cago, Hartford, St. Louis, Boston,
Louisville, Mutual, Athletic, of Philadelphia, and Cincinnati clubs, which
finished in the order named. Boston this year lost four of its best
players--Barnes McVey, Spalding, and White--who joined the Chicagos. The
Athletics and Mutuals were expelled that fall for failure to keep their
agreement.

The league was reduced to five clubs in 1877, Cincinnati dropping out.
Hartford and Boston were the Eastern clubs, with St. Louis, Chicago, and
Louisville in the West. The Hartfords were transferred to Brooklyn and
played its games on the old Union grounds in the Williamsburg district.
Boston won the pennant.

On February 20 the International Association was formed at Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, with the following clubs: Alleghanys, of Pittsburgh;
Buckeyes, Columbus, Ohio; Live Oak, Lynn, Massachusetts; Rochester, New
York; Manchester, New Hampshire; Tecumsehs, London, Ontario; Maple Leafs,
Guelph, Ontario. Tecumseh won the championship. The league alliance was
also formed with many clubs in different parts of the country.

In 1878 the National League was increased to six clubs. Hartford,
Louisville, and St. Louis retired. Providence replaced Hartford, and
Cincinnati returned after a year's absence. Indianapolis and Milwaukee
were added. Boston again captured the championship. The International
Association consisted of twelve clubs. The Maple Leafs, Buckeyes, and Live
Oaks retired. Buffalo, Binghamton, Hornellsville, Syracuse, and Utica, New
York; Springfield and Lowell, Massachusetts, and Hartford, Connecticut,
were added. Buffalo was awarded the championship.

Eight clubs--four in the East and a like number in the West--formed the
National League circuit in 1879. The Eastern teams were Boston,
Providence, Syracuse, and Troy. The West was represented by Buffalo,
Chicago, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. Indianapolis and Milwaukee dropped
out. Providence won the championship.

The National Association, formed at a meeting on February 19, 1879,
succeeded the International, and had a circuit consisting of Albany,
Utica, Holyoke, Manchester, New Bedford, Springfield, Worcester, and
Washington, the teams finishing in the order named. The Northwestern
League was organized January 2, 1879, at Rockville and Dubuque, Iowa;
Omaha, Nebraska, and Rockford, Illinois. Dubuque won the premiership with
a roster of players which included Ted Sullivan, Tom Loftus, Charley
Comiskey, then a pitcher, and Charley R