# Rule 7 Rule 7: how the wording changed (American four-wall) 10 rulebooks state this rule, from 1873 to 1931. The wording was reworded or changed 3 times. ## 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 moved | | 1893 | Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1893 | 1 first recorded | | 1903 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1903 | 1 changed | | 1903 | Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1903 | 1 unchanged | | 1 January 1920 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1 January 1920 | 4 first recorded | | 1923 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1923 | 4 unchanged | | 1928 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928 | 2 first recorded, 1 unchanged, 1 moved, 1 changed | | 1931 | A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1931 | 2 unchanged, 2 punctuation only, 1 changed | ## The wording ### Rule 7, part 1 of 8 Begins: “If the striker when serving the ball strikes either…” - **1873, James's Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > If the striker when serving the ball strikes either side wall before striking the front wall, it is a hand out. - 1886, Spalding Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). - **17 March 1889, The Sun Four-Wall Rules**: Moved (automatic). Compared with Spalding Four-Wall Rules, 1886. > If the [- striker -] [+ striker, +] when serving the [- ball -] [+ ball, +] strikes either side wall before striking the front wall, it is a hand out. 2 words added, 2 removed. ### Rule 7, part 2 of 8 Begins: “When a ball from the server drops anywhere inside…” - **1893, Deshong Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > When a ball from the server drops anywhere inside of the ace line, the player has the privilege of using his hand or foot; if the hand is used, it counts the same as if it was served regularly over the line; if the foot, the striker or his partner has the privilege of stopping the ball before it reaches the front wall. - **1903, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: Changed (machine-reviewed). Compared with Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1893. > When a ball from the server drops anywhere inside of the ace line, the player has the privilege of [- using his hand or foot; if the hand is used, -] [+ playing +] it [+ should he so desire, but in doing so the play +] counts the same as [- if it was -] [+ though the ball had been +] served regularly over the [- line; -] [+ ace line, and +] if [- the foot, the striker or his partner has the privilege of stopping the ball before -] it reaches the front [- wall. -] [+ wall the ball must be returned by the opponent. +] 28 words added, 30 removed. - 1903, Deshong Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). Same words as Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1893. ### Rule 7, part 3 of 8 Begins: “In serving, the ball must be bounced on the…” - **1 January 1920, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > In serving, the ball must be bounced on the floor and struck on the first bounce. - 1923, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). - **1928, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: Moved (automatic). Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1923. Same words as the rulebook compared with. - **1931, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: Changed (machine-reviewed). Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928. > In serving, the ball must be bounced on the [- floor -] [+ floor, between the service-line and the short-line, +] and struck on the first bounce. 7 words added, 1 removed. ### Rule 7, part 4 of 8 Begins: “Missing the ball puts the server out.” - **1 January 1920, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > Missing the ball puts the server out. 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 7, part 5 of 8 Begins: “The server has the privilege of several attempts at…” - **1 January 1920, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > The server has the privilege of several attempts at bouncing the ball before serving. - 1923, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). - **1928, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: Changed (machine-reviewed). Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1923. > The server has the privilege of [- several -] [+ several, but not more than three +] attempts at bouncing the ball before serving. 6 words added, 1 removed. - **1931, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: Punctuation only (automatic). Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928. > The server has the privilege of several, but not more than [- three -] [+ three, +] attempts at bouncing the ball before serving. 1 word added, 1 removed. ### Rule 7, part 6 of 8 Begins: “The server must stand between the short line and…” - **1 January 1920, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > The server must stand between the short line and the service line before commencing his service and must not step over the service line while serving. - 1923, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). ### Rule 7, part 7 of 8 Begins: “If the server bounces the ball more than three…” - **1928, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > If the server bounces the ball more than three times before serving he shall be declared out. - 1931, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic). ### Rule 7, part 8 of 8 Begins: “To be in play the ball must hit the…” - **1928, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic). > To be in play the ball must hit the front wall and rebound across the short line before striking the floor. - **1931, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: Punctuation only (automatic). Compared with A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules, 1928. > To be in play the ball must hit the front wall and rebound across the [- short line -] [+ short-line +] before striking the floor. 1 word added, 2 removed. All rules: [clause history](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/clause-history/).