This month’s MLB at Field of Dreams event is probably the only Major League Baseball game where GPS directions include "Turn at the cornfield.”
MLB at Field of Dreams is a recurring regular-season specialty game played in a ballpark adjacent to the Field of Dreams tourist attraction in Dyersville, Iowa. That was the site of the mythic cornfield turned ballfield in the 1989 movie, “Field of Dreams,” starring Kevin Costner. The first edition of the game was played on Aug. 12, 2021, with the Chicago White Sox defeating the New York Yankees by a score of 9-8.
From left: Paul J. Froehle, Colleen Seeker and Mike Stiles
It has yet to cement itself as an annual event. In fact, the one coming up on Aug. 13 between the Minnesota Twins and the Philadelphia Phillies is only the third such game ever (the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds played each other in 2022). But with the removal of the original temporary MLB stadium used in 2021 and 2022 and the current stadium a brand new, permanent ballpark built adjacent to the movie site (which could not be brought to MLB game standards without permanently altering major features of the filming location), baseball fans can finally start counting on this being a yearly exhibition.
If You Build It, They Will Come
The Twins are technically the home team this year. It’s an honor the ballclub accepts with pride. Paul J. Froehle, Vice President of Ticket Operations for the Twins, says, “Being a part of the Field of Dreams game is a privilege that we at the Twins do not take for granted. The iconic field is located in Twins Territory, which makes this an extension of our home. This game also provides an opportunity to reach a segment of our fan base in rural Iowa and bring together two things that make Minnesota and the Midwest special: Twins Baseball and agriculture!”
Indeed, first and foremost, the ballpark’s design pays homage to Comiskey Park, the White Sox's home stadium from 1910–90. But windows were included in the design of the right field wall in order to show fans and players the cornfields beyond the ballpark. There are no upper decks. Every seat is close to the field. In fact, fans sitting in the last row are closer to home plate than many fans in the front row of an upper deck at Minnesota’s Target Field or Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park.
With just under 8,000 seats, tickets are at a premium. Froehle comments, “Given the limited size of the MLB Field of Dreams field in Dyersville, each participating club was given a limited number of tickets to sell to their key stakeholders. On the Twins side, we chose to distribute these to our brand partners, premium ticket accounts and our longest tenured season ticket members. We also allocated a small amount to a random drawing for staff members to purchase and attend this iconic event.”
Froehle gives a lot of credit to his colleagues, Colleen Seeker and Mike Stiles, for the integral roles they’ve played in getting the team to this moment. The trio has worked especially well with Phillies ticketing pro Ken Duffey and his side’s ticket operations team.
Froehle adds, “MLB has handled most of the operations side of the Field of Dreams event, but both the Twins and Phillies have been actively involved in planning over the past several months. A small contingent from both clubs will be onsite in Dyersville to support our internal customers and the MLB Global Events department to execute a successful event.”
A Game of Facts and Factoids
No sport holds statistics and factoids more dear than baseball. And the upcoming MLB at Field of Dreams game will have its own set of special stats and facts. For instance, this will be the first MLB regular-season game ever streamed live exclusively on Netflix, marking another chapter in baseball's ever-evolving television history.
With regards to the location, the new ballpark is indeed surrounded by 159 acres of beautiful live and growing corn. As for game fashion and apparel, the Twins players will don uniforms that harken back to the club's original 1960s look. The Phillies, meanwhile, are reviving a road uniform worn from 1939–41.
Reliving Some Dream Moments
The game will, of course, feature snippets of composer James Horner’s iconic score. It will almost certainly include James Earl Jones’ unforgettable “The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball" speech. And don’t be surprised if a cast member or two from the original film will be in attendance.
As the writer of this article and a huge “Field of Dreams” fan, I so wish I could attend this year’s game. I was 18 years old when the film was first playing in theaters. I went and saw it by myself first, and I’m glad I did, because . . . I bawled my eyes out! The moment that really got me and still gets me to this day was when Ray Liotta’s “Shoeless” Joe Jackson calls out to Burt Lancaster’s elderly Archie “Moonlight” Graham as he is about to leave the ballfield for the last time and walk into the afterlife via the magic cornfield. “Hey rookie!” Shoeless Joe says. “You were good.”
I took two of my most manly male buddies back to see it a second time, not telling them it was a repeat viewing for me. I steeled myself for the moments that made me well up the first time around just to watch my dudes fight tears and then fall prey to the waterworks. “How are you not crying?!” I remember one of them asking me. The other one labeled me, and I kid you not, “a ghoul!”
Froehle has equally fond memories of the motion picture, too. He concludes, “It’s hard to choose just one moment as my favorite. “It would either have to be James Earl Jones’ speech about baseball and how people will come — I may have quoted this a time or two — or Ray asking his Dad if he wants to have a catch. There’s never a dry eye at that moment. It’s just a great movie!”
And a great game!
And now, hopefully, a great new tradition!
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