# Rule 4 Rule 4: how the wording changed (American one-wall, small ball)

3 rulebooks state this rule, from 20 November 1922 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 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 20 November 1922 | A.A.U. One-Wall Rules, 20 November 1922 | 1 first recorded |
| 20 November 1927 | A.A.U. One-Wall Rules, 20 November 1927 | 1 first recorded, 1 changed |
| 1931 | A.A.U. One-Wall Rules, 1931 | 1 unchanged, 1 punctuation only |

## The wording

### Rule 4, part 1 of 2

Begins: “First service shall be determined by the toss of…”

- **20 November 1922, A.A.U. One-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic).

  > First service shall be determined by the toss of a coin, or in any other manner agreed by the contestants.

- **20 November 1927, A.A.U. One-Wall Rules**: Changed (machine-reviewed). Compared with A.A.U. One-Wall Rules, 20 November 1922.

  > First service shall be determined by the toss of a [- coin, or in any other manner agreed -] [+ coin +] by the [- contestants. -] [+ Referee. +]
  
  2 words added, 8 removed.

- **1931, A.A.U. One-Wall Rules**: Punctuation only (automatic). Compared with A.A.U. One-Wall Rules, 20 November 1927.

  > First service shall be determined by the toss of a coin by the [- Referee. -] [+ referee. +]
  
  1 word added, 1 removed.

### Rule 4, part 2 of 2

Begins: “Service shall alternate for each additional game.”

- **20 November 1927, A.A.U. One-Wall Rules**: First recorded (automatic).

  > Service shall alternate for each additional game.

- 1931, A.A.U. One-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic).

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