This Day in History: May 24

Here’s a brief look back in time for this day, May 24.

In 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge is opened to the public. This New York icon was the first bridge to be constructed over the East River, which prior to that had to be crossed by ferry. It didn’t come without a price though, as dozens of deaths were attributed to its construction. Its original architect, John Roebling, was one of them when he dies of tetanus. The burden of completing the project was passed on to his son, Washington, who himself would succumb to compression sickness caused from underwater construction. Washington’s wife, Emily, was the next in line to lead the project to its completion. Luckily, she had lived to see it.

In 1935, the MLB hosts its first-ever professional baseball game at night. It was a match between the Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies: all played under recently installed lighting fixtures. This helped boost attendance to games since it was held after work hours. It has since become a regular occurrence.