The baseball lights shine brightly in the summer, but one Southern college baseball league is doing something a little different: shining America’s pastime under black lights.
The Tri-City Chili Peppers are a collegiate summer team that was able to play a game under black lights on June 1st.
The Chili Peppers play in the Coastal Plain League, which plays a ball that glows in the dark that it calls “Cosmic Baseball.”
“It’s actually a brighter atmosphere than most people would think,” Chili Peppers owner Chris Martin told MLB.com. “Everything is looking pretty good.”
The game appeared to go off without a hitch and end with a 9-4 victory for the Chili Peppers.
The league, which has produced some of baseball’s biggest stars including Justin Verlander, Kevin Youkilis and Alec Bohm, has reportedly invested more than $100,000 in the venture. MLB.com.
There was an extensive start-up process here, including a dedicated team of lighting experts and “a lot of trial and error” that ran parallel to actual baseball practices.
The sport is essentially the baseball we all know and love, but played on a glow-in-the-dark stage.
Certainly, there is an injury concern here, as baseballs often travel at over 100 miles per hour, increasing the risk of injury if a player cannot accurately catch the ball in his glove.
“I think if we can all feel comfortable in practice and relax while we’re playing, it’s going to be a really good experience,” Chill Peppers catcher Jacob Lee told MLB.com.
According to Martin, tennis is the only sport that has made the bold move of playing under black lights.
It was “just some guys messing around” and not a real sporting event, Martin explained.
But Martin said there was clearly interest, with tickets selling out within 24 hours.
The team plans to continue with this format, hosting Cosmic Games on June 15th, June 28th, and July 20th.
