The First Nightgame

August 8, 1988
The story behind Wrigley Field and lights is long. It reaches back into 1942 when Philip Wrigley planned to put up lights, but as America entered the war, he donated all the materials. For decades everyone in charge resisted to the idea of lights in "holy" Wrigley Field. It was simply not the right way to treat an old ballpark like that.
Eventually, under a new commissioner, Chicago was pushed to put up lights, since every other ballpark already had them since the 1950s. Lights were installed, and the Cubs played there first night game. Well, almost. The game was rained out. As David Letterman had it the next day: "The first time I tried it with the lights on, it was pretty much a washout, too."
But to this day the Cubs have more afternoon games than any other major league team. There's just no place like Wrigley Field.

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