w York and Philadelphia, in the East, and Buffalo,
Chicago, Cleveland and Pittsburg in the West. According to the articles
under which this league was formed its government rested in a central
board composed of its president, and two directors, one a player and one
a capitalist from each club.

Any player who was dissatisfied with his location could apply to the
board to be transferred without the payment of anything to the club
losing his services. All contracts were to be made for three years and
no player could be released until after the first year had expired, and
not then if he had kept his agreements and was still able and willing to
play good ball. Severe penalties were provided for drunkenness and
crookedness, and all profits from ground privileges, such as
refreshments, score-cards, cigars, etc., belonged to each individual
club. It was also provided that all players were to have the same
salaries that they had had in 1889, save such as had been cut down by
the classification system, and they were to be paid the same salaries as
in 1888, the same to be increased at the option of the club engaging
them.

This on paper looked to be a great scheme, but what it lacked was
business brains in its management, and as a result its career was a
short and stormy one, it being war to the knife and the knife to the
hilt between the two great rival organizations. After four courts had
decided that the players had a right to leave the National League, each
of the clubs located in the Players' League signed a compact to play
with that organization for ten years. The National League then formed a
schedule of playing dates that conflicted with the Players' League all
through the season of 1890, this action throwing both clubs and public
into confusion, the latter becoming so disgusted over the war of the
rival factions as to stay away from the games altogether. At the end of
the season the Players' League bought the Cincinnati Club, and as the
Pittsburg Club was all but defunct, this left the National League with
but six clubs.

At the close of the championship season a conference was held and plans
agreed upon for ending the war, which had been financially disastrous to
both parties. Committees were appointed by both Leagues and by the
American Association having this end in view, but the Players' League,
at a special meeting added three professional players to its committee,
and the National League refused to join in the c