Read this rule in the rulebook

  6. 2014 USHA Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
  7. 6 February 2015 USHA Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule

  8. 6 February 2015 USHA Three-Wall Addendum (American three-wall)

    Punctuation only automatic

    Compared with USHA Three-Wall Addendum, December 2004.

    5.) 5) Straddle ball. When a ball passes between the legs of a player on the side that just returned the ball, if there is no fair chance for the opposing player to see or return the ball. This is not automatic.

    1 word added, 1 removed.

    Read this rule in the rulebook

  9. 14 more rulebooks with the same words
    • 22 January 2017 USHA Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Same words as USHA Four-Wall Rules, 6 February 2015. Read the rule
    • 22 January 2017 USHA Three-Wall Addendum (American three-wall) Unchanged automatic Same words as USHA Three-Wall Addendum, 6 February 2015. Read the rule
    • 27 January 2019 USHA Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Same words as USHA Four-Wall Rules, 22 January 2017. Read the rule
    • 12 July 2019 American four-wall Unchanged automatic
    • 26 January 2020 USHA Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
    • 21 September 2020 USHA Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
    • 22 January 2021 USHA Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
    • 9 December 2021 USHA Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
    • 23 January 2022 USHA Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
    • 27 November 2022 American four-wall Unchanged automatic
    • 17 January 2024 American four-wall Unchanged automatic
    • 26 January 2024 USHA Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
    • 26 January 2025 USHA Four-Wall Rulebook Unchanged automatic Read the rule
    • 26 January 2025 USHA Three-Wall Addendum (American three-wall) Unchanged automatic Same words as USHA Three-Wall Addendum, 22 January 2017. Read the rule

All rules: clause history. The family tree is at Rulebooks.