# Rule 5 Three short serves (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/

The striker failing to strike the ball over the ace line three times in succession is a hand out.

## Mentioned here

- [Short line](https://handball.theperfectship.com/short-line.md)
- [Ball](https://handball.theperfectship.com/ball.md)
- [Hand-out](https://handball.theperfectship.com/hand-out.md)
- [Ace](https://handball.theperfectship.com/ace.md)

How this rule changed: [wording in every rulebook](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/clause-history/code-fourwall-american/6.md)

## Relationships

- Short line relates to Ball: mentioned together in 4 sub-rules.
- Short line relates to Ace: mentioned together in 4 sub-rules.
- Ball relates to Hand-out: mentioned together in 6 sub-rules.
- Ball relates to Ace: mentioned together in 9 sub-rules.
- Hand-out relates to Ace: mentioned together in 3 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.