Clause history · American four-wall
Rule 9 Rule 9: how the wording changed
5 rulebooks state this rule, from 1873 to 1923. 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 |
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 9, part 1 of 2
Begins: “If the striker or his partner stops the ball…”
1873 James's Four-Wall Rules
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 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 9, part 2 of 2
Begins: “Three short balls in succession shall count as a…”
1 January 1920 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules
Three short balls in succession shall count as a hand out.
- 1923 A.A.U. Four-Wall Rules Unchanged automatic Read the rule
All rules: clause history. The family tree is at Rulebooks.