1948 – The Detroit Tigers beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 4 – 1, before a crowd of 54,480 in the first night game at Briggs Stadium. The Tigers are the last American League team to install lights.

On June 15 1948 — – The Detroit Tigers beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 4 – 1, before a crowd of 54,480 in the first night game at Briggs Stadium. The Tigers are the last American League team to install lights. 52 years earlier, the club played a night game, but the results never made it into the books as an official game.

Hal Newhouser allows just two hits in the Tigers 4-1 win over the Athletics.

Why were the Tigers the last team to play under the lights? Team owner Walter Briggs was a traditionalist and believed baseball should be played in daylight, but he finally relented and eight light towers were affixed to the stadium. This aerial view documents the Tigers first night game on June 15, 1948.