2022 Field of Dreams Game hits one to the heart

On Thursday, Aug. 11, the Cincinnati Reds took on the Chicago Cubs at the Field of Dreams. Located in Dyersville, Iowa, it is next to the filming location of the famous 1989 movie “Field of Dreams.” In the movie, Ray Kinsella, played by Kevin Costner, builds a baseball field in the cornfields because a mysterious voice kept telling him, “If you build it, they will come.”

The game was a memorable one for any baseball fan, with plenty of sentimental moments.

The Cubs and Reds players took a tour of the ballpark before the game, and they took the paths that go through the cornfields and lead to the location the movie was filmed. Before the first pitch, Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. emerged from the corn in the right field to play a game of catch.  They were followed by both the Reds and Cubs players together to make their way to the field where they were met by legends from both teams. The first pitch was thrown by Cubs Hall of Fame pitcher Fergie Jenkins and it was caught by Reds Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench. 

The stadium was sold out with an attendance of 7,823. Chicago started off the game scoring early and often. It began with Seiya Suzuki driving Patrick Wisdom home. They scored three runs in the top of the first inning. In the top of the 4th inning, the Cubs added another run when Nick Madrigal singled to center field scoring Nelson Velazquez, making the score 4-0.  Reds outfielder Aristides Aquino wrapped up the inning with a solo double play, catching a fly ball and throwing the ball all the way to third base. 

During the 7th inning stretch, Fox put up a hologram of the late Cubs broadcaster  Harry Caray. The hologram conducted the crowd in a performance of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” The Reds finally scored in the bottom of the 7th inning when Matt Reynolds hit a double that scored both Jake Fraley and Jose Barrero. The score became 4-2, Cubs, and that is where it stayed. No balls got to fly into the corn as there were no home runs — the opposite of last year’s game with eight home runs. The game ended with a firework show over the corn in the outfield. County star Walker Hayes put on a postgame concert following the Cubs victory. 

The Field of Dreams game allows baseball fans new and old to experience a piece of history. Nothing is quite as iconic as the sun setting on the cornfields in the outfield. It is every young player’s dream to play baseball in an iconic stadium. That’s what the Field of Dreams was built by, dreams.