# Rule 3 Toss for first hand (James's Four-Wall Rules, 1873, historical)

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

When a match is made, be it double or single, the players (after entering the court) shall toss for the first hand, the winner to have one hand only in the first inning.

## Mentioned here

- [Player](https://handball.theperfectship.com/player.md)
- [Court](https://handball.theperfectship.com/court.md)

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

## Relationships

- Player relates to Court: mentioned together in 2 sub-rules.

Rulebook: [James's Four-Wall Rules, 1873](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/james-fourwall-1873.md)

Source: "Hand Ball Rules", in Ed. James, Manual of Sporting Rules (New York: Ed. James, 1873), pp. 76-77 (Library of Congress copy, Internet Archive manualofsporting00jame); reprinted with rewording in Henry Chadwick, The Sports and Pastimes of American Boys (New York: George Routledge and Sons, 1884), pp. 108-109 (Internet Archive sportsandpastim00chadgoog). Public domain.