Ken Griffey Jr., Sr. play catch before ‘Field of Dreams’ game
DYERSVILLE, Iowa (BVM) – Major League Baseball is back in baseball heaven as the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs matched up in the league’s second game honoring the iconic 1989 movie “Field of Dreams.” With the festivities in full swing, Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. got in on the action before Thursday night’s action.
The father-son combo took advantage of the opportunity, recreating the famous, “Hey dad, you want to have a catch?” scene that features Kevin Costner’s character, Ray Kinsella, tossing the baseball around with his father.
"Hey dad, you want to have a catch?"
The Griffeys are making us tear up. #MLBatFieldOfDreams pic.twitter.com/FPXuppj11x
— MLB (@MLB) August 11, 2022
Griffey Sr. made his MLB debut with the Cincinnati Reds in 1973 and was a crucial part of the Big Red Machine, appearing in three All-Star games before he left the team in 1981. Griffey Jr. was with the organization from 2000 until 2008, also making three All-Star game appearances as a member of the Reds. The famous duo has been the poster for iconic father-son combos in sports, getting a chance to play side-by-side during Griffey Jr.’s professional opening with the Seattle Mariners.
Last year’s “Field of Dreams” matchup, which included the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox, kicked off the MLB’s plan to play in Dyersville, Iowa near the movie’s set. However, the announcement came earlier this week that the 2022 Field of Dreams game will likely be the last one as the complex faces future construction. Hall of Fame hitter Frank Thomas, part of the ownership group that operates the site, told the Des Moines Register that it will mean no MLB event in 2023.
“It’s a lot going on,” Thomas said. “They don’t want to come back if the stadium’s not prepared.”
With White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson bringing the spark to last year’s event with a walk-off homer to top the Yankees 9-8, the Griffeys may have taken over the stage for this year’s game before it even started.
