MLB Cancels 'Field of Dreams' Game, But Not Because of Coronavirus

"If you build it, they will come."

If you've ever watched the 1989 movie 'Field of Dreams' and NOT bawled your eyes out at the end, I'm supremely confident you have no soul. No spoilers here, but if you don't know what in the hell I'm talking about, it's time you learned.

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'Field of Dreams' stars Kevin Costner as Ray Kinsella, an Iowa corn farmer who hears a mysterious voice telling him to build a baseball field on his land. The ballpark takes on a spiritual nature, as the ghosts of "Shoeless" Joe Jackson (played by Ray Liotta) and the infamous 1919 Black Sox scandal return to play the game that Major League Baseball effectively banned them from forever, but that's not the only reason this field was built. Also starring Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones and Burt Lancaster, the movie won three Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

"Is this heaven? No, it's Iowa."

It's been 30 years since the cult-classic film was released. It's considered one of the best sports movies ever, and for good reason. I can honestly say I've seen the damn thing 15-20 times.

So, you can imagine my excitement, along with millions of baseball fans around the country, when Major League Baseball announced that a real-life game is going to be played in Dyersville, Iowa for the upcoming MLB season.

When is the Field of Dreams MLB Game?

Source: White Sox will face Cardinals in Field of Dreams game https://t.co/wZJYgXOsVh

— White Sox Talk (@NBCSWhiteSox) July 1, 2020

On August 13, 2020, the Chicago White Sox and St. Louis Cardinals will play an official MLB game at the 'Field of Dreams' movie site.

The New York Yankees were originally slated to play the White Sox, but due to schedule conflicts caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Cardinals will replace the pinstripes in Iowa.

"It's definitely exciting," Roman Weinberg, the director of operations for Go The Distance Baseball, which owns the Field of Dreams movie site, told the Des Moines Register. "There's nothing more American than the Field of Dreams and America's pastime."

"As a sport that is proud of its history linking generations, Major League Baseball is excited to bring a regular season game to the site of Field of Dreams," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said, according to a MLB.com press release. "We look forward to celebrating the movie's enduring message of how baseball brings people together at this special cornfield in Iowa."

Ticket sales for the major league game haven't been announced yet, but Major League Baseball reportedly built a temporary 8,000-seat ballpark at this once-in-a-lifetime Field of Dreams site. It's unclear if fans will even be allowed given questions about social distancing and the ongoing threat to public health caused by the COVID-19 virus.

White Sox vs. Cardinals in Dyersville, Iowa

Reports: Cards replace Yanks for Field of Dreams https://t.co/apDwYtZ8PC pic.twitter.com/tAZb0fVJe5

— ESPN New York (@ESPNNewYork) July 1, 2020

Baseball. Iowa. Corn.

Can you think of anything more American? Don't worry. I'll wait.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to grab my baseball glove and watch 'Field of Dreams.' Again.

UPDATE (August 3, 2020): According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, Major League Baseball decided to postpone the highly-anticipated matchup less than two weeks before it was scheduled to take place. Reportedly, the cancellation had nothing to do with the coronavirus, but was "more a logistical problem."

Curiously, at least 13 members of the St. Louis Cardinals, a mix of players and staff, tested positive in the days prior to the announcement.