NEW YORK – On May 17, 1939, Columbia made history by partaking in the country's first televised sporting event.

Seventy years ago today, NBC broadcast the Lions as they hosted Princeton at Andy Coakley Field, now known as Robertson Field.

A single TV camera, perched precariously on a wooden stand overlooking the stadium, broadcast the contest throughout the U.S. over the network's experimental station, W2XBS.  Fewer than 400 television sets were in use at the time and there were no network facilities. 

Princeton won the first game, 8-6, but the televised half of the doubleheader was much more exciting.  The Lions' Hector Dowd pitched the entire 10-inning contest that Princeton eventually won, 2-1.

In what would be the last inning, the Tigers' hurler, Dan Carmichael, singled and came around to score a few batters later. 

NBC must have been satisfied with its experiment because later that summer it aired the first major league baseball game, and then in the fall, the first college football game.