# Rule 9 Rule 9: how the wording changed (American four-wall)

5 rulebooks state this rule, from 1873 to 1923. No rewording or change was found.

## 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 |
| 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 |

## The wording

### Rule 9, part 1 of 2

Begins: “If the striker or his partner stops the ball…”

- **1873, James's Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic).

  > If the striker or his partner stops the ball intentionally while on its way to 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.

  Same words as the rulebook compared with.

### Rule 9, part 2 of 2

Begins: “Three short balls in succession shall count as a…”

- **1 January 1920, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic).

  > Three short balls in succession shall count as a hand out.

- 1923, A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic).

All rules: [clause history](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/clause-history/).