As pro football goes, one would think that any major event in the history of the sport would have taken place somewhere in Ohio, Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or Wisconsin. However one of the most important games ever played, the first pro football night game, was played in Providence, RI. Once upon a time (or more specifically from 1925-1931) there was an NFL team in Providence called the Providence Steam Roller. And on Nov. 6, 1929, under the newly installed floodlights at Kinsley Park Stadium in Providence, RI, the Steam Roller hosted the visiting Chicago Cardinals (who later went on to become the Arizona Cardinals) in the first ever night game in NFL history.

Despite the game’s success not everybody benefited. For at least one player on the Steam Roller named Tony Latone, there were drawbacks. According to the terms of his contract, he was paid $125 per game for day games, and only 60% of that for night games. The reason for the lesser pay? The owners used the money saved to pay for the lights.

–Vincent Spadafora