My Adventures to Baseball Heaven

When one thinks of an ideal location for baseball, none of than the name Cooperstown comes to mind. Tucked in the middle of upstate New York, the small town is baseball’s capital of the world.

And why not? It was where the sport was invented in the nineteenth century.

I have yet to visit Cooperstown, now home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. But that’s okay. I’ve visited the second best baseball location in the world, and some folks say it’s even better than Cooperstown.

A Family Summer Vacation

My parents and I always choose somewhere different to visit during the summer. We never travel to a beach or way up in the mountains.

We always visit somewhere we can see museums, shop, eat fine dining and more. In summer 2021, we chose Galena, Illinois.

Located just at the Northwestern edge of the state, the old river town is historical and noteworthy. It’s where several Civil War generals lived and where history was made, including President Ulysses S. Grant.

Sure, my parents and I visited all of the historical sites in town, but we more looked forward to Friday’s portion of our stay: the trip to Dyersville, Iowa.

One wouldn’t think this would be the second best baseball location ever, but it is. Just ask many of its yearly visitors.

The small town of 1,000 or so people was located about twenty minutes west of Galena. It’s famous for a baseball field.

In 1989, it’s the site of many filming scenes of the movie “Field of Dreams” starring Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones.

Nowadays, the field is an ideal travel destination for any baseball fan or movie fanatic. Visitors can walk on the field, play catch in the outfield and run the bases.

All the while, you can also tour the inside of the house also used in the film and visit the gift shop with all things “Field of Dreams.”

My parents and I stayed at the site for at least a good hour. We took in the entire atmosphere of it all, watched families play pick-up baseball games with one another and so much more.

Like they said in the movie, it truly was Heaven.

We talked with many visitors who declared the Dyersville field was much cooler than Coopertown. Sure, it’s where the Hall of Fame is, but they said there’s nothing better than walking along the “Field of Dreams” field.

It was a dream come true.

It Made Me Appreciate the Game of Baseball

I played baseball in my younger days. I loved every minute of it, but there came a time when I didn’t want to play anymore.

Passions change, and I knew I wasn’t going to play all my life.

I continued to watch some of professional baseball on television. I attended games every so often.

But I’m by no means a die-hard fan.

When I visited the “Field of Dreams” field and saw all of those fans having fun, I realized something. Baseball truly is American’s sport.

It’s a chance for all of us to come together, play a nice, healthy game, and make the world a better place. One pitch at a time.

Visiting Dyersville probed that I should give baseball more of a chance. I gained so much appreciation for the sport that day than I ever would’ve thought.

For that, I am forever grateful.

Closing Thoughts

Who knows if the day will ever come when I finally make it up to Cooperstown. I’ve always wanted to go too.

Oh well, if it ever happens or not, I know I will be happy because I visited Dyersville, Iowa with my parents. That day, I tasted a little bit of Heaven.

And I wouldn’t have had it any other way.