Turning on the lights

Bruce Kison pitching for the Pirates 53 years ago tonight

While today marks the 64th anniversary of the ninth-inning homer by Bill Mazeroski to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates over the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series at old Forbes Field, today – ahem, actually, tonight – also marks the 53rd anniversary of an event that has had a far greater impact on the game.

Talking here about the first World Series night game.

Ever.

This game – Game 4 of the 1971 World Series – also comes in Pittsburgh, where the Pirates rally from an early 3-0 deficit to beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 at Three Rivers Stadium.

A crowd of 51,378 watches from the stands while another 63 million or so viewers tune in for the Wednesday night game, opting for this game rather than watching Mama Cass Elliot perform on the Carol Burnett Show or Darrin and Samantha frolic around Rome on Bewitched.

Never mind the latest episodes of The Courtship of Eddie’s Father and Medical Center. Oh, goodness, how will Dr. Gannon ever get those two patients to agree on surgery?

Coincidentally, Mazeroski also is at this game in 1971, sitting on the Pirates’ bench as a 35-year-old reserve infielder in the next-to-last season of his 17-year Hall of Fame career.

By the way, this is what your TV screen looks like in 1971 before the Pirates come to bat in the bottom of the first inning.

Don't worry about the fuzzy picture here, because that is what your tired eyes see now as World Series games start later and later, and often approach midnight before they finally end.