The Players' National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, popularly known as the Players' League (sometimes rendered as Players League), was a short-lived but star-studded professional American baseball league of the 19th century. It emerged from the Brotherhood of Professional Base-Ball Players, the sport's first players' union.
The Brotherhood included most of the best players of the National League. Brotherhood members, led by John Montgomery Ward, left the National League and formed the Players' League after failing to change the lopsided player-management relationship of the National League.
The PL lasted just the one season of 1890, and the Boston franchise won the championship. Although known to historians as the Players' League, newspapers often reported the standings with the shorthand titles of "League", "Association" and "Brotherhood". The PL was well-attended, at least in some cities, but was underfunded and its owners lacked the confidence to continue beyond the one season.
Players' League franchises and final standings
| Boston Reds | 81 | 48 | 0.628 | — | 48–21 | 33–27 |
| Brooklyn Ward's Wonders | 76 | 56 | 0.576 | 6½ | 46–19 | 30–37 |
| New York Giants | 74 | 57 | 0.565 | 8 | 47–19 | 27–38 |
| Chicago Pirates | 75 | 62 | 0.547 | 10 | 46–23 | 29–39 |
| Philadelphia Athletics | 68 | 63 | 0.519 | 14 | 35–30 | 33–33 |
| Pittsburgh Burghers | 60 | 68 | 0.469 | 20½ | 37–28 | 23–40 |
| Cleveland Infants | 55 | 75 | 0.423 | 26½ | 31–30 | 24–45 |
| Buffalo Bisons | 36 | 96 | 0.273 | 46½ | 23–42 | 13–54 |
What happen after the League folding -
The Boston and Philadelphia franchises joined the American Association after the Players' League folded. The Brooklyn, New York, Chicago and Pittsburgh franchises each merged with their National League counterparts after the season. All other teams disbanded