to stay; that by it the game would be presented in its highest state of perfection; that amateurs, devoting the greater portion of their time to other pursuits, could not hope to compete with those whose business it was to play the game—and play it as a business. Hence public opposition to professional Base Ball melted quickly away. The best players needed no other incentive to make them accept the situation, even gleefully, than was found in their love for the sport, coupled with the prospect of gaining a livelihood in a manner so perfectly in accord with their tastes and inclinations.
Even before 1870, several full professional and semi-professional clubs were in existence. Aside from the Red Stockings, of Cincinnati, almost every large city had clubs whose players were directly or indirectly in receipt of forbidden emoluments from the game. In 1871 the following clubs were known as professional, and were playing in that class: Athletics, of Philadelphia; Atlantics, of Brooklyn; Bostons, of Boston; White Stockings, of Chicago; Forest Citys, of Cleveland; Forest Citys, of Rockford; Haymakers, of Troy; Kekiongas, of Fort Wayne; Marylands, of Baltimore; Mutuals, of New York; Nationals, of Washington; Olympics, of Washington; and Unions, of Morrisania.
However, at the meeting at which the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players was formed at New York, March 4th, 1871, only the following cities were represented: Boston, Brooklyn, New York, Philadelphia and Troy, in the East; Chicago, Cleveland, Fort Wayne and Bockford, in the West. At this, the first meeting of
