U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for May 24

WASHINGTON, May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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TUESDAY, MAY 24: NIGHT BASEBALL

Profile America -- Tuesday, May 24th.  The call "play ball" is echoing across the country once again.  So much attention is being paid to possible trades and salaries that it may be forgotten that today is the 76th anniversary of the first major league game played under lights.  The event -- then considered a novelty -- drew 20,000 fans to Crosley Field to watch the Reds defeat the Phillies, 2 to 1.  Now, most games on the schedule are played at night so fans can watch their favorite teams in their off hours.  When that first night game was played, just over 7 million fans attended major league games each year.  Today, attendance is more than 10 times that figure -- with nearly 75 million people filling the seats at ballparks around the country annually.  Profile America is beginning its 15th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2011, p. 285

Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970, p. 399                

Statistical Abstract of the United States 2011, t. 1244

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).  

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau