When North Melbourne decided to pitch the idea to then VFL bosses about Friday Night Football - and no doubt came up against some staunch traditionalist objections, I wonder if the likes of Bob Ansett said 'but it happened over 100 years ago!'

Indeed it was Carlton who became the first team to win a night match as George Coulthard booted 3 goals for the victors against Melbourne - on a cold August night....in 1879.

To put that into an historical context, 1879 was the year Ned Kelly wrote the Jerilderie letter, Vincent Van Gogh decided on a career as an artist, Manchester United was in its first year of existence and ironically, Thomas Edison was still some months away from demonstrating incandescent lighting to the world. Enter 'Professor' John Henry Pepper.

It's been said that John Henry Pepper was the 'celebrity chef' of Victorian-era science. During the mid-19th century, people flocked in their droves to London’s Royal Polytechnic Institution to witness his amazing experimental science demonstrations. In the 1870s, as Pepper toured Australia, Canada, and the United States, a global audience marveled at his ability to conduct one experiment after another in quick and almost magical succession. One of those 'experiments' occurred on Wednesday, August 13th, 1879.

Pepper had installed large glass lamps at the MCG that generated beams the equivalent of 8000 candlepower - or similar to that found in a lighthouse at the time. From all reports the 7,000 strong crowd was more enthralled with the 'light spectacle' than the football on display, the media (as usual) hated it and the league conceded it had considerable appeal in the future if technology improved the visibility.

So on Friday night - commemorating night football is a reason to celebrate for both clubs. Carlton, the first club to win a night match - North Melbourne, the club that boldly brought it back to the modern era where it's been staged with resounding success for the past 25 years.

As I make my way into Etihad Stadium tomorrow night and see the ground lit up in all it's glory, I will spare a thought for Professor John Henry Pepper, the man who introduced night footy to Melbourne. Perhaps we should be playing for the 'Professor Pepper Cup'?

Just like in 1879 under lights - the Blues will be too strong...Carlton by 37.

Nice post Doc.
thanks for all the history info.

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Thanks Doc great read

In the commercial world we live in, they could play for the Dr Pepper cup

Great read Doc.

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Typical everyone else jumping on the Blue bandwagon

Nice read Doc

"....... In a scant disregard for residents' comfort and privacy, and indeed for the safety of the colony, the Carlton Football Club, again taking matters into its own hands, put on a shameless display of depravity last night.

We at ye olde Herald Sun strongly condemn....... etc etc

...... and finally, although it hasn't been founded yet, you wouldn't find the Essendon* club participating in such a display.......

(In other news, Percy "Daisy" Thomas had breakfast this morning - see double page photo).

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I didn't realise the media had hated us for that long By jingo, by jolly it has become a tradition for them Robbo's great grandfather on to it then

Did that Pepper bloke invent the drink to?

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L.M 35-06

No...that was invented by a Charles Alderton - a Texan who introduced the drink around 1885, some 7 years before Collingwood was invented.

Ah... Collingwood, another invention the world wished it could take back, although without them choking quite so much we might not have so many flags I must say that on reflection that I am torn as to whether Collingwood was a good invention or not

Thanks for the history lesson Doc.

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Now posts like that really increase the enjoyment of browsing TC. Well done DrS

Awesome, send a ltter to the Hun.

must have used few lanterns to light up the ground...

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Loooooooooooong time before that hideous merger. Imagine if we could have stopped it; that's right up there with "if you could go back in time and kill Hitler..."

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

A faulty steam engine to power that new fad electricity that had only been around for a few years Very gloomy it seems and the first white ball they used deflated forcing them to use a different coloured ball they couldn't see so well. That was until someone probably painted another white one...ahh... the good old days

Great post

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T E A M

Good one Doc. much appreciated.

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Thanks for that. Love the history lesson. Would love to see that on the banner tonight. 'Winning night games of footy since 1879'.

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I would like to thank Collingwood for helping me keep faith in my old man. He always told me that 'People are thick'.