Independence Makes World History

[baseballman]

"In the worst years of the Depression, Americans looking for good news avidly followed the fortunes of their sports heroes. The first official minor league game to be played under lights took place in Independence, Kansas in 1930. The National League president harrumphed that "night baseball is just a step above dog racing," but working-class Americans flocked to join industrial leagues and town teams. The new lights meant that people lucky enough to have jobs could go to games after work, and the extra revenue helped struggling clubs survive. The baseball field gave isolated and apprehensive Americans a place to take comfort in the crowd, and the success of the home team encouraged those in the bleachers to believe in their own dreams."

Exhibition Label, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2006

If you do a google search with "april 28 historical events", look for the year 1930 in the results.

It is also in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.  http://baseballhall.org/node/8133

[W. Gray]

Not only the first official minor league night game but the first night game in the history of organized baseball.

The major leagues did not followup with a night game until five years later with their first played at Crosley Field in 1935.

Old timers might remember Crosley Field named after the owner of the Cincinnati Reds. The Cincinnati Bengals football team also played there. He also introduced the Crosley automobile to America.

[baseballman]

The first night game at Independence was on April 17, 1930.  It was an exhibition game against the House of David, which was also not an Organized Baseball team.  The April 28, 1930 game is the one that made histroy.  This was not an experiment with lights, but the birth of a new era in baseball.  Independence played 55 night games at home in 1930, and added additional lights to the towers in 1931.  The lights were used for baseball games until the early 70's, but the lights on the field now are not the originals.   

[baseballman]

This is a photo of the famous night baseball game in Independence.

[W. Gray]

Those are literally box seats, chuckle.