Bill Murray was at Wrigley Field's first night game — didn't officially count

This Day In Weather History is a daily podcast by The Weather Network that features stories about people, communities, and events and how weather impacted them.

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On Monday, Aug. 8, 1988, lights were turned on at Wrigley Field, home of Major League Baseball's (MLB) Chicago Cubs. Located on the north side of Chicago, Ill., the ballpark opened on April 23, 1914.

Until Aug. 8, 1988, which is the numerically satisfying 8/8/88, the Cubs only played games in the sunlight — that's 74 years of day games.

It was a big day when the lights turned on at Wrigley Field — Bill Murray was there to celebrate the momentous event.

That evening, the Cubs were playing against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The game started without a hitch. The Phillies' Phil Bradley was first at-bat and hit a home run. Also, in the first inning, future Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg hit a two-run shot for the Cubs. Chicago led 3-1 at the bottom of the fourth, and then it started to rain.

There was an extensive rain delay and announcers filled the TV time with interviews and banter. But after a while, the game was called off.

According to MLB rules, five innings need to be completed to make a game official. As a result, the game didn't officially happen.

According to the MLB, Wrigley Field’s first official night game occurred the next day, on Aug. 9, 1988. The Cubs were victorious in a 6-4 win over the New York Mets.

To learn more about the night the lights went on at Wrigley Field, listen to today's episode of "This Day In Weather History."

This Day In Weather History is a daily podcast by The Weather Network that features unique and informative stories from host Chris Mei.

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*Thumbnail: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Ill., Courtesy of Pixabay.