Field of Dreams returns to Dyersville for MLB’s–now annual–vintage match-up

It’s been a year since Kevin Costner returned to Dyersville, Iowa, to lead the ultimate movie event follow-up. Last year the Chicago White Sox faced the New York Yankees in vintage uniforms to provide fans of Major League Baseball with the ultimate gift, a regular season game at the most beloved stadium in the country–the Field of Dreams, setting for the Phil Alden Robinson’s 1989 film classic (find out more about last year’s game here). Last night the second major league game to take place in Iowa–and second annual Field of Dreams game–featured the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds. Spoilers ahead–in case you missed the game.

The Cubs won it, 4-2. The Cubs’ Nick Madrigal was 3 for 5 at the plate. Late Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray led “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in the form of a hologram on the field. Reds’ greats Ken Griffey, Jr. and Ken Griffey, Sr. appeared along with the Reds’ Johnny Bench and Cubs’ Ferguson Jenkins.

The MLB stadium adjacent to the filming diamond and house in the film holds 8,000 fans. Most of the seats were available to Iowans via lottery. Prices this past week started around $700 per seat. Reds All-Star first baseman Joey Votto and Cubs All-Star outfielder Ian Happ provided microphone coverage through the game.

Field of Dreams starred Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta, Amy Madigan, Gaby Hoffman, Frank Whaley, and Burt Lancaster. Liotta, who played “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, died in May. Phil Alden Robinson’s tightly written, major re-work of the W.P. Kinsella novel Shoeless Joe (reviewed here at borg), written just miles from Dyersville in Iowa City, sparked that magic. The 1989 film made the National Film Registry list. It was named to the Library of Congress list of the greatest American films of all time, as well as included on two American Film Institute Top 100 lists, nominated for three others, and named the AFI #6 best fantasy film of all time. It has returned to theaters for anniversary screenings. It’s a Top 5 baseball movie. And one of our favorite fantasy movies.

The Reds wore uniforms based on the team’s 1919 design. The Cubs wore a version of their 1920s home uniforms with 1914 caps featuring a bear holding a bat.