Most towns in Florida have lighted softball fields paid for by the local government for the benefit of their citizens. My first job that I received pay for was in 1965 when I was a 15 year old scorekeeper for the mens softball league in St. Petersburg Parks & Recreation Dept. Mon-Wed-Fri nights from 6:15 to 7:30 to 8:35 I did 3 games a night for $1.50 a game. The umpires got $3 a game, and sometimes I got to do that also. The best benefit was I had to do the write-up for the newspaper the next day about the games, you wouldn't believe how many cokes and hot dogs the players would give me during the night, and of course I was reminded of their hits and etc.
From 1976 to 1981 I played night softball in Pensacola Florida, same situation, there was 3 games played starting at 6:30. I played centerfield then and the lights were somewhat tricky, also the fields didn't have any grass, we had clay all the way to the outfield fences. It was hard baked under the Florida sun and if you didn't cut the ball off quickly enough, it went all the way to the fence. Of course it was also good when you got to hit. It was an industrial league where all the players worked at the business. So we played against the cops, the firemen, and etc, we usually got beat by a bunch of bigger and more in shape teams.
Playing here in TV at night is something I've thought over the last couple of years. Especially since I play neighborhood but not rec league because I'm not a morning person, I hate 8:30 ball games, but a 7:30 night game I would love. In addition to neighborhood ball, I just signed up to play in Restricted Bat League, which are Tuesday afternoon games, which fits my schedule great. So count me in for the night games, I would even go out for rec league is that is the case.
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