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'Field of Dreams' Game Delivers with Stunning Visuals and Hollywood Ending

 By Randy DeSoto  August 13, 2021 at 3:00pm
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Wow, did Major League Baseball deliver Thursday night with the first-ever “Field of Dreams” game on a perfect night in Iowa.

Of course, the 1989 movie’s star Kevin Costner was on hand for the occasion and emerged from the cornfield surrounding the field with the players from the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees before the event.

Costner then walked to a microphone with music from the “Field of Dreams” soundtrack playing and delivered one of the film’s iconic lines: “Is this heaven?”

“No, it’s Iowa,” came the response from the stands filled to their 8,000-seat capacity.

“Thirty years ago, 30, on the other side of that corn we filmed a movie that stood the test of time,” Costner said. “Tonight, thanks to that enduring impact that that little movie had, it’s allowed us to come here again, but now we’re on a field that Major League Baseball made.”

“We’ve come to see the first-place White Sox play the mighty Yankees in a field that was once corn. It’s perfect,” the actor said, echoing another line Costner’s character Ray Kinsella delivered to Terrence Mann, played by James Earl Jones, near the end of the film.

Mann’s speech about baseball being the one constant through the years in America, marking the time and reminding us of what was good and could be again, was aired both during Fox’s pregame show and a few times between innings during the game.

Have you seen the movie 'Field of Dreams'?

“People will come, Ray. People will most definitely come,” Mann exhorted, reinforcing what a God-like voice told Ray at the beginning of the story: “If you build it, he will come.”



MLB began building its “Field of Dreams” within sight of the original in Dyersville, Iowa, in 2019 with plans to play a game last summer, according to CNN, but COVID pushed the timetable back a year. The stadium was dismantled last summer and rebuilt for this year’s game.

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It was worth the wait.

There were eight home runs during the game, according to CBS Sports.

The White Sox held a 7-4 lead going into the ninth inning. Then, with two outs, the Yankees caught fire with a pair of two-run homers from Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, taking an 8-7 lead.

The Yankees dugout rejoiced, seemingly in a good position to beat the White Sox, but the contest was not over.

White Sox catcher Seby Zavala, who knocked a home run earlier in the game, drew a walk, bringing up Tim Anderson.

Anderson stepped up to the plate and on the first pitch blasted a walk-off homer far into the cornfield.

Fireworks then lit up the sky as Anderson rounded the bases, somewhat reminiscent of another great baseball film, “The Natural.”

The old-school hand-operated scoreboard showed the final tally at 8-9, which felt appropriate given that was the year “Field of Dreams” was released.

What a night! Congratulations to all who conceived the dream and made it a reality!

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Randy DeSoto
Contributing Journalist
Randy DeSoto has written more than 3,000 articles for The Western Journal since he began with the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths" and screenwriter of the political documentary "I Want Your Money."
Randy DeSoto wrote and was the assistant producer of the documentary film "I Want Your Money" about the perils of Big Government, comparing the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Randy is the author of the book "We Hold These Truths," which addresses how leaders have appealed to beliefs found in the Declaration of Independence at defining moments in our nation's history. He has been published in several political sites and newspapers.

Randy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a BS in political science and Regent University School of Law with a juris doctorate.
Birthplace
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated dean's list from West Point
Education
United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law
Books Written
We Hold These Truths
Professional Memberships
Virginia and Pennsylvania state bars
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Entertainment, Faith




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