There was still war in Base Ball between the American Association and the National League. Recognizing that the best method to bring about a cessation of this war was to effect an amalgamation of the conflicting forces Mr. Brush sought, with the assistance of others, to weld both leagues into one. He was aided in this task, though indirectly, because A.G. Spalding was actively out of Base Ball, by that gentleman, Frank De Hass Robison, Christopher Von der Abe, and Francis C. Richter, editor of "Sporting Life" of Philadelphia. The writer also essayed in the task in an advisory capacity. The amalgamation was brought about, though not without some opposition; indeed, much opposition. It was conceded at that time that a twelve-club league, which was the object sought, was cumbersome and unwieldy, but there was no other plan of possible accomplishment which suggested itself. But the principal consideration and the result accomplished in this consolidation of leagues was that all gate receipts should be divided, share and share alike, so far as general admissions were concerned. That was the greatest and most far-reaching achievement in the history of Base Ball. Prior to that time the principle of a fixed guarantee for each game played had given each home club a stupendous bulk of the sums paid by the public toward the maintenance of the sport. The inevitable outcome of such an arrangement was that the clubs in the larger cities completely overshadowed the clubs in the smaller cities. The teams in the cities of less population were expected to try to place rival organizations on the field that would equal in playing strength those of New York, Boston and Chicago, but they were unable to do so unless their owners were willing to go on year after year with large deficits staring them in the face. When Mr. Brush and his associates succeeded in placing Base Ball upon a plane of absolute fairness, so far as the proper distribution of the returns of the sport could be made between clubs, Base Ball began to prosper, and, for the first time in all its history, the owners of so-called smaller clubs felt that they could go forward and try to rival their bigger fellows with equally strong combinations. More than that, and which to the ball player is most important of all, it "jumped" the salaries of the players in the smaller clubs until they were on equal terms with their fellow players in the larger clubs, so that Mr. Brush helped to accomplish by this plan the very aim which he had at heart when he proposed the classification plan--a just, impartial and equal reimbursement to every player in the game, so far as the finances of each club would permit--and without that bane to all players, a salary limit.