Adirondack Daily Enterprise, August 11, 1954Brighton Park in Gabriels, reportedly one of the best in the old Northern League, was the home of the Brighton Blues, a semi-pro baseball team for the Town of Brighton. It was the first area field to host night games, courtesy of lights provided by Paul Smiths Electric Company. News accounts mention crowds of 1,500-3,000 at a time when games in Saranac Lake drew 2-300 fans.
Lake Placid News, September 9, 1949
A benefit baseball game for Warren Kilmer, Gabriels third sacker, will be held tonight (Friday) at the Brighton Blue's park under the arc lights with the Majestics facing the strong Gabriels nine . . . Kilmer is in the Saranac Lake General Hospital suffering from a skull fracture he received last Friday night in a game against the same Majestics . . . Kilmer was. injured when hit by a ball thrown by Tubby Colby in the first inning.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, May 26, 1953
FIELD LlGHTS ARE UP IN AIR
No one yet knows whether or not lights are to be erected on Municipal Field. The attitude of the Mayor and Trustees apparently is that they are needed. The question is how to pay for them.
John M. Muldoon, of Utica, representing Westinghouse Electric appeared before the Village Board last night to give advice on the question. Before he spoke it was stated that Paul Smith's Electric Light and Power Co. cannot undertake the work of installing them — if and when any are purchased — because of press of business.
And the Gabriels Athletic Association notified the Village Fathers that Saranac Lake could buy the lights now on the Gabriels baseball field for $6,000 — a $250 reduction from the first offer.
Points brought out by Mr. Muldoon were:
"We recommend that, for the best results to give you winter as well as summer lighting, you purchase entirely new lights — 120 units. The material cost would be about $10,700. The work of installation is costly. The complete job for the best lighting possible, with the 120 units, would cost between $18,000 and $20,000.
"Rather than purchase the Gabriels lights, with the 70 units, new equipment should" be purchased. The Gabriels light system can be duplicated — with new equipment and taller poles — for $8,900, plus the cost of installation. To duplicate the Gabriel system would cost approximately $14,000."
And there, for the present, the matter rests.
[Note: $20,000 in 1953 is the equivalent of about $200,000 in 2022.]
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, July 23, 1953
Chiefs vs. Mineville In Gabriels Tomorrow
Manager Rube Skeels will lead his Saranac Lake Chiefs into Gabriels Park tomorrow night to face the Mineville Miners in an exhibition game slated to start at 8:15 o'clock under the lights.
The invaders are the only CVL team holding a win over the Chiefs in league play, having defeated the Skeelsmen at Mineville on June 21 by a count of 8-3.
The Mineville combine will be back on Sunday afternoon at Municipal Field to meet the Chiefs in a regularly scheduled Champlain Valley League game starting at 2:30 o'clock. A win on Sunday by the Chiefs would give them a 6-1 record in the standings and strengthen their hold on first place.
Next Wednesday night, the Skeelsmen will take on the Port Henry nine under the lights of Gabriels Park in another exhibition game to get under way at 8:15. On Aug. 2, the traveling Kokomo Clowns will be the opposition in a Sunday night game at Gabriels.
