Players' League
In 1890, Gruber jumped to the Cleveland Infants in the newly formed Players' League. The Spiders in February 1890 attempted, unsuccessfully, to induce Gruber to disregard his contract with the Players' League and return to the Spiders, as reflected in this report from "Sporting Life":"A dispatch from New Haven, Conn., states that Secretary Hawley, of the Players, has recently been in that city to induce pitcher Henry Gruber, who has signed with the Cleveland Players' League, to throw up his contract with the Brotherhood. Gruber refuses to do this and will stand by the Brotherhood, although he is dissatisfied with the contract he has signed with them, owing to the clause which provides that a