Kevin Costner starred in Field of Dreams in 1989.
Video screenshot by Amanda Kooser/CNETIt's been 30 years since Kevin Costner trotted across an Iowa cornfield and into our sports-loving hearts in the classic movie Field of Dreams. Major League Baseball will honor the film with the ultimate tribute in 2020 when the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox play a real professional game there.
Is this heaven?@Yankees-@WhiteSox, see you in Iowa on 8.13.20. pic.twitter.com/5GGbH7TWuq
— MLB (@MLB) August 8, 2019
Field of Dreams is about a corn farmer (Costner) who hears a voice that spurs him to build a baseball diamond. He plows down his corn and makes the field despite the financial hardship. His vision ties into the infamous 1919 Black Sox scandal that involved accusations of White Sox players throwing the World Series for money.
Don't expect any ghosts of former pro players to appear at the 2020 game. It will be a real game that counts in the regular season standings, and will air on the Fox network on Aug. 13, 2020.
MLB is building a temporary 8,000-seat ballpark at the Dyersville farm where the movie was filmed. The new field will be located near the current tourist ballpark site and will have a view of the surrounding cornfield.
Construction for the ballpark starts next week. "We look forward to celebrating the movie's enduring message of how baseball brings people together at this special cornfield in Iowa," commissioner Rob Manfred told MLB.com.
Both the Yankees and White Sox have shared altered versions of the Field of Dreams movie poster on Twitter.
.@MLB is building it, and we are coming!
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) August 8, 2019
MLB Field of Dreams is becoming a reality and we're excited to be a part of it next season.
Also, sorry Costner, but this poster wins. pic.twitter.com/l05kWK1Tmt
Coming soon... pic.twitter.com/JrgELTfSDt
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 8, 2019
Fans have long made pilgrimages to the Iowa farm where the movie was set. This for-real MLB game will elevate the dream to an even higher level. Is this heaven? No, it's Iowa.
Originally published Aug. 8, 11:24 a.m. PT.
Discuss: Yankees, White Sox will play a real game on the Field of Dreams in 2020
Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion.