Kagan: Light up the night
From SABR member David Kagan at The Hardball Times on June 6, 2017:
The 1912 World Series was an epic battle between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Giants. The Giants featured the great Christy Mathewson who was bested by Smokey Joe Wood’s efforts, winning two of his three starts and coming in to relieve in the eighth game. Yes, the eighth game. The Series was scheduled for the usual best-of-seven. However, after 11 innings the second game was declared a 6-6 tie due to darkness. Darkness!
Thomas Edison won his patent on the light bulb in 1879 only three years after the founding of the National League. Almost immediately the idea of playing baseball at night arose. By the mid-1930s the technology had advanced to the point where night games were not uncommon in the laboratory of baseball innovation – the minor leagues.
May 24, 1935 was the date of the first night game in major league history between the Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies at Crosley Field. Most teams added lights and night games rather rapidly. However, the Chicago Cubs, who have always been late to every party, held out until Aug. 9, 1988 before they played their first night game in Wrigley Field. (For more on the history of night baseball see “Though night may fall, play ball!” here at THT.)
Read the full article here: http://www.hardballtimes.com/light-up-the-night/
Originally published: June 7, 2017. Last Updated: June 7, 2017.