MANSFIELD, PA (WETM) – The first night football game was held at Smythe Park on September 28th, 1892. The game was played by Mansfield State Normal School and Wyoming Seminary.

The game was lit by a single electric lightbulb brought in by The General Electric Company which was founded the summer before the game. This was a big deal at the time because all other lightbulbs had been gas powered. Unfortunately, the bulb didn’t produce nearly enough light like it is today, so the game only lasted for half an hour and ended in a tie, but nonetheless, it was a big deal for the time.

General Electric Company even made commercials for the electric lightbulb at the game and gave attention to the Mansfield area and to the school.

After all these years, the Mansfield community celebrates the event. Tonight from 7 – 7:30 p.m., members of Save The Gatehouse ask households to turn on the porch lights to Remember The Night.

If you would like to learn more about Save The Gatehouse, you can visit their website.