MLB’s Field of Dreams Game: A complete guide for this year’s second edition originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Kevin Costner would be proud. It’s time for two teams to re-emerge from the corn stalks in Iowa. And this time, it will be the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs.
The second edition of the MLB’s nostalgic Field of Dreams Game will take place in Dyersville and act as another regular season game. The Reds’ and Cubs’ three-game series will open at the niche ballpark, and fans are already intrigued following the hype of last year’s inaugural event.
Before we see home runs shot into the cornfield, let’s take a look at what we can expect at this year’s Field of Dreams Game, as well as what this matchup means to the baseball community:
What is MLB’s Field of Dreams Game?
Major League Baseball’s Field of Dreams Game is an event that started in 2021 with the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox. The two teams played a regular season game at a field in Dyersville, Iowa, which also happened to be next to the historic filming site of Phil Alden Robinson’s 1989 classic “Field of Dreams.”
Now the tradition of emerging from the cornstalks, wearing classic jerseys and playing alongside cinematic history has been ingrained in MLB culture.
What was the first Field of Dreams Game like?
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When
The first Field of Dreams Game was played by the Yankees and White Sox on Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021.
Where
This day marked the first major league game ever to be held at the beloved movie location and the first MLB game to be played in Iowa. The state has two minor league teams but no major league team.
The two teams played at Hawkeye Stadium, right beside the historic filming location of the iconic “Field of Dreams.”
When and where is this year’s Field of Dreams Game?
The second iteration of the game will take place this year on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022. The first pitch is slated for 6:15 p.m. CT/7:15 p.m. ET.
The first game of the three-game series will be played on Thursday in Dyersville, Iowa. The second and third games of the series will be played on Saturday and Sunday at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
Why were the Reds and Cubs chosen to play this year’s game?
It was quite obvious the first edition of the game would include the White Sox, considering the main film storyline around “Shoeless” Joe Jackson.
And since the Triple-A affiliate of the Cubs is based in Des Moines, Iowa, it only made sense that the Cubs would be next.
“We are honored to be selected for the second edition of MLB at Field of Dreams,” Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney said last August. “Given our long-standing affiliation with the Iowa Cubs and the fact the state is in our home television territory, the Cubs enjoy an incredible following in Iowa. We look forward to playing in front of our Iowa fans and expanding on the amazing success of the first Field of Dreams Game.”
