On August 8, 1988, Wrigley Field lit up for the first time in its long and storied history. The Cubs were finally playing under the lights, ending decades of sunlit baseball tradition on Chicago’s North Side. It was a moment fans had waited for, some reluctantly, others eagerly.

Television demanded it, the league supported it, and even the city council finally agreed to it. But as history would have it, the game didn’t go as planned. The rain came hard, thunder cracked over the ivy, and the lights that had just come on were soon shining down on an empty, soaked diamond.

That first night game never officially counted, but it marked the end of an era just the same. In this episode, we explore what happened that night, why it mattered, and why, for those who were there, it remains one of the most memorable games that never was.

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