(an artifact from the dusty days back before scientists discovered it was lame to go to bed early)

Maury Brown of Biz Of Baseball.com reports Major League Baseball and Fox Sports have announced weeknight games during the 2009 World Series and ALCS will start prior to 8pm EST. Just barely.

The FOX pre-game show will start at 7:30 p.m. ET for weeknight games with first pitch scheduled for 7:57 p.m. ET. Games on Saturday will start no later than weekday games and could start earlier. Games on Sunday will take place following the conclusion of the NFL on FOX as in year’s past.

“Our goal is to schedule games to allow the largest number of people to watch and this change puts our games in the window we believe will work the best for our fans,” said Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig. “We appreciate the work that FOX has done to make this happen and I expect that fans of all ages will respond favorably to this adjustment.”

The last time a regularly scheduled World Series game on Monday through Friday started before 8 p.m. ET was 38 years ago when the Baltimore Orioles faced the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game 5 of the 1971 World Series.

When one or more persons are killed during West Coast rush hour, frantically trying to get home in time for the first pitch (or to see Taylor Swift sing the national anthem), I’m very hopeful a certain bearded NewsCorp. employee of considerable vintage takes note…and blames himself.