[7] In its first season, the cup was to be awarded to the winner of a postseason series between the league's top two teams; in subsequent years, the holder of the cup would play a series against the league's top finishing team.

[9] With that protest pending, the next two teams in the standings—Paterson and Hartford—arranged to play a series for the Soby Cup.

[11] The protested standings were not ruled upon until the league's annual meeting in late November; despite inconsistencies in record-keeping, Newark was declared the pennant winner.

[8] However, league officials decided to have the top two teams of 1897—Lancaster and Newark—play for the cup.

[15] By 1951, the cup was at the Baseball Hall of Fame,[16] where it remains as of 2019[update].