MAY 16, 1939 | PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – On this date in 1939 the American League finally played a game under the lights – four years after the National League pioneered the trend. The game took place at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. The Cleveland Indians beat the home team Philadelphia Athletics (today’s Oakland A’s) 8-3 in ten innings .
Night games are so prevalent today, it’s hard to imagine a time when all games were played during the day. That slowly began to change in 1935. The Cincinnati Reds played the first night game at Crosley Field in Cincinnati May 24, 1935. Crosley was the only park to have lights for more than 3 years.
The Brooklyn Dodgers (today’s Los Angeles Dodgers) was the next team to play under the lights on June 15, 1938. By coincidence, or maybe because of it, the Dodgers first night game was the night Johnny Vander Meer of the Cincinnati Reds pitched his second consecutive no-hitter – the only time it’s been done.
CONTRIBUTORY SOURCES:
Baseball-Almanac
Baseball Library