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Is there a Field of Dreams game in Iowa this year? Here are 17 things you should know

The "Field of Dreams" site near Dyersville has cemented its place in Iowa sports history.

For years, the "Field of Dreams' movie site has been a tourist draw for baseball fans and people who love the 1989 film featuring Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones.

The attention of baseball fans from across the nation was on Dyersville in August 2021 when Major League Baseball hosted a game between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox at a specially constructed stadium near the movie site. The game, originally scheduled to be played in 2020, ended in dramatic fashion with a walk-off homerun by the White Sox.

The MLB returned in 2022 when the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds faced off in the same location.

From 2021: The Field of Dreams game was more than unbelievable. It was perfect.

Here are 13 things to know about the "Field of Dreams" movie site, the film and the game played in Iowa.

Is there a Field of Dreams game in 2023?

Unfortunately for fans looking to make the trek to Dyersville, there will be no Field of Dreams game in 2023.

Owner Frank Thomas said construction on a youth complex at the site will prevent the MLB from making a third consecutive return.

"It's a lot going on," he told the Des Moines Register. "They don't want to come back if the stadium's not prepared."

More:MLB won't return to Field of Dreams in 2023 due to construction, owner Frank Thomas says

Is there a real Field of Dreams?

Yes. Iowa cornfields were transformed into a baseball diamond for the 1989 movie. After the movie was released, the Dyersville site became a tourist attraction. Major League Baseball built a 8,000-seat stadium near the original movie site to host the game.

Since the movie was released, Dyersville has drawn baseball fans from around the world to the film site.

More: How can MLB, FOX Sports top last year's Field of Dreams game? A look at their plan

Is 'Field of Dreams' a true story?

No. The story about an Iowa farmer hearing voices coming from a corn field is not real, but it does have Iowa roots.

The seeds of the movie started in the mind of W.P. Kinsella while he was enrolled at the Iowa Writers' Workshop in Iowa City. Filmmaker Phil Alden Robinson fell in love with Kinsella's story and spent several years trying to get a screenplay green-lit. Eventually, he got the go-ahead and the Hollywood descended onto eastern Iowa for 68 days in the summer of 1988. The movie, which earned about $64 million in the box office, was nominated for three Academy Awards, including best picture.

Where is Dyersville and the Field of Dreams?

Dyersville is located in eastern Delaware County and western Dubuque County, in eastern Iowa. The "Field of Dreams" movie site is a few miles northeast of Dyersville. Scenes from the movie were filmed there, as well in and around Dyersville and Dubuque and Galena, Illinois.

More: Visiting the Field of Dreams? Here’s where to eat and what to see in Dyersville

Dyersville: Population 4,477

Dyersville's population in 2020 increased about 10 percent from 2010, according to U.S. census numbers. In 2020, there with 4,477 people living in Dyersville, up from 4,058 in 2010. While still overwhelmingly white (92.5 percent), minority numbers have grown since 2010, when Dyersville was 97.6 percent white.

Who owns the Field of Dreams movie site?

Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Thomas answers questions from the press about his purchase of the Field of Dreams movie site during a news conference, on Thursday, Sep. 30, 2021, on the field, outside of Dyersville, Iowa.
Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Thomas answers questions from the press about his purchase of the Field of Dreams movie site during a news conference, on Thursday, Sep. 30, 2021, on the field, outside of Dyersville, Iowa.

In September 2021, baseball Hall of Famer Frank Thomas and his business partners purchased a controlling interest in Go the Distance, LLC., the movie site's ownership.

"This place is magical, man," Thomas said when announcing the deal.

The agreement called for Thomas to serve as chief executive officer and former MLB general manager Dan Evans to be chief operating officer. Chicago real estate developer Rick Heidner also was involved.

Details of the transaction were not publicly released.

More: Big changes are coming to 'Field of Dreams' site. Can new owners maintain its mystique?

How much does it cost to stay at the 'Field of Dreams' house?

Fans can spend the night at the iconic white farmhouse where Ray Kinsella lived. Rates start at $600 per night, according to the Field of Dreams Movie Site's booking website. Groups of up to seven can stay at the home. Guests receive a gift basket that includes a DVD of the movie and a bag of cheesy popcorn, among other items. You can also rent the Field of Dreams field.

'Field of Dreams' movie puts Iowa in spotlight

The movie stars Costner as Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella, who turns his cornfield into a baseball field after hearing a voice proclaiming, "If you build it, he will come."

In the movie, Costner's character travels to Boston to find author Terence Mann, portrayed by Jones.

The movie also stars Amy Madigan as Ray's wife, Annie, and a young Gaby Hoffmann as their daughter, Karin. Ray Liotta stars as "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, a member of the 1919 Chicago "Black Sox." Dwier Brown plays John Kinsella, Ray's father.

More: Field of Dreams tourists, officials mourn Ray Liotta's death

Dwier returned to Dyersville to restore the abandoned Tegeler Dairy building. He also partnered with West Des Moines-based Hy-Vee on a "Field of Dreams" cereal. A portion of the sale of each box of cereal will benefit a nonprofit that helps children who experience the loss of a parent, caregiver or sibling.

More: 'Field of Dreams' star Kevin Costner explains why beloved film has stood test of time

'Field of Dreams' cast

Kevin Costner stars as Ray Kinsella, the film's protagonist, who builds the baseball field.

James Earl Jones (Terence Mann) Ray Liotta (Shoeless Joe Jackson), Amy Madigan (Annie Kinsella) also appear in the film as well. A complete cast list can be found here.

Where can I stream the 'Field of Dreams' movie?

While "Field of Dreams" is not available on Netflix, it's available to rent on a number of platforms, including Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Vudu and others.

Field of Dreams site owners, MLB worked for years to bring game to Iowa

In an interview with the Register, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said he realized during a 2016 visit to the Field of Dreams site that playing a game there made sense.

The MLB and Go The Distance, the owners and operators of the movie site, have been working together on the Iowa game for years. In 2019, MLB announced the Yankees and White Sox would play in Dyersville in 2020. The Yankees were later replaced by the St. Louis Cardinals, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, that game didn't happen. However, in November 2020, MLB announced that the game would be played in 2021.

Who played in the 2022 Field of Dreams game?

The Chicago Cubs took down the Cincinnati Red 4-2 in the 2022 Field of Dreams game, which took place on August 11, 2022. The Cubs jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead and held on for the win.

The game was the MLB's most-watched regular-season baseball game of the year to that point of any network. Roughly 3.13 million viewers watched the contest. That number was about half as many as 2021's total, but still a major hit.

A Harry Caray hologram led the seventh-inning stretch in 2022

Fans of the "Field of Dreams" movie are familiar with the idea of historic baseball figures being brought back to life, but the MLB took that concept to another level in 2022.

The MLB used a hologram of legendary Cubs broadcaster Harray Caray to lead "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the seventh-inning stretch, and it got mixed reviews.

More:Harry Caray hologram leads Field of Dreams game crowd through seventh-inning stretch

Kevin Costner honored Ray Liotta before Cubs-Reds in 2022

Ray Liotta starred as Shoeless Joe Jackson in the 1989 film before he died in May 2022. Costner, one of his co-stars, spoke in a touching tribute before the game.

"'Field of Dreams' is about belief and those rare moments where magic becomes real," Costner said. "And it doesn't work unless Shoeless Joe is worth the wait, unless he's special. And Ray Liotta was special."

More:'Field of Dreams' star Kevin Costner honors Ray Liotta: 'He gets to live forever in our hearts'

2022 Field of Dreams game featured a catch between Ken Griffey and Ken Griffey Jr.

The "Field of Dreams" movie culminates with Kevin Costner's character having a catch with his dad at the end of the film. Before the 2022 game began, two baseball greats took to the field to do the same.

MLB Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. and his father Ken Griffey − two former Cincinnati Reds − tossed around a ball before the game started.

"Hey dad, you want to have a catch?" Griffey Jr. asked his father.

More:Cincinnati Reds greats Ken Griffey, Ken Griffey Jr. have a catch at Field of Dreams game

The 2021 Field of Dreams game was made for Hollywood

Just like the movie, Yankees and White Sox players entered from a cornfield — in the case of the MLB's game, via a 16-foot removable fence panel in the right field wall.

But preceding players was Costner.

"The dream is still alive," Costner told the crowd. "There's probably just one question to answer: Is this heaven? Yes, it is. This field is for the players. Good luck today."

More:'The dream is still alive': Field of Dreams actor Kevin Costner emerges from cornfield before Yankees-White Sox game

Field of Dreams game had movie-like ending

In the top of the ninth, Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hit his second home run of the night, giving the Yankees a 8-7 lead. However, that was the last home run of the night.

With one on and one out in the bottom of the ninth, Chicago shortstop Tim Anderson connected on a pitch from Yankee arm Zack Britton, sending the ball rocketing past the right field wall. Anderson's emphatic homer gave the White Sox a 9-8 win.

"You can't script a movie any better," broadcaster John Smoltz said.

The Chicago White Sox Tim Anderson hits a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to put the White Sox up 9-8 over the Yankees during their baseball game at the new MLB field next to the Field of Dreams movie site on Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021, in Dyersville, IA.
The Chicago White Sox Tim Anderson hits a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to put the White Sox up 9-8 over the Yankees during their baseball game at the new MLB field next to the Field of Dreams movie site on Thursday, Aug. 12, 2021, in Dyersville, IA.

Information from Register archives contributed to the report. 

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Where is the Field of Dreams? What to know about movie site, MLB game