Following a visit to the United States of America in 1889, Ley decided that, as a way of ensuring a healthier and more productive workforce, an investment should be made in promoting recreation for his workers.

During his journey to the States, Ley had seen the way in which baseball fields had been laid out by companies and factories for the use by their workers and decided to follow suit on his return to Derby.

It was stated that for their first ever game Derby's uniforms were very similar to those worn by Blackburn Rovers and were supplied by Thompson and Sons of Babbington Lane.

[4] In March 1890 local press featured advertisements appealing for "professionals aged 20 to 25" and "cricketers who can field smartly" to attend Ley's Recreation Centre to help form a new club.

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.

[7] 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.

[9] 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.

[15] In reality Aston Villa were the first and only professional baseball champions of Great Britain, being awarded the pennant for the season, with Derby's record expunged from the official stats.

Ley also maintained his claim that his dissolved works club had actually won the 1890 National League of Baseball of Great Britain and not Aston Villa, who were the official pennant winners.

A photograph of the 1897 roster shows football star Steve Bloomer still played at that time for Ley's Derby Baseball Club.