Updated

Updated · The Associated Press · Aug 14

26 Hall of Famers Emerge From Cornfield at Field of Dreams as Phillies Beat Twins 7-1

Updated

Updated · The Associated Press · Aug 14

26 Hall of Famers Emerge From Cornfield at Field of Dreams as Phillies Beat Twins 7-1

Q: Why did Kevin Costner skip the very Field of Dreams event he helped immortalize, leaving only his voice behind?

There is no confirmed public reason that Kevin Costner skipped the Field of Dreams game in person. The available reporting shows that Netflix and MLB deliberately kept his role vague beforehand, saying only that he would “be part of our broadcast in some way,” and he ultimately appeared as the narrator of the pregame video rather than on site. That means the most accurate answer is that Costner was not absent from the event so much as used differently. His voice was part of the production to preserve the movie’s emotional presence, even without a walkout from the corn like he made at the inaugural 2021 game. This follows a recent pattern: he also did not attend the 2022 game in person, instead contributing a narrated tribute. No report in the news coverage cited scheduling conflicts, health issues, a dispute with MLB, or any other specific explanation. In fact, some pregame coverage suggested even Netflix did not publicly commit to whether he would appear live in Iowa, only that “the movie will feel present.” So the evidence points to a production choice, not a documented snub. Costner’s absence was notable because he helped define the event’s mythology, but organizers still leaned on his association with the film by making him the voice that introduced the night.

3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Aug 14

Twenty-six Hall of Fame members walked out of the outfield corn before Thursday’s Phillies-Twins game in Dyersville, Iowa, in the largest such ballpark gathering outside Cooperstown ceremonies since the 2008 All-Star Game.
About 8,000 fans at the newly built Field of Dreams park watched the legends ring the infield, both teams emerge from the corn together and Byron Buxton quote the film before first pitch.
Kyle Schwarber then homered on Taj Bradley’s third pitch, launching Philadelphia toward a 7-1 win as both clubs, still in wild-card races, treated the showcase as more than a novelty.
The event leaned hard into nostalgia with throwback uniforms, a hand-operated scoreboard and family moments, including Buxton playing catch with his 12-year-old son and Twins manager Derek Shelton with his 78-year-old father.
MLB’s return also highlighted the permanent Iowa venue’s future ambitions: the park now has modern amenities and recurring-game potential, while John Deere pledged $100,000 per home run to Feeding America.