Y.M.C.A. Four-Wall Rules, May 1915

Court

The official Young Men's Christian Association four wall hand-ball court shall measure 40 feet long, 20 feet wide and 18 feet high. The rear wall shall be 10 feet high, the spectators' gallery extending backward above that height. All surfaces shall be smooth and without projections or depressions of any description.

Ball

The Irish Black Ace shall be the regulation ball.

Game

The game shall consist of 21 points and may be played by two, three or four persons.

Rule 1 Right to serve

The choice for the right to serve shall be decided by toss.

Rule 2 Server and receiver

The player serving the ball shall be termed the server, and the player to whom the ball is served the receiver.

Rule 3 Change of server

At the end of the first service, the server shall become the receiver, and the receiver the server, and so on alternately, in all subsequent services of the game.

Rule 4 Service

The ball must be served from behind the service line within the court. On the service the ball must be struck from a bounce behind the service line, hit the service (front) wall first and then must not strike the floor until it has passed beyond the service line. (The ball after striking the front wall may strike either the side wall or ceiling before passing over the service line.)

Rule 5 Points, return and recovery of the ball

A point is made by the server when he sends a ball to any part of the outer court beyond the service line, and it is not returned to the front wall by the receiver. A returned ball must always strike the front wall before striking the floor. A service ball may be recovered either on the fly or first bounce after passing over the service line. If the ball is properly returned to the front wall by the receiver the server must recover it, either on the fly or the first bounce from floor of either court; if he fails the hand is out and the receiver becomes server. It is allowable to serve at either side of the court, but always behind the service line. Stepping beyond the service line twice in succession, or hitting either side wall, ceiling or floor before striking the front wall, or serving two short balls in succession shall cause the loss of a hand. Only the side serving scores.

Rule 6 Failure to strike the ball

If in attempting to serve the server fails to strike the ball he loses his service.

Rule 7 Ball on the service line

A ball falling on the service line is good.

Rule 8 Fault

A fault is a ball not served over the service line, or a ball served over the back or side lines. Two consecutive faults shall retire the server. A fault may be played or not at the receiver's discretion, but not after being called.

Rule 9 Four-handed and three-handed games

In a four-handed game, the side serving is allowed but one service at the commencement of the game. After the first service, each side is allowed two consecutive services, the two partners alternating in turn. The server's partner must stand in the outer court with his back to either right or left wall until the ball strikes the service wall on each service. In a three-handed game the single player shall have every alternate service if he is playing against the other two. If individual scores are kept the players succeed one another in regular order in serving the ball.

Rule 10 Ball striking a player

If the ball, when served, strikes the server or his partner, it retires the server. If it strikes the receiver or receiver's partner, before or after bouncing, it becomes non-playable and counts a point for the server. If the ball in play, while being returned by a player, strikes an opponent it shall be played over, but if it strikes a partner it shall count against him. If said ball in play be returned from the front wall and strikes any player it shall count against him.

Rule 11 Interference

A player shall not intentionally or unintentionally interfere with an opponent returning the ball. Any interference shall be considered a hindrance and the ball is to be served over.

Rule 12 First serve in the next game

The loser in any game to have first serve in succeeding game.

Rule 13 Hinder

A hinder is—

(a) When the player is prevented by the proximity of a spectator from properly returning the ball.

(b) When a player interferes with another in such a manner as to prevent him from properly returning the ball.

(c) When the ball strikes any apparatus within the court lines and such apparatus is not higher than the service wall. A hinder shall count nothing.

Rule 14 Officials

The official shall be a referee and a scorer.

(a) The referee shall decide all questions pertaining to the serving of the ball and its return, and shall be judge of hindering and faults, and shall decide all questions not covered in these rules. His decision shall be final on all questions. He shall also decide when the ball is in or out of court.

(b) The scorer shall keep a correct record of the points made and shall keep the contestants informed as to the progress of the game.

(c) The linesman shall determine when the ball is in or out of court and report to the referee.