Thirty years ago an ageless Shoeless Joe Jackson hit the big screen to pose the question, “Is this Heaven?” The ballplayer’s inquiry came in reference to a magical baseball diamond in the heart of America’s midwestern cornfields.
Turned out it was Iowa, which happens to sit just across the river. Considering what happens in Omaha with the return of summer, these sacred grounds at the center of our country and in the forefront of our national consciousness for two weeks each June surely provide at least a window into heaven.
If heaven is, as the motion picture’s climactic moment submits, “the place where dreams come true,” then perhaps we are blessed with a rare glimpse each time we gather here. Maybe such opportunities exist in countless places on numerous occasions for those willing to simply open their eyes.
On the anniversary of the feature film which explores the relationship between fathers and sons in connection with our national pastime, it seems appropriate that College Baseball’s “Field of Dreams” is open for business and filled beyond capacity with dreamers once more.
Take a look inside the Florida State dugout. Four decades into his tenure, Mike Martin still dreams of a championship. Having devoted so much of his life to this game, the coaching legend has saddled up for one final ride as the sun begins to set on his record breaking career.
It is clear that he still cherishes every moment and still values every opportunity. The grandfatherly figure is not shy about admitting how much he has relished the chance to glance out at third base where his son journeys alongside him in the family’s chosen profession.
Having originally played for his dad in Tallahassee, Mike Martin Jr has since enjoyed 22 years on his staff. The triumphant moment they shared just this past weekend in Baton Rouge was only the latest in a travel chest full of lifetime memories.
Mike Martin has been wearing a college baseball uniform from the time John F. Kennedy was in the White House. With well over 2,000 wins between there and here, ‘Ol Number Eleven is in the process of putting the finishing touches on his legendary career with an eye still trained squarely upon what really matters.
“It’s okay to get a little emotional,” he reminded everyone on Friday, indicating that Father’s Day is once again upon us as an occasion worth doing so. Omaha is a special place, on Father’s Day even more so.
The unique relationship between fathers and sons is always on display at the College World Series. They fill the stands, walk the concourse, and enjoy the game. They compare notes, contemplate the outcomes and strengthen their personal bond over a Zesto milkshake.
They have often competed on the field at the highest level. They almost always share an extended embrace at the end of the journey, no matter the outcome. They stand as a reminder that so much of what happens here transcends the game.
Consider the three generations of Wolverines having worn the Maize and Blue right here in Omaha. John, now the grandfather, was part of a championship winning squad in the 60’s. His son and current Michigan first-baseman Jimmy Kerr’s father, Derek, played on the most recent team to reach the CWS in the 1980’s. As for Jimmy, he tripled and drove home a pair on Saturday afternoon before scoring himself, providing the latest in a lifetime of midwestern baseball memories for the Kerr family.
There are countless other dreams out there, still waiting to be fulfilled. Similar stories exist on all eight teams. Young athletes on and off the field will turn their focus here across the next ten days in anticipation of their own Omaha moments yet to come. They will train and prepare in expectation of their own championship caliber stories, yet to be written.
Can an inning change the world? You had better believe it. The movie also reminds us of this truth. Regardless of whether the game works out as planned, it is life-changing. The joy along this journey is often found in waiting to see which innings do in fact change the world and discovering just how much.
Whether at the gem of a ballpark that once stood proudly atop the hill or inside the new downtown centerpiece college baseball fans now savor; it has always been about the spirit of the game played within. It is the spirit of those who have gone before, those who have embraced this game, respected its basic principles and built what we enjoy today.
It remains those foundational values such as teamwork and sacrifice, determination and perseverance, along with the concept of going out to dream and returning home safely again that make these timeless words continue to ring true… If you build it, he will come.
