Newark post., 1922-06-21
Sports Now
Played at Night
Tennis, Trapshooting and Other
Outdoor Diversions Now
Possible at Night

The coming of darkness need no
longer put an end to the game of
tennis, nor need to prevent enjoyment
OF trapshooting or many other out
door sports which are now satisfact-
orily carried on by artificial lighting.
Daylight-saving laws were not so eff
fective in providing more hours of
play as high-powered mazda lamps
are, apparently.
Illuminating engineers have given
careful study to the problems of turn
ing night into day on the tennis court.
The lighting for outdoors sports pre-
sents difficulties such as are not en-
countered in interiors.
For on the tennis court there is no
fixed plan of action. The light must
cover the whole space through which
ball is likely to travel while in play.
There are no roof and walls to reflect
the light, and it is necessary to de-
pend upon direct illumination for the
lamps, which nevertheless, must be so
placed that the player never will be
forced to look directly at them. Also
the light must be of uniform inten-
sity, because if the illumination
varies, the ball will appear to change
its speed when passing through diff
ferent degrees of light.
1t has been determined that the ball
must be Illuminated by direct light at
a height of twenty to twenty-five feet
from the ground. When it goes
higher than this it is travelling at a
slower pace, and fullest intensity of
light is repaired. Either overhead
lights or lights placed in rows on both
sides of the court have been found
satisfactory means of meeting these
requirements. Side lights are usually
placed at a height of eighteen feet;
overhead lights at thirty feet.
The electric power required varies
according to the arrangement used
From 1000 to 6000 watts are needed
which means an expenditure of from
25 to 60 cents an hour, according to
circumstances. Players consider that
the enjoyment of the game is well
worth this; allowing for a reasonable
return on the investment and for
lamp renewals, the cost is we'll below
what one would pay for pool or
billiards. The United States National
Lawn Tennis Association endorses
night tennis when the installation is
properly laid out to obtain the de-
sired playing conditions.
D Clock golf courses and putting
greens are successfully used at night
by the aid of lights which are usually
hung two from one pole. Croquet and
rogue courts are easily lighted. Motor
cycle racing goes on at night in a
lighted motordrome. On the race.
track lights of from 800 to 500 watts
are used, equipped with enameled
steel angle refiectors which project
the maximum light at an angle of AZ
degrees from the vertical, since the
track is at an angle.
Ranges for trapshooting are also
successfully lighted by electricity
Projectors located twenty feet above
the shooting stand are equipped with
four 1O00-watt lamps, or in some
cases they are placed on the roof ot
the trap house and contain only three
500-watt lamps. These methods are
right for a standard range, but must
be varied when the range differs. The
light covers the entire area ovel
, which the pigeons will be thrown
with sufficient intensity to make then
conspicuous.
Fixtures used out-of-doors must al
ways be as nearly weather-proof a:
possible, and it must be remembered
that the force of the wind tends tt
loosen fastenings. A little care, how
ever, will maintain the system il
good condition. For folk who are busy
during the day and have little oppor
tunity for outdoor exercise, electit
!. lighting of sports is indeed boom.