# Rule 3 The ball (Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1903, historical)

> **Historical rulebook: not the current rules.** The current rules are here: https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/

The ball shall be one and seven-eighth inches in diameter and one and five-eighth ounces in weight.

The brilliancy of the game depends as much upon a good ball as a good pair of hands. An improperly made ball is discouraging to an expert; in fact, no one who has any regard for the safety of his hands, should indulge in the game without first testing the quality of the little sphere. The Spalding regulation handballs are made with extreme care, by experts, and range in price from $1.00 for the regulation “Match” ball to 75 cents for the “Expert,” and 25 cents for the “Amateur,” which has a leather cover. A rubber handball can also be bought for the latter price. The Irish regulation handball—known as “Red Ace” when made of red rubber and “Black Ace” when made of black rubber—costs 35 cents each.

The Irish ball, as a general rule, differs considerably from the one used in America. They are smaller, and the harder the ball, the better an Irish expert likes it. As he depends chiefly upon service for his success, he wants a ball that will fairly batter down a front wall. That is the reason why seven-eighths of the players in Ireland at the present time object to the American style of playing the game and adopting their ball. Take the service away from them, and you destroy all the effects of their playing.

## Mentioned here

- [Player](https://handball.theperfectship.com/player.md)
- [Front wall](https://handball.theperfectship.com/front-wall.md)
- [Ball](https://handball.theperfectship.com/ball.md)
- [Game, match, tiebreaker](https://handball.theperfectship.com/game.md)
- [Ace](https://handball.theperfectship.com/ace.md)
- [Wall](https://handball.theperfectship.com/wall.md)

How this rule changed: [wording in every rulebook](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/clause-history/side-fourwall-american-deshong/3.md)

## Relationships

- Player relates to Front wall: mentioned together in 2 sub-rules.
- Front wall relates to Ball: mentioned together in 3 sub-rules.
- Front wall relates to Ace: mentioned together in 3 sub-rules.
- Front wall relates to Wall: mentioned together in 3 sub-rules.
- Ball relates to Ace: mentioned together in 4 sub-rules.
- Ball relates to Wall: mentioned together in 3 sub-rules.
- Ace relates to Wall: mentioned together in 3 sub-rules.
- No link to the other terms shown: Game, match, tiebreaker.
- 5 weaker links (terms mentioned together in few sub-rules) are not drawn.

Rulebook: [Deshong Four-Wall Rules, 1903](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/deshong-fourwall-1903.md)

Source: [M. W. Deshong], Handball and How to Play It (American Sports Publishing Co., ©1903), pp. 12-18 (Library of Congress, LCCN 04000015); reprinted from the same type in M. Egan, Hand Ball and How to Play It (©1914 printing, LCCN 13015574), pp. 12-18. Public domain.