of Great Britain Ley was not in attendance, in October 1889, when supporters of a proposed National League of Baseball of Great Britain met at the Criterion, London, to formally establish the new baseball association, though he was elected as a provisional officer. Representatives of Preston North End, Gloucester County Cricket Club, Essex County Cricket Club, Staffordshire County Cricket Club, Aston Villa and the National Rounders Association all were represented and elected as officers to the association, with Newton Crane elected to the chair. In March 1890 William Sudell agreed to form a professional baseball club at Preston North End and Francis Ley agreed to form a professional baseball club for Derby. It was proposed that a twelve club National League will be formed, with teams to be based at Wolverhampton, Liverpool, Accrington, Manchester, Bolton, Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham. In June the first annual meeting of the National League of Baseball of Great Britain was held at the Queens Hotel, Birmingham, with the constitution being drawn up. Thomas Slaney (President) and Harry Lockett (Administrator) of the Stoke Baseball Club), Francis Ley (President of Derby Baseball Club), William McGregor (President of the Aston Villa Baseball Club) and James Allard on behalf of the absent William Sudell (President of the Preston North End Baseball Club) were all in attendance, Morton Betts was in the chair. A National League schedule was confirmed for the four clubs, Francis Ley agreed to supply the pennants and badges for the winning club. On 4 August Secretary Alexander Langland of Derby officially ‘retires’ the club from the National League, with immediate effect, citing financial losses and low attendances. On 5 August Ley wrote to the Derby Daily Telegraph to propose that the ‘retired’ Derby take on other local baseball clubs for a local challenge cup, donating £52 10s. towards a cup for the winning club. On 8 August the Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal stated that “owing to the decision of the National League requiring the Derby club to not pitch Reidenbach, the American pitcher, in remaining championship matches, the Derby club have withdrawn from the league.” Ley threatened that he intended to cease the activities of the club altogether, and had refused A. G. Spalding’s request for Derby to finish their National League fixtures. It was stated that Reidenbach and Bullas, American professionals at Derby, are the only Americans in the employ of Ley, in order to allow