# Rule 7 Rule 7: 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 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 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 20 November 1922 | A.A.U. One-Wall Rules, 20 November 1922 | 3 first recorded |
| 20 November 1927 | A.A.U. One-Wall Rules, 20 November 1927 | 2 unchanged, 1 changed |
| 1931 | A.A.U. One-Wall Rules, 1931 | 1 unchanged, 2 changed |

## The wording

### Rule 7, part 1 of 3

Begins: “The server must stand between the short line and…”

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

  > The server must stand between the short line and the back line before commencing his service, with at least one foot between the side lines, and must not step over the short line while serving.

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

  > The server must stand between the short line and the [- back -] [+ service +] line before commencing his service, with at least one foot between the side lines, and must not step over the short line while serving.
  
  1 word added, 1 removed.

- **1931, A.A.U. One-Wall Rules**: Changed (machine-reviewed). Compared with A.A.U. One-Wall Rules, 20 November 1927.

  > The server must stand between the [- short line -] [+ short-line +] and the [- service line -] [+ service-line +] before commencing his service, [- with at least one foot between the side lines, -] and must not step over the [- short line -] [+ short-line, or outside of the side-lines, +] while serving.
  
  8 words added, 15 removed.

### Rule 7, part 2 of 3

Begins: “Stepping over the short line while serving (or serving…”

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

  > Stepping over the short line while serving (or serving with both feet outside of the court) shall be counted a fault the same as a short or long ball.

- 20 November 1927, A.A.U. One-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic).

- **1931, A.A.U. One-Wall Rules**: Changed (machine-reviewed). Compared with A.A.U. One-Wall Rules, 20 November 1927.

  > Stepping over [- the short line -] [+ short-line +] while serving [- (or serving with both feet outside of the court) -] shall be counted a [- fault -] [+ fault, +] the same as a short or long ball.
  
  2 words added, 13 removed.

### Rule 7, part 3 of 3

Begins: “Doing so twice in succession shall be counted a…”

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

  > Doing so twice in succession shall be counted a hand out.

- 20 November 1927, A.A.U. One-Wall Rules: Unchanged (automatic).

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

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