World's first cosmic baseball game to be played next month in Virginia

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You’ve heard of baseball under the lights, but have you heard of baseball under the blacklights?

No? Well that’s probably because this will be a first-of-its-kind event right here.

Yo, I can get on board with that!

The Chili Peppers, a summer league team in the Coastal Plain League based in Colonial Heights, Va., announced plans Thursday to play a “cosmic baseball game” on June 1, featuring UV-reactive uniforms, bats and baseballs that will pop in neon colors underneath custom blacklights installed in their stadium.

The idea was born out of a previous “80s neon and glow” themed game that while popular with fans, had an issue to solve: The regular stadium lights made the scene too bright for fans’ glow sticks to pop. Chili Peppers owner Chris Martin toyed with ideas to heighten the show by increasing the glow and found a lighting company that created blacklights with enough power to light up a baseball stadium …

The Chili Peppers will play their first cosmic game against the [Greenbrier] Knights on June 1 with more neon nights slated for June 15, June 28 and July 20.

The Chili Peppers ordered custom jerseys, pants, hats, balls, and bats; they even ordered custom uniforms for the opposition, the Greenbrier Knights, who agreed immediately to play the game, and told the Chili Peppers they’d like to play them every single time they do this cosmic baseball event.

The teams will practice under the blacklights to make sure it’s safe, though the Chili Peppers already have, and some of the guys are claiming it’s actually easier to track the ball when it’s lighting up in the night sky. We’ll see how far that statement goes on gameday.

As for the fans and their safety:

A compliance company will also inspect the park to check that it’s safe for fans, who will find neon tape and paint on handrails and steps so everything is easily visible. To bring an extra spark to the park, the Chili Peppers will also give fans glow sticks, bracelets, neon face paint and light-up noisemakers to pump up the party atmosphere.

“We’re going to play music pretty much nonstop,” [Chili Peppers owner Chris] Martin said. “Think of an 80s rave party, in a sense.”