Let There Be Light
A History of Night Baseball 1880-2008
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
The third major event of 1935 occurred when Franklin Delano Roosevelt flipped a gold telegraph key while sitting in the White House on the evening of 24 May. This key sent an electric pulse along five hundred miles of telegraph wires to a Mazda C, electric incandescent signal lamp sitting on a table, near first base in Crosley Field,
A great many of the minor leagues ballparks’ lighting systems met with considerable success. By using electric floodlighting these baseball teams brought in new fans and greatly increased attendance at the night games played between Mondays and Fridays. These teams had started playing night ball by 1930. But, at that time, the Major League Baseball (MLB) owners and managers felt strongly that professional baseball in the majors could only be played in the daytime.
There is no chance of night baseball ever becoming popular in the bigger cities. People there are educated to see the best there is and will only stand for the best. High class baseball cannot be played at night.1
The above quote by Clark Griffith reveals the resistance and negative attitudes of major league owners and players. These feelings were definitely entrenched. In fact, if it were not for several important events, the big league baseball fields would not have been lighted until after World War II. This would have deprived literally millions of baseball fans of seeing great baseball entertainment prior to that war. More importantly, it would have prevented millions of weary war workers of the wholesome, lighthearted joy which fans to this day feel when they see great baseball in their hometown ballparks.
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About the Book
The book, Let There Be Light : A History of Night Baseball 1880 to 2008 will show the evolutionary process that took 50 years ( 1880 to 1930 ) before minor league baseball adopted the idea of playing baseball at night. After breaking into the minors, it only took five years before the Majors, grudgingly accepted the idea proposed by Leland "Larry" MacPhail and Powel Crosley to light up Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The book has over 70 photographs, 17 documents, diagrams, charts, and letters and over 90 pages of history, stories, and events. The end result is a history of modern day lighted baseball fields which provide healthy entertainment to millions of people every year.
This is not a book of statistics, but is one which reveals how civilization and culture develops through hard work and visionary leaders. The first World Series night game was played in 1971. But, by 1985 every World Series game is played at night. Night baseball is an event and is just as exciting as a day game, but much cooler, unless you have an air conditioned stadium. Let's go see a baseball game tonight after work.
To see more about the book, text & photos, Go to Google.com & type: Light Baseball Major Bob Payne or the new You Tube , video @ Light Baeball Major Bob Payne
About the Author
Robert B. Payne is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, '67. He was commissioned an officer in the United States Army and served two years active duty at Ft. Lee, Virginia.. He completed an M.A. degree in Public Administration, U.C. '71. He graduated from Christian Theological Seminary in '78. He then served over 17 more years as a chaplain in the Army.
His unique position to write, Let There Be Light : A History of Night Baseball comes from the fact his father, Earl D. Payne, was one of the three principle Cincinnati Gas & Electric Co. illumination engineers who designed the lighting layout for the first Major League Baseball ballpark, Crosley Field, in 1935.
He also inherited the stories and 33 photographs of MLB's 1st night game in the major leagues. Earl D. Payne, was a professionally trained photographer as well as an electrical engineer.who was permitted to take on the field photos of the 1st ever big league night game 75 years ago.
Mr. R.B. Payne has collected, over the years, stunning photographs from other sources such as the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, Cooperstown, New York, the University of Cincinnati Archives and Rare Books Library and the Schenectady Museum Suits Bueche Planetarium. Several other sources have provided one or two photographs. Mr. Payne is married with three children. He too has made photography a lifelong hobby.
Tom Pierett - A man who grew up loving the Reds was born in Middletown, Ohio of Appalachian stock. He served in the Navy and went on to graduate from Wright State University. He is married and a grandfather who teaches Social Studies in high school.