All right, so the first night-game was, admittedly, between a seminary and a prep school…the point is it was 1892! The incandescent light had only been invented 13 years earlier, and Wyoming Seminary and Mansfield State Normal School used it to play a game of football. Eh…Half a game anyway.
The game was called at halftime, with players’ safety cited as the reason. Turns out the light pole IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD presented problems. The score: 0-0, but it’s doubtful the crowd minded. The lights themselves were the real attraction: they’d never been seen before in Mansfield.
The game is commemorated each year at the Fabulous 1890’s Weekend festival in Mansfield PA. Ever been? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or right below!