Clause history · American four-wall
Rule 6 Rule 6: how the wording changed
7 rulebooks state this rule, from 1873 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 moved |
| 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 | 2 first recorded, 1 moved |
| 1931 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1931 | 3 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 6, part 1 of 4
Begins: “The striker failing to strike the ball over the…”
1873 James's Four-Wall Rules
The striker failing to strike the ball over the ace line three times in succession is a hand out.
- 1886 Spalding Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
17 March 1889 The Sun Four-Wall Rules
Compared with Spalding Four-Wall Rules, 1886.
Same words as the rulebook it was compared with. Nothing to mark.
Rule 6, part 2 of 4
Begins: “No hard material shall be used on any part…”
1 January 1920 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
No hard material shall be used on any part of either hand.
- 1923 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
1928 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1923.
Same words as the rulebook it was compared with. Nothing to mark.
- 1931 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
Rule 6, part 3 of 4
Begins: “The hands or fingers of the players may be…”
1928 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
The hands or fingers of the players may be covered, but only with soft material or soft gloves of kid or cloth without the thumb or fingers being webbed or connected.
- 1931 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
Rule 6, part 4 of 4
Begins: “Mittens shall not be used.”
1928 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
Mittens shall not be used.
- 1931 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
All rules: clause history. The family tree is at Rulebooks.