Night games? You can thank these two guys

Milt May reached for his 34-ounce Louisville Slugger, and the bat felt like, well, not 34 ounces.
"It felt too light," May said.

That's how pumped he was to be pinch-hitting in Game 4 of the 1971 World Series.
"So much adrenaline," May said, "the bat felt like a toothpick."
So he reached for Willie Stargell's 36-ounce bat.

Same model, just a little heavier. Felt much better.
May was called in from the bullpen to pinch-hit during the seventh inning.

The Pittsburgh Pirates had battled back from a 3-0 first inning deficit. The score was now tied at 3-3. May, the 21-year-old rookie who was the backup catcher, was asked to bat for pitcher Bruce Kison, another 21-year-old rookie, who was called in from the bullpen after Baltimore scored three first-inning runs and salvage the day for the Pirates.

This Kison did with 6 1/3 innings if one-hit ball.
Now the score was even.
And May was pinch-hitting for his roommate.

He took a pitch for ball one, then lined what might have been ball two into right field for the RBI single that proved to be the game-winner as the Pirates knotted the series at two games each.
It would go the distance, and the Pirates would win.
Roberto Clemente hit .

414 with two home runs and earned MVP honors. Steve Blass threw two complete game victories, including a four-hitter in Game 7.
But the 1971 Series is significant for another reason.

Game 4, won by two rookies who would later call Bradenton home, was the first night game in World Series history.
And once it was pointed out to baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn that 61 million people watched Kison's solid outing and May's piece of pinch-hitting that Wednesday evening, Oct. 13, it wouldn't be the last, either.

It didn't take long before the weekday games were moved to primetime. Now, the weekend games are played after the sun sets in the East, as well.
While current commissioner Bud Selig said before Tuesday's Game 3 rainout between the Detroit Tigers and St.

Louis Cardinals he would like to answer the cry of fans for some afternoon games, he said that probably won't happen.
More people watch postseason games at night than in the afternoon.
TV talks.

Everyone else yawns.
Kison said he didn't realize the historical significance of Game 4's start time.
"That wasn't significant," Kison said.

"That we were in the World Series, that was significant."
Luke Walker started for the Pirates but couldn't get out of the first. Kison was down in the bullpen when the phone rang.

"We're in trouble. Get up. Get lose.

You ready? You're in the game," Kison said.
He got Dave Johnson to ground out to end the inning.

"Then I got on a roll," said Kison, who earned the win in the 4-3 victory.
Thanks, roomie.
"I actually didn't hit it real hard," May said of his hit that scored Bob Robertson.

"Off the end of the bat, and it found a spot in right field."
May has a rooting interest in this Series having once played for the Tigers. He coached for Jim Leyland and worked with most of the Tigers coaches.

Like the rest of us, he follows the series from his living room.
Or at least he tries.
"I watch," he said, "until I get sleepy.