Great Falls Electrics

The Great Falls Electrics was a minor league baseball team based in Great Falls, Montana, USA, active in the Pioneer League during the mid-20th century, including 1950. It was a civilian professional sports organization, not involved in UAP/UFO research or government programs. Its key historical figure, general manager Nick Mariana, filmed two rotating silvery objects over the city on August 15, 1950, while inspecting Legion Stadium, producing what is considered among the earliest motion picture footage of a UFO, known as the Mariana UFO incident. This 16-second 16mm film was investigated by Project Blue Book at Wright-Patterson AFB, which initially attributed it to F-94 jet reflections but later analyses were inconclusive. The footage resides in the US National Archives and contributed to Great Falls' reputation as a UFO hotspot with over 100 sightings. The team inspired the 2008 renaming of its successor to Great Falls Voyagers. The Electrics ceased operations post-1950 season; Mariana resigned in 1953.