Who Left the Lights on at Twin Falls Baseball Field?

As a radio know-it-all, I’m finally stumped.  While driving to work this morning at 2:55 a.m., I noticed the lights were on at the baseball diamonds off Park Avenue.  I’ve seen this before, especially when it looks like a tournament is taking place.  But it was a cold 31 degrees and the bleachers and dugouts were empty.  I emailed some people around town simply out of curiosity.

Leaving Lights on Can Have a Maintenance Purpose

Sometimes the lights are on for a very good reason.  In 1996 I was working at a TV station in Syracuse, New York when the county opened a beautiful new minor league baseball park.  I would be driving past the field on nights before the baseball season got started and the place was as bright as a Christmas tree.  One day I saw a county spokesman and asked why an empty stadium was under the glare.  He explained the new lights needed to dim.  Otherwise, they would be very bright and players and fans would see very little of the action.  After a few weeks, the lights assumed the proper level.

It Makes the Neighborhood a Safer Place

Park Avenue was probably a safe place during the middle of the night.  Who in their right mind would commit a crime when it’s brighter than many recent days?  Though, we should never underestimate the stupidity of some criminals.

The whole scene is reminiscent of Dirty Harry, where the detective confronts the pervert in the old Kezar Stadium and under the lights.  The villain is one of the best in movie history.  The same fellow played a mild-mannered character in one of the Star Trek series.