Next Thursday, the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees will meet in the long-awaited Field of Dreams Game in Dyersville, Iowa. The game was originally scheduled to be played last Aug. 13, but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Field of Dreams Game will be the first ever major-league game played in Iowa, and MLB constructed a temporary 8,000-seat ballpark adjacent to the property used in the film. The White Sox are prominently featured in the film, hence their inclusion in the event. The Yankees are the Yankees and a ratings draw.
On Thursday, MLB released updated images of the temporary ballpark, and also revealed the special edition uniforms the White Sox and Yankees will wear during the Field of Dreams Game. Here's the ballpark:
The corn maze outside the ballpark is in the shape of MLB's silhouette logo. There are 159 acres of corn surrounding the ballpark and it will be possible to hit a home run into the cornfield beyond the right field wall during the game.
MLB says the dimensions are 335 feet down the lines, 380 feet to the gaps, and 400 feet to dead center. That seems pretty neutral, no? Neither hitter friendly nor pitcher friendly, though we'll see how the ballpark plays when the White Sox and Yankees actually play there. Also, the bullpens behind the 12-foot wall are designed to resemble old Comiskey Park.
Now here are the splendid old-timey uniforms the White Sox and Yankees will wear during the Field of Dreams Game, with Carlos Rodón and Aaron Judge doing the modeling:
I love 'em both. Sharp, classic, simple, and yet a fresh look for two iconic franchises. MLB says the Field of Dreams Game uniforms are inspired by uniforms worn by each club during the early 20th century.
The Field of Dreams Game is just one single game, not a series. The White Sox and Yankees will open a three-game series in Iowa on Thursday, have an off-day Friday, then wrap up their series at Guaranteed Rate Field on Saturday and Sunday. The ChiSox will be the home team in the Field of Dreams Game.
At the moment Rodón and new Yankee Andrew Heaney are lined up to start the Field of Dreams Game, though things could change over the next week, especially as the Yankees deal with a COVID outbreak among their starting pitchers.
Under commissioner Rob Manfred, MLB has made an effort to grow the sport by playing games in new places. The Little League Classic has been played annually in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and the Marlins and Braves played a game at Fort Bragg in 2016. MLB has also played games in England, Japan, Australia, and Mexico in recent years.
