Evening star., 1941-05-28
$4,000 Throng
Seen for Griff
Tilt Tonight
Johnson's S Pitch to Set
Switch Inouguroting
Arc Baseball Here

Into the full glare Of 1870, 600 900
candlepower will prance the en-
barrassed Nationals tonight, with
upward of $4,000 spectators ad-
justing themselves to the unfamiliar
sight of scanning baseball under the
arcs.
The anticipated huge crowd will
provide testimony to the lure of
night baseball, for the curious
throng will be watching a team that
has dropped nine straight games.
Battling to deal the Mats their tenth
successive licking will be the New
York Yankees, with action slated
to start at $3.50 o'clock.
Walter johnson, Washington s
pitching sensation Of another era,
will hurl the ball that will switch on
the TAO f1oodlights suspended from
eight towers. At 8 o'clock johnson
will pitch to a sensitive photocell
beam of light across home plate.
When's Johnson's pitch hicks the
3-inch light beam, the electric eye
will blink and be amplified over a
cable to throw the switches that will
turn on the f1oodlights, swathing
Griffith Stadium with more light
than any park in either major
league.
Roosevelt Cadets Parade.
In previous tests engineers an
nounced lighting intensity at the
pitching mound and at home plate
is 20 times greater than the average
well-illuminated business desk.
Should the amount of light thrown
over the playing field be concen-
trated In a single beam it would be
possible to read newspaper 18
miles away. Enough electrical Ca
pacity has been installed to supply
the electrical needs of 5000 homes.
William Harridge, president of the
American League, will attend the in
augural. Kenesaw Mountain Lands,
commissioner of baseball, wired
President Clark Griffith that pres
sure of business will prevent his
being here.
Roosevelt High Schools crack
cadet band and company of cadets
from the same school will participate
in inaugural festivities. Both the
Mats and Yankees will take fielding
practice under the lights, although
both clubs will have hitting practice
at twilight. Washingtons batting
practice was to start at 6:l5.
A development which may revolu-
tionlze the baseball industry, ma jor
league night play is the handiwork
Of Leland Stanford MacPhail, now
the enterprising general manager of
the Brooklyn Dodgers.
MacPhail Leads Way.
Night baseball is no invention of
MacPhail's - the first organized
league game under artificial light
was played at independence, Kans,
in April, l930-but it was Larry who
introduced it to the majors, much
to the satisfaction of the Cincinnati
Reds.
With the money of Powell Crosley.
jr, and his ingenuity, MacPhail
yanked the Reds out of the red
with night baseball, which long had
been the savior of many a minor
league. MacPhail later was drafted
by Brooklyn and employed much
the same medicine in curing the
Dodgers financial ailments.
The twelfth major league execu-
tive to submit to the night game,
President Grifnth of the Mats once
was night baseballs sternest foe.
He battled it bitterly, but last year
hoped on the band wagon and
advocated bit Of legislation which
alarmed other owners.
Griff suggested night baseball be
played five nights a week during
July and August. He feels it even
tually will come to that, and he
doesn't see much sense in waiting.
Clubs now are restricted to seven
night games a season, although the
st. Louis Browns last year were per-
mitted to play IA.
Washington has been cited as an
ideal spot for night baseball, what
with its large ratio of Government
employees who are reluctant to clip
time of annual leave to attend week.
day games. BIB.