onference. Secret
meetings between the capitalists of the Players' League and the National
League were held, with the result that the rival clubs in New York,
Pittsburg and Chicago were consolidated, this causing the disruption of
the Brotherhood.

Looked at from a financial standpoint the contrast between the seasons
of 1889 and 1890 was a great one. The year 1889 was the most successful
that the League had ever known, and the money fairly poured in at the
gate. The year 1890, on the contrary, was one of the most disastrous
that the League had ever known, and on many occasions the clubs found
themselves playing to almost empty benches.

The defection of Tener, Williamson, Ryan, Pfeffer and others left me
with a comparatively green team on my hands, when the season of 1890
opened, but long before the season came to a close constant practice had
made it one of the best teams in the League, as it proved by finishing
in the second place. Few people, however, appreciate the amount of work
that was necessary to attain that result. It was hard work and plenty of
it, and though some of the players objected to the amount of practice
forced upon them, and the strict discipline that was enforced, yet they
had to put up with it, as that was the only manner in which the
necessary playing strength could be developed. I myself worked just as
hard as they did. If we took a three-mile run, I was at their head
setting the pace for them. I have never asked the men under my control
to do anything that I was not willing to do myself, because it was just
as necessary for me to be in good condition as it was for them.

The Chicagos of 1890 were made up as follows: Hutchinson, Luby and
Stein, pitchers; Nagle and Kittridge, catchers; Anson, first base;
Glenalvin, second base; Burns, third base; Cooney, shortstop; Carroll,
left field; Andrews, right field; and O'Brien, Earle and Foster
substitutes.

It will thus be seen that I had but one of the "old reliables" left,
that being Burns, who had refused to affiliate with the Brotherhood, and
who was to receive his reward later on at the hands of the Chicago Club
management. The rest of the team was composed of a lot of half-broken
"colts," many of whom were newcomers in the League, and with a
reputation yet to make, Hutchinson, Cooney and Wilmot being the pick of
the bunch.

There was never a time during this season that we were worse than fifth,
and on several, occasions we were right up in