Blue Bell company brings ‘Field of Dreams’ to life ahead of Phillies game in Iowa
Pennsylvania company brings ‘Field of Dreams’ to life ahead of Phillies game in Iowa
A Blue Bell team transformed an Iowa farm into a pro baseball field ahead of the Phillies game, using 100,000 square feet of sod and 300 tons of clay.
BLUE BELL, Pa. - PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies will soon take the field in Dyersville, Iowa for a matchup against the Twins at the site of the legendary Field of Dreams movie.
This unusual venue has been brought to life for the event by Brightview, a local company based in Blue Bell.
Bringing the iconic movie field to life
What we know:
Brightview, which is the largest commercial landscaping company in the country, constructed and maintains the Field of Dreams for the Phillies' big game on Thursday. The company began work in 2019, transforming a farm next to the movie site by installing 100,000 square feet of sod and 300 tons of clay for the diamond, and planting 160 acres of corn that the players will walk through before playing.
"They call it the Field of Dreams for a reason, because those are all dreams we've all had to be part of incredible events," said Murray Cook, president of Brightview Sports.
The process for treating the legendary diamond’s grass is similar to what the company does at other major venues.
"The process is the same. The field's watered, irrigated. We top dress and seed. We seed it once a year. It gets fertilized six times a year. We do aeration. We mow it three times a week," said Brightview Operations Manager Collin Breidinger.
Fans and players alike have been excited for the event and the chance to visit the hallowed baseball site.
"I think it's going to be really cool, you know, being able to see the movie. When I was growing up, never been out there before. So I'm excited to see the corn, see the, see the actual field where they actually, you know, filmed it at," said Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber.
Brightview has experience working on famous fields around the world, including for the Little League World Series and the World Cup.
Building and maintaining the diamond is about more than just the grass and dirt.
"This is definitely one of the most important parts. The balls, if they take a bad hop, you kind of, you feel like that's something that you could have controlled throughout the game. So it's always important to make it nice and smooth," said Breidinger.
Brightview started transforming the farm site in 2019, laying out sod and clay to create the diamond and planting acres of corn to match the film’s famous look. On Thursday, players from the Phillies and Twins are set to walk out through the cornfields onto the meticulously maintained playing surface for their long-awaited matchup.
What is the Field of Dreams Game?
The backstory:
The Field of Dreams, made famous by the beloved 1989 movie, has become an iconic baseball location. Hosting real games is meant to bring the magic of the film to life for players and fans.
While the event is about more than the final score, there is excitement and nostalgia for everyone involved.
"You get goosebumps. Still do. Every time I come out here, you know, the movie, the movie creates that. My favorite part is watching the players come out and see it. They just always going like, ooh, ah, ooh, ah," Cook explained.
The Phillies and twins will also pay homage to baseball's heritage with some throwback-style uniforms created specially for Thursday's game.
This years game will stream live on Netflix Thursday August 13 with first pitch slated for 7:30 p.m. ET.
The Source: This article contains information from Brightview and interviews conducted by FOX 29's Jeff Skversky.