April 26, 2003 [LINK]
Field of Dreams
TBS is broadcasting the mystical classic movie Field of Dreams several times this month, so don't miss it! A few years ago Jacqueline and I visited the site where it was filmed, and it's worth the trip to Dyersville, about 20 miles west of Dubuque, Iowa. In real life, the field straddles a property line, and the owners of the two farms have often been at odds with each other in the competition for tourist dollars.
CORRECTION: I've learned that Sarandon and Robbins were not "un-invited" to the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies; rather, a special anniversary celebration of the Bull Durham movie featuring those stars was canceled. Also, Mr. Petroskey issued an apology for upsetting people. Most of the letters and comments I've seen have had a less charitable take on Susan and Tim's dissent than I did. In the future I will endeavor to avoid sullying this page with politics. After all, baseball is supposed to bring us all together.
In the real world, the Yankees, Giants, and -- amazingly -- the Royals are dominating their respective divisions with .800 or better win-loss records. The Expos are clinging to first place in the NL East, but they usually start the season hot and then fade as their lack of depth is exposed. (Sorry!) They drew 36,000 fans to their first real home game in Montreal this week, but attendance has since dwindled to under 7,000 per game, which is sadly normal for them.
"The one constant through the years, Ray, is baseball."
James Earl Jones to Kevin Costner, in Field of Dreams