Baseball and Fireworks: A Match Made in America
Friday, July 3rd, 2009
A beautiful fireworks display towering above U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago
The history of fireworks in general is traced all the way back to China thousands of years ago, when bamboo was used as a “firecracker” when placed on flames. In later years, many countries adopted what the Chinese have pioneered and started making fireworks more and more elaborate as new materials were discovered; using the display to celebrate special occasions. In America, fireworks were introduced by early settlers around the 1600s and were used in the very first Fourth of July celebration in 1777 in Philadelphia, where the pomp and circumstance of that event most resembles how America annually celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Fireworks have long since been associated with American celebrations, so it was only a matter of time before the pyrotechnics would become part of America’s pastime. Baseball adopted fireworks displays in 1909 when the Pittsburgh Pirates hosted a “Fireworks Night” following that day’s game at Forbes Field. Although the Pirates are credited with incorporating the first fireworks night in Major League Baseball, eccentric baseball owner, Bill Veeck, took the light show to production-value proportions. Soon after Veeck purchased the Chicago White Sox in 1959, he brought to Comiskey Park the first “Exploding Scoreboard” which would spout off fireworks, along with sound effects, every time a White Sox player would go yard.
Nowadays, fireworks at a baseball game are as commonplace as balls and strikes. Typically teams will host a handful of fireworks nights a year, but more increasingly ball clubs are making the crowd-pleasing event a frequent staple of their promo calendar.
Arizona Diamondbacks “Gila River Casinos Fireworks”
Atlanta Braves “Friday Night Fireworks”
Cincinnati Reds “Fireworks Friday”
Detroit Tigers “Friday Night Fireworks”
Houston Astros “Friday Night Fireworks”
Kansas City Royals “Fireworks Friday”
Los Angeles Angels “Big Bang Fridays”
Los Angeles Dodgers “Friday Night Fireworks”
San Diego Padres “Friday Friarworks”
Texas Rangers “Big Bang Friday Fireworks”
Washington Nationals “Bang, Zoom Go the Fireworks”
For those of you heading to the ballpark this weekend for a Fourth of July outing, below is a list of teams who will be lighting up the sky tomorrow:
Cleveland Indians – 7:05 PM
Colorado Rockies – 6:10 PM
Florida Marlins – 6:10 PM
Los Angeles Angels – 6:05 PM
Texas Rangers – 7:05 PM
The Jaunt wishes everyone a happy 4th! Be safe out there while celebrating our freedom. Also, if you snap any cool pics of fireworks at the ball game, send them along.
Source:
History of Fireworks [PyroUniverse.com]
Forbes Field is long gone, but fans mark its 100th birthday [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
Bill Veeck Wikipedia Entry
Photo by fotomattic
