Evening star., 1939-11-17
Survey Is Made
For Lighting
Of Stadium.
Cost of Installation
Seen Only Check to
Griffith's Plans
BY FRANCIS E. STAN.

Dy nhTNSAO Z. . AN.
Psst! Don't look now but Uncle
Clark Griffith is backing into night
baseball for 1910!
The Old Fox, who once bluntly
suggested that night ball wasn't
real baseball, admitted today that
he was "open to the proposition"
He doesn't want it said that he is
going to install lights this winter
but the impression is that all that
remains to be done is the letting Of
the contracts.
I'm not going to make any state
ment until after the winter meet
ing in Cincinnati next month";" Crit
fifth said. Il want to sort of feel the
pulse of the other club owners be-
fore I go ahead. I'd still like to get
that plan of mine pushed through
the one where we'd all play
night ball during July and August"
When Griffith first authored this
plan last summer he insisted that
only when it was accepted would he
install lights. Asked today if night
baseball in Washington still hinged
on the acceptance of the proposal
the old gentleman, who next Mon
day will celebrate his 10th BIRTH
day, said, mo. I imagine night ball
is well worthwhile. If they still in
sist on limiting each club to seven
night games I may put up lights"
Lights Too Costly, He Thinks.
When he managed the Cincinnati
Reds, prior to coming to Washington
in 1912, Griffith played some night
games. He claims that he, and not
Larry MacPhail, is the nocturnal
pioneer in the major leagues. At
the same time he has fought night
ball until recently.
Il still think that if you have a
winning team you don't have to
play ball at night" Griffith said.
Still, Washington may be just the
town for it. We have a lot of Gov
eminent workers here and night ball
would be just perfect for them"
The ball park denies that bid
ding has been opened for the in
stallation of lights. Some electric
light people have been around and
have measured the stadium Grif-
fin admitted, but we didn't ask
them to come" One of the reasons
why the Old Fox has ben dilatory
in seriously considering night ball
is the cost of lighting plants. None
of the parks equipped with lights,
since MacPhail paved the Way in
1896 at Cincinnati, have paid less
than 100000.
Il still think they're asking too
much" Griffith said. IF they'd get
around 100000 or $85,O0O on my
park I might be willing to talk
with them now Griffith expressed
surprise that the Giants had to pay
reported sum of $4,000 when
they joined the nocturnal ranks the
other day. I'm park like the Polo
Grounds, where the stands are high
and pressed in close to the fields, l
thought they'd get cheaper price,"
he commented.
All Fields Are "Sunfields."
Griffith has seen only one mod
ern night ball game in the majors
That was in Philadelphia last year,
when he went to watch the chris
tening of Connie Mack's lighting
system at Shibe Park. He was i'm
pressed. Asked, however, if he had
changed his mind about night ball
being real baseball he stalled.
Il don't know yet" was his an
swer. There still are some rough
spots that need ironing think the
infleld play is all right but I'm not
sure the outf1eld play is all right.
AS far as I could see all fields were
'sunfields' at Philadelphia. 1 mean,
the lights made it unfair for the
outflelders on certain kinds of fly
balls"
Griffith Stadium, low, sprawling
structure, is likely to be difficult to
light adequately unles unusually
high towers are constructed. The
playing surface is the largest in the
major leagues and the grandstands
are among the lowest This is bad
combination and likely to prove ex-
pensive.
With the Giants announcing the
letting of contracts earlier this week
the list of major clubs in the night
baseball ranks was increased to
seven. The Reds started it in 1896
and were followed by the Dodgers,
Phillies and Giants. Last year the
American League followed the foot
steps of MacPhail in Cincinnati and
Brooklyn, and the 9thletics, White
(See NIGHT BALL, Page DID