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27-846: According to a historical marker, the first night game in organized baseball was played in Independence on April 28, 1930, between the Independence Producers and the Muskogee Chiefs. Since there are some people that are not familiar with the term Organized Baseball, it is important to explain the term. It is a specific group of baseball teams, those that are part of Major League Baseball, and the minor league teams associated with Major League Baseball. Organized Baseball games must follow specific rules in order to be Organized Baseball games. The commissioner of Baseball has authority over Organized Baseball. An Organized Baseball game

54-631: A no-hitter , making it the first one thrown in American League history. There was a claim that Amole had thrown the first Opening Day no-hitter in Major League Baseball history, but since the American League was a minor league at the time, the claim is not true. During the 1900 season, Amole went 22–22 with 35 complete games, two shutouts in 47 games, 41 starts. Amongst fellow American League pitchers that season, Amole

81-429: A practical joke by replacing the ball with an explosive. Amole threw the pitch to Honus Wagner who made contact with the explosive, setting off a large spark, causing the crowd to erupt in anger and the already unpopular game was ended immediately. During that season, Amole compiled a record of 22–24 with a 2.54 earned run average (ERA) in 55 games, 47 starts . Of those starts, 43 were complete games . Amole led

108-713: A record of 4–10 with a 4.75 earned run average (ERA) and 30 strikeouts in 18 games, 12 starts . In those 12 starts, 10 were complete games . Amole also played in the minor leagues with the Class-A Wilmington Peaches (1896), the Class-B Reading Actives (1897), the Class-A Buffalo Bisons (1898–1903) and the Class-A Providence Grays (1903–1904). Over his career in the minors, Amole compiled

135-692: A record of 108–137 in 227 games. As a member of the American League Buffalo Bisons in 1900, a year before the league turned major, Amole threw a no-hitter against the Detroit Tigers . In 1896, Amole began his professional baseball career with the Class-A Wilmington Peaches of the Atlantic League . During a game on July 4, 1896, in the first recorded night game in Atlantic League history, Amole pulled

162-727: A regular basis. Doc Amole Morris George "Doc" Amole (January 1, 1874 – March 9, 1912) was a professional baseball player who career spanned nine season, including parts of two in Major League Baseball with the Baltimore Orioles (1897) and the Washington Senators (1898). On both occasions, Amole was the youngest player in the National League at the age of 18 and 19, respectively. Over his major league career, Amole compiled

189-409: Is an official Organized Baseball game. Prior to Independence playing night baseball, there was a baseball game played at night in 1880. It was an experimental game between two department store teams, and it would take another fifty years before Organized Baseball would sanction night baseball. There were a couple of exhibition night baseball games in the early 1900s between Organized Baseball teams. One

216-641: Is often applied as an umbrella term for all leagues — major and minor — under the authority of the Commissioner of Baseball . Operating outside the Minor League Baseball organization are many independent minor leagues such as the Atlantic League , American Association , Frontier League , and the feeder league to these the Empire Professional Baseball League . Japan has had professional baseball since

243-481: Is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada consists of the National League (founded in 1876) and the American League (founded in 1901). Historically, teams in one league never played teams in

270-504: The China National Baseball League , Israel Baseball League , and Baseball Philippines . During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, players of black African descent were barred from playing the major leagues , though several did manage to play by claiming to be Cubans or Native Americans . As a result, a number of parallel Negro leagues were formed. However, after Jackie Robinson began playing with

297-496: The 1930 newspapers documented the planning, purchasing, construction, and game information as it played out at the time. Many more historic documents and photos are referenced in the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form for the baseball stadium. All fifty-five night baseball games played in Independence in 1930 were documented at the time. Bob Rives, in his research article, states that Independence "was

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324-700: The 1930s. Nippon Professional Baseball consists of two leagues, the Central League and the Pacific League , each with six teams. South Korea has had professional baseball since 1982. There are 10 teams in KBO League . Taiwan has had professional baseball since the 1990s. The Chinese Professional Baseball League absorbed Taiwan Major League in 2003. There are currently 6 teams in the CPBL. Other Asian leagues include three now defunct leagues,

351-514: The April 1931 edition of Baseball Magazine stated that Independence was the first team in America to play a league night baseball game. In addition to that, in 1935, The Sporting News pointed out that Des Moines was not the first to install permanent lights, but it was in fact Independence that did so. The Independence Producers were a Class C minor league baseball team. They had purchased lights from

378-482: The Giant Manufacturing Company and installed them on light towers constructed on their field, making Independence the birthplace of professional night baseball. By the end of the 1930 season there were thirty-eight minor league teams with lights installed on their fields. Independence was not the first team to play night baseball, or the first professional team to play night baseball. Independence

405-550: The National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues, oversees nearly all minor league baseball in the United States and Canada. The minor leagues are divided into classes AAA, AA, High-A, A, and Rookie. These minor-league divisions are affiliated with major league teams, and serve to develop young players and rehabilitate injured major-leaguers. "Affiliated baseball" (archaically, " organized baseball ")

432-632: The Senators, Amole was again the youngest player in the National League at the age of 19. In 1897, Amole went 0–6 with a 7.84 ERA, four complete games and 11 strikeouts in seven games, five starts. Amole joined the Class-A Buffalo Bisons in 1898 playing 24 games with them, going 11–11 with 21 complete games and one shutout. Amole did not play professional baseball in 1899, but did return to the Bisons in 1900. On Opening Day in 1900, Amole pitched

459-461: The Wilmington, Delaware and Paterson, New Jersey clubs. Doc Amole pitched an explosive device instead of a baseball to Honus Wagner, which exploded when Wagner hit it. That ended the game in the sixth inning, with many fans demanding their money back. It was an exhibition game played during the regular season, and the firecracker pitched to Wagner ended the game after it went off. An article in

486-555: The first official minor league at night. There have even been newspapers, like the Chicago Tribune, that have stated that Independence played the first Organized Baseball game under lights. The Sporting News disputes this claim, citing earlier professional examples going back to an 1896 game in which Honus Wagner played. It is, however, true that in 1930 Negro league teams, including the Independence Producers, were carrying portable light setups with them and playing night games on

513-441: The league in losses and was fifth in wins . Amole started the 1897 season with the Class-B Reading Actives. He went 12–22 with a 1.75 ERA, 74 strikeouts, 31 complete games and two shutouts in 36 games, all starts. Amole was third in the Atlantic League in losses that season. During the 1897 season, Amole joined the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball 's National League . He made his debut on August 19, 1897, becoming

540-427: The lights Independence used were permanent lights, and they played fifty-five night baseball games at home in 1930. Sumner adds that Organized Baseball is Major League Baseball and the minor leagues. The National Baseball Hall of Fame has recognized Independence as playing the first night game in the history of Organized Baseball. The Smithsonian displays an art gallery label that gives credit to Independence for playing

567-570: The other until the World Series , in which the champions of the two leagues played against each other. This changed in 1997 with the advent of interleague play . The Philadelphia Phillies , founded in 1883, are the oldest continuous same-name, same-city franchise in both Major League Baseball and all of American professional sports. In addition to the major leagues, many North American cities and towns feature minor league teams. An organization officially styled Minor League Baseball , formerly

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594-450: The two team, Amole went 8–10. During his final season in professional baseball in 1904, Amole played with the Grays, going 8–11. Amole was found dead on the floor of his room at a boarding house in Wilmington, Delaware on March 9, 1912. The cause of death was officially determined to be pulmonary arrest due to congestion of the lungs. Professional baseball Professional baseball

621-529: The world leader in baseball field lighting". Rives also mentioned that the pitcher for the Producers made the first pitch ever under the lights in a regular season Organized Baseball game. Jan Sumner stated that "The first night baseball game in Organized Baseball took place in Independence on the night of April 28, 1930". Sumner visited Independence in 2014 for researching his planned book. He said

648-639: The youngest person in the National League that season at the age of 18. Amole was a "fill-in" pitcher while in Baltimore. On the season, Amole compiled a record of 4–4 with a 2.57 ERA, 19 strikeouts and six complete game in 11 games, seven starts. His ERA led all Orioles pitchers that season. In December 1897, the Baltimore Orioles traded Amole with Jack Doyle and Heinie Reitz to the Washington Senators in exchange for Doc McJames , Dan McGann and Gene DeMontreville . When he made his debut with

675-486: Was in 1909, and the other in 1927, but the games did not count in league standings. In 1929, the president of the Des Moines, Iowa baseball club announced to the National Association convention his intent to play night baseball in 1930. However, the first official minor league game actually took place in Independence, Kansas on April 28, 1930. There was also a novel, incomplete night baseball game on July 4, 1896 between

702-481: Was second in wins and losses. Amole continued playing with the Bisons in 1901, going 11–25 in 37 games. Amole was first in the Eastern League, which the Bisons became affiliated with after the American League became a part of Major League Baseball, in losses that season. In 1903 with Buffalo, Amole went 14–12 in 28 games. Amole split the 1904 season between the Bisons and the Class-A Providence Grays . Between

729-446: Was the first to play an official minor league or major league night baseball game, and they were also the first minor or major league team to install permanent lights on their field. There are many stories about the night baseball game in Independence. Some claim the lights used were portable, temporary, or borrowed. What Larry Bowman did differently in his research was to look at the actual historic documents for his sources. Bowman found

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