Evening star., 1935-09-28
Eynon Views Light.

Eynon Views Light.
THE lighting pioneer, who at 7o-odd
= years old has just hit upon what
he regards rs his greatest step for
ward in perfecting lights for night
ball, gave a demonstration to Eynon
lust before the Nationals left New
York yesterday to wind up their sea-
son against the Athletics here.
The scene of the test was the Dyke
man Oval in the Bronx. A field which
will accommodate about 5000 specta-
tors, the oval already was equipped
with the conventional set Of lights.
Before launching his first demon
stration of the new invention, Cahill,
who back in 1909 installed q set Of
lights for Clark Grifith, when the
Old Fox was manager Of the Gin
cinnau Reds, explained the purposes
Of his system.
"The lighting should be . science" "
declared the aged inventor. mot
only should it be as perfect as possible
for the ball players, but for the spec
tators as well.
For instance, the majority of spec
tators face the outfield and stare into
powerful lights installed along the
left, center and right field fences.
This is q constant glare in their eyes
and, at the same time, an almost
irresistible invitation to regard the
lights from time to time. Then. when
attention is drawn to the diamond.
it requires several seconds to get the
eyes adjusted. This is strain on
the eyes,"
Turns Em on Quickly.
CAHILL'S plan, roughly. Is to have
~ the lights in the outfield shut
out while the pitcher is on the slab
preparing to deliver the ball. This is
done by means Of a switch with q
handle. similar to the power switch
which q motorman operates on a
street car. When the pitcher winds
up and delivers the ball an expert
switch operator turns on the outfield
lights at the moment the ball strikes
the bat.
The purpose Is twofold First, the
idea Is to provide the batter with as
dark . background as possible. Sec
ondly, 1t Is to keep the glaring out
field lights from the spectators eyes
as much as possible.
When the ball is hit, either to the
infield or outfield, the switch move
ment not only turns on the outfield
lights, but turns out the lights directly
in back Of the plate, thus providing
the helders with dark background
and throwing the light on their side
Of the ball.
CAHILL, whose close study Of the
night ball problem has covered q
period Of more than q quarter Of q
century, also has devised . pair Of
auxiliary switches for the specific
purpose Of eliminating glare in the
eyes Of infielders chasing pop flies,
which Is one of the most difficult plays
ut night.
If for instance, a batter hits pop
over the first baseman's head and the
second baseman runs over to catch 1t,
the lights over the first base section
Of the stands are doused, affording
another dark background and throw
ing light on the proper side Of the
ball. -he same Is worked when the
short stop chases q pop in back Of
third base.
Eynon, who carefully studied the
demonstration, branded the general
idea as lone Of considerable merit"
and also became promptly interested
in another angle-the economic
aspect.
"Cincinnati's lighting system" de-
clsred Cahill, "is not . product Of
scientific study. It is mass lighting.
There Is six times as much power
used on the Cincinnati field as there
Is on this diamond at Dykeman Oval,
and all the lights are on all Of the
time"
TN HIS demonstration Cahill en-
ployed Q team of Cuban all-stars
to test the, merits Of the system.
Unanimously they declared it far
easier to bat and field. Only one real
difficulty arose and that was In tim
ing the switch controls.
This promises to be a real problem
because q split-second lapse by the
operator may cause fielder to mis-
judge ball, for instance, and cost
anything from . run to bali game
or pennant.
This switch control, which may
cause an instant roar Of disapproval
from players even before they have
seen . demonstration, may be the