DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Perhaps you heard us mention that the summer solstice passed earlier this week. The cry, "play ball," rang out in Fairbanks, Alaska. Eric Naktin, of our Fairbanks affiliate KTVF, reports on what people do when it's daylight all night long.</s>ERIC NAKTIN, KTVF REPORTER (voice-over): While most of the country sleeps during the summer solstice, Fairbanks, Alaska, celebrates 24 hours of daylight with a 95-year tradition featuring America's national pastime. This year the Alaska Goldpanners battle the Santa Barbara Foresters into the wee hours of the morning without the use or need for artificial lights. Baseball's top natural promotion draws sports fans young and old for a variety of reasons.</s>MIKE STARKEY, PANNERS FAN: Playing without the lights on at night, it's just a neat experience. My son is just getting old enough to start showing an interest in baseball.</s>NAKTIN (on camera): It's a true sports phenomenon in a land where summertime sunburns are typical after 9:00 p.m. The Fairbanks, Alaska, annual Midnight Sun Game draws baseball enthusiasts nationwide. When the umpire belts out "play ball" at 10:30 p.m., the sun nearly vanishes just below the northwest horizon, by the final out, the morning light completely illuminates the northeast sky.</s>DAN COWGILL, PANNERS COACH: It's something that these players will take with them forever and ever, win, lose or draw, they'll never forget the Midnight Sun Game.</s>NAKTIN (voice-over): The Midnight Sun Game definitely lived up to the hype, in the bottom of the ninth inning, tied 2-2, Panners outfielder Jonah Martin (ph) hit a bases-loaded short single, scoring the winning run. Final score in this one: Alaska 3, Santa Barbara 2. Eric Naktin, for CNN.
95th Midnight Sun Game Celebrates Summer Solstice in Alaska