Field Of Dreams Movie Site To Host Several Iowa High School Baseball Games

Inaugural ‘If You Build It’ series of games to take place this summer.

Ken Griffey Jr., left, asks his dad, Ken Griffey Sr., if he'd like to play catch before a baseball game between the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs on Aug. 11, 2022, at the MLB Field of Dreams stadium in Dyersville, Iowa | The Enquirer/Kareem Elgazzar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

When it comes to memorable movie quotes and scenes, the classic Field of Dreams is loaded with them. None, though, is more well-known than “If you build it, they will come.”

Now, that will take on a different scenario starting this summer when a series of Iowa high school baseball games hit the dirt at the Field of Dreams Movie Site in Dyersville, Iowa as part of the inaugural “If You Build It” High School Series.

The site now features a newly built professional ballpark that will see 12 different Iowa high schools compete in games in June.

Dozen Iowa High Schools Will Compete At Field Of Dreams

Clinton High School and Western Dubuque High School are up first, as they will take the first game on June 17. The following day, Cascade High School and Dyersville Beckman Catholic High School play a doubleheader.

Dubuque Hempstead High School and Dubuque Senior High School follow on June 19 with Bellevue High School playing North Linn High School on June 22. Dubuque Wahlert Catholic High School takes on West Delaware High School on June 24 and Maquoketa Valley High School faces off against Anamosa High School in the final game on June 26.

Tickets for the series of games go on sale through the Field of Dreams website with start times set to be announced the day of the game.

Series Put Together To Provide Chance To Compete On Special Field

“This series is about giving high school players the opportunity to compete on a field that represents everything great about the game,” Tyler Daughtery, general manager of the Field of Dreams Ballpark, told WQAD.com. “We’re proud to open our new ballpark by celebrating community, competition and the future of baseball right here at the Field of Dreams.”

Back in 2021 and again in 2022, Major League Baseball hosted games at the movie site in Dyersville. The field is open from sunrise to sunset year-round, weather permitting. They are set to host the Northwoods League All-Star Game this season in addition to the high school series of games.

Youth baseball, softball and senior baseball tournaments also take place throughout the year.

The film, released in 1989, featured Kevin Costner as Ray Kinsella. In addition to Costner, James Earl Jones, Amy Madigan, Ray Liotta and Burt Lancaster starred in the film which generated $84.5 million at the box office.

Universal Pictures built the baseball diamond in 1988 on two farms. Major League Baseball constructed a temporary facility to host a game in 2020, but that was delayed due to COVID-19 until 2021 when the Chicago White Sox defeated the New York Yankees.

The Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs played the following season.