'Field of Dreams' Game Delivers with Stunning Visuals and Hollywood Ending
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.
“On the other side of that corn we filmed a movie that stood the test of time. Tonight, thanks to that enduring impact that that little movie had, it’s allowed us to come here again.”
Kevin Costner with a fantastic speech before today’s game ?
?: #MLBatFieldofDreams pic.twitter.com/JdbHX8QJPn
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 12, 2021
“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.
Absolute chills. #MLBatFieldofDreams pic.twitter.com/JsejH3OsWI
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) August 12, 2021
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.
“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.
It was worth the wait.
The Field of Dreams game was a massive success
The field, the atmosphere, the uniforms, the nostalgia, the corn, the scoreboard, the production, the drama
Everything was just perfect
Kudos to Major League Baseball. Hope we get to see more unique events like this in the future pic.twitter.com/61hOhbxwYT
— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) August 13, 2021
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.
THIS is Giancarlo Stanton’s Yankee moment! Go-ahead home run! pic.twitter.com/aj5kpA7gkP
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) August 13, 2021
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.”
WALK OFF WIN FOR THE SOX IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH!
Incredible way to end the Field of Dreams game ? #MLBatFieldofDreams pic.twitter.com/q70beFFzA2
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 13, 2021
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.
9 to 8, @whitesox. Here’s the Field of Dreams scoreboard. @WGNNews pic.twitter.com/8k0SKEulkC
— Mike Lowe (@MikeLoweReports) August 13, 2021
What a night! Congratulations to all who conceived the dream and made it a reality!
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