# Rule 5 Rule 5: how the wording changed (American four-wall) 9 rulebooks state this rule, from 1886 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 | | --- | --- | --- | | 1886 | Spalding Four-Wall Rules, 1886 | 1 first recorded | | 17 March 1889 | The Sun Four-Wall Rules, 1889 | 1 moved | | 1893 | Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1893 | 7 first recorded | | 1903 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1903 | 4 unchanged, 3 punctuation only | | 1903 | Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1903 | 4 unchanged, 2 punctuation only, 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 | | 1931 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1931 | 1 punctuation only | ## The wording ### Rule 5, part 1 of 10 Begins: “In scoring the game each player shall be credited…” - **1886, Spalding Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > In scoring the game each player shall be credited with an ace according as it may be scored by "service" or "return." - **17 March 1889, The Sun Four-Wall Rules**: Moved (automatic). Compared with Spalding Four-Wall Rules, 1886. Same words as the rulebook compared with. ### Rule 5, part 2 of 10 Begins: “All balls must be recoverd on the first bound…” - **1893, Deshong Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > All balls must be recoverd on the first bound after reaching the floor. - **1903, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: Punctuation only (automatic). Compared with Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1893. > All balls must be [- recoverd -] [+ recovered +] on the first bound after reaching the floor. 1 word added, 1 removed. - **1903, Deshong Four-Wall Rules**: Punctuation only (automatic). Compared with Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1893. > All balls must be [- recoverd -] [+ recovered +] on the first bound after reaching the floor. 1 word added, 1 removed. ### Rule 5, part 3 of 10 Begins: “That is, a ball can take the circuit of…” - **1893, Deshong Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > That is, a ball can take the circuit of the four walls before it can be termed returnable. - 1903, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). - 1903, Deshong Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). Same words as Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1893. ### Rule 5, part 4 of 10 Begins: “The service is considered to be very difficult when…” - **1893, Deshong Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > The service is considered to be very difficult when the ball, after hitting the front wall, takes in either the side walls on a fly, bounds on the floor, and then comes off the back wall; or after hitting one side wall bounds from the floor to the back wall, and thence to the other side wall. - **1903, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: Punctuation only (automatic). Compared with Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1893. > The service is considered to be very difficult when the ball, after hitting the front wall, takes in either the side walls on a fly, bounds on the [- floor, -] [+ floor +] and then comes off the back wall; or after hitting one side wall bounds from the floor to the back wall, and thence to the other side wall. 1 word added, 1 removed. - **1903, Deshong Four-Wall Rules**: Punctuation only (automatic). Compared with Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1893. > The service is considered to be very difficult when the ball, after hitting the front wall, takes in either the side walls on a fly, bounds on the floor, and then comes off the back [- wall; -] [+ wall, +] or after hitting one side wall bounds from the floor to the back wall, and thence to the other side wall. 1 word added, 1 removed. ### Rule 5, part 5 of 10 Begins: “The great trouble in recovering these balls is that…” - **1893, Deshong Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > The great trouble in recovering these balls is that the force of their flight is expended when they come in contact with the last wall, and, therefore, drop dead to the floor. - 1903, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). - 1903, Deshong Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). Same words as Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1893. ### Rule 5, part 6 of 10 Begins: “If the ball is returned to the front wall…” - **1893, Deshong Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > If the ball is returned to the front wall the server must recover it, either on the fly or first bound; if he fails the hand is out, and his opponent becomes a server. - **1903, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: Punctuation only (automatic). Compared with Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1893. > If the ball is returned to the front wall the server must recover it, either on the fly or first bound; if he fails the hand is [- out, -] [+ out +] and his opponent becomes a server. 1 word added, 1 removed. - **1903, Deshong Four-Wall Rules**: Reworded (machine-reviewed). Compared with Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1893. > If the ball is returned to the front wall the server must recover it, either on the fly or first bound; if he fails the hand is out, and his opponent becomes [- a -] server. 1 word removed. ### Rule 5, part 7 of 10 Begins: “It is allowable to serve at either side of…” - **1893, Deshong Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > It is allowable to serve at either side of the court, but always within the two parallel lines. - 1903, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). - 1903, Deshong Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). Same words as Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1893. ### Rule 5, part 8 of 10 Begins: “Stepping beyond the inner line twice in succession, or…” - **1893, Deshong Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > Stepping beyond the inner line twice in succession, or hitting either side wall, roof or floor before striking the front wall, or serving three short balls in succession, shall cause the loss of a hand. - 1903, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). - 1903, Deshong Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). Same words as Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1893. ### Rule 5, part 9 of 10 Begins: “If the players cannot agree upon a ball a…” - **1 January 1920, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > If the players cannot agree upon a ball a new ball shall be selected by the referee. - 1923, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). ### Rule 5, part 10 of 10 Begins: “Players must wear white suits.” - **1928, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > Players must wear white suits. - **1931, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: Punctuation only (automatic). Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928. > Players must [- wear -] [+ wears +] white suits. 1 word added, 1 removed. All rules: [clause history](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/clause-history/).