More than 30 years later, ‘Field of Dreams’ still hits home

According to two people who were on hand for its filming in 1988, “Field of Dreams” far exceeded any preconceived notions about the impact the film would have on the movie-going public.

Those people are my brother, Ray, who was an umpire in the sentimental allegory; and my sister, Renee, who danced with the movie’s star, Kevin Costner, at the wrap party — her ex-husband, Tom, was one of the players who came out of the corn.

My brother and former brother-in-law had answered an ad for extras when they were living in Dubuque, Iowa. The city on the Mississippi River is about 25 miles from Dyersville, site of the movie as well as the Chicago White Sox’ enthralling 9-8 victory over the Yankees Thursday night.

My brother had a one-word speaking part — he called a runner “safe” at third base before “Moonlight” Graham’s sacrifice fly.

He was told there weren’t many 6-foot-5 ballplayers in “Shoeless” Joe Jackson’s day. So they gave him an umpire’s suit, told him to hunch over and sent him to wardrobe for a haircut. 

“They put the umpire hat on me and just cut around it,” my brother said. “I looked like Shemp from The Three Stooges.”

My siblings said the marquee actors couldn’t have been more friendly during their time on set.

“I asked James Earl Jones (Terence Mann in the movie) for a picture, and he said he had to shave for a scene but he would come back,” my sister said. “Four hours later I had forgotten about it. But he went out of his way to find me and said ‘I’m ready for that picture now.’ ”

Between scenes, my brother recalls Costner picking up a bat and sending 300-foot drives rustling into the corn from each side of home plate. But his fondest memory was watching the actor play catch with his movie dad from inside the farmhouse.

Our own father, who often tossed the ball around with his boys before mom put supper on the table, died unexpectedly a few years after “Field of Dreams” was released.

Said my brother, speaking for both of us (and countless other sons): “When I watch it today, you just wish you could get another catch with him, you know?”

Around the horn

— Golden Knights goalie Robin Lehner recently sounded off on the medical treatment he received after spraining his ankle while playing for the Buffalo Sabres.

“They hired new people that year (2015-16) that never played, never been around hockey,” Lehner said on a podcast hosted by former NHL player Cam Janssen and reporter Andy Strickland. “None of them had ever seen a puck in their life, and I ended up getting a lot worse and getting surgery at the end of that season because they just kept screwing it up.

“The (expletive) they did to some of the players when I was there — and especially to me regarding my ankle — it was crazy, man.”

— After giving up a game-winning home run to fellow former Bishop Gorman standout Joey Gallo Aug. 5, Paul Sewald said he would be surprised if he didn’t get a chance for revenge before last weekend’s series was over. Sure enough, Sewald struck out four of the five Yankees he faced — including Gallo — in Seattle’s 2-0 win Aug. 8

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