DYERSVILLE, Iowa — In front of the most Hall of Famers assembled for a game since 2008, Kyle Schwarber put on a legendary performance of his own.
With 26 members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in attendance in the middle of an Iowa cornfield, the Philadelphia Phillies slugger blasted two home runs to power his team to a 7-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins in front of 7,163 at baseball’s Field of Dreams showcase Thursday night.
Playing roughly two football fields away from the baseball diamond where actor Kevin Costner iconically played catch with his long-departed father in the film “Field of Dreams,” Schwarber created idyllic memories of his own.
The Phillies’ designated hitter, who more closely resembles Babe Ruth than “Shoeless Joe” Jackson, the legendary player whose return set in motion the events of the classic 1989 movie, created a moment straight out of the silver screen when he belted the third pitch of the game for a solo home run off Twins pitcher Taj Bradley.
Three innings later, Schwarber disappeared another ball into the cornfield, though just barely, when Twins outfielder Luke Keaschall couldn’t haul in the hitter’s drive in the right-field corner and it bounced over the fence.
Not to be cheated in front of the largest assembly of Hall of Famers since the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, Schwarber flew out twice to deep center field.
Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh also homered in the one-sided affair.
Brandon Marsh, who homered in the seventh inning, plays right field against a backdrop of corn. (Tyler Clouse / Getty Images)
The contest marked the third time Major League Baseball has showcased an event based on W.P. Kinsella’s 1982 book, “Shoeless Joe.” MLB previously held Field of Dreams events in 2021 and 2022.
“It’s really awesome to bring baseball to Iowa, a state that doesn’t get a whole lot of Major League Baseball,” Twins outfielder Alan Roden said. “I also think it’s really cool to connect the current game with that movie because it represents something that every player certainly feels, which is the nostalgia and history of the game — and every fan, too.”
Both teams made short trips to the eastern edge of Iowa on Thursday before boarding buses and making the 30-mile drive to the iconic location.
The first group of Phillies players reached the movie site just after 2 p.m. CT and immediately took the mound. Relievers Chase Shugart and Jonathan Bowlan were among those who played catch with Orion Kerkering, who jokingly told them to throw their sweepers and curveballs rather than just tossing.
“I’m sure there are some of the younger guys who aren’t even sure that this was a movie site,” Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers said.
More Phillies players and staff joined them, wandering around the field and the house from the movie for the next 40 minutes. Brandon Marsh’s first stop was the wooden stands, climbing up and taking photos while chatting with assistant hitting coach Rafael Pena and team security manager Kelly Davis. Andrew Painter joined his parents on the field and played catch with his father, Peter. Bryce Harper and Bryson Stott got a photo by the house.
Workers update the scoreboard during the Field of Dreams game, which turned back the clock to another era of baseball. (Tyler Clouse / Getty Images)
Earlier, Twins players and team legends also toured the movie site with several participating in father-son catches. Activated off the injured list Thursday, Byron Buxton and his 12-year-old son, Brixton, played catch with baseball’s most famous farmhouse in the background. They were joined by 2006 American League MVP Justin Morneau and his son, as well as Hall of Famers Joe Mauer and Paul Molitor and their sons for a leisurely game of toss.
But the person most excited to play catch with his father, Ron, was Twins manager Derek Shelton, who wasn’t sure his arm would be capable after throwing Buxton batting practice Monday.
“It’s a little disheartening to me that my dad is 78 and throws better than I do right now,” Shelton said.
During batting practice, Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly played catch with his son Louie. After they finished, they snapped a photo with general manager Preston Mattingly, Louie’s half-sibling and Don’s son.
Don Mattingly, a native of Evansville, Ind., said the Field of Dreams site reminded him of a field where he and his brothers played growing up. They walked down a dirt path, then suddenly a diamond appeared amid the cornfields. That’s not too dissimilar from the path Mattingly took to the field Thursday.
Twenty-six Hall of Famers emerge from corn in the outfield and head to the infield during the pregame ceremony. (Geoff Stellfox / MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Baseball’s legends crowded the field during batting practice. Along with the 26 Hall of Famers in attendance, Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, Torii Hunter and Anthony Rizzo were on hand as members of the Netflix broadcast team and held court with three-time batting champion Luis Arraez, among others.
Players from both teams used BP to check out their unique surroundings. As they surveyed the field, Twins pitchers learned the stalks up against the bullpen fence were field corn, which is used to feed livestock and make ethanol, and not sweet corn.
“I was told it’s ‘No bueno.’ If you eat that, you won’t want to eat corn again,” one said.
Meanwhile, fans crushed Juicy Lucy’s and cheesesteaks at the concession stands. Others munched on local popcorn and hot dogs covered with sweet corn relish and corn-bacon jam in anticipation of the game. One patron was so excited they left their car running in the parking lot, according to a stadium announcement 90 minutes before first pitch.
As much as they familiarized themselves with their new environment, players still found new wrinkles in the cornfield: In the top of the first inning, Arraez tried to challenge a first-pitch strike only to learn the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System wasn’t available for the game.
“There’s only so many moments in your career that stand out as something different than what you do every day,” Jeffers said. “Coming to a stadium like this in the middle of Dyersville, Iowa, next to the movie set, it’s just something different and something cool and unique and it gets you back to your roots. It feels like a little bit of why and how you fell in love with the game.”
— Charlotte Varnes contributed to this report.