Is 'Field of Dreams' based on a true story? Inside the real baseball history woven into 1989 movie

Is 'Field of Dreams' based on a true story? Inside the real baseball history woven into 1989 movie originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

"Field of Dreams" remains such a staple among sports films nearly four decades after it was released that MLB is once again embracing it on the big stage.

For the first time in four years, two MLB teams will play a real-life "Field of Dreams" game, with the Phillies facing the Twins in Dyersville, Iowa, to recreate a scene that stands the test of time.

MLB is doing its best to make "Field of Dreams" a reality, but is the film itself based on a true story?

Here's what you need to know about the "Field of Dreams" origin, the movie's ending and the 1919 Black Sox scandal.

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Is Field of Dreams movie based on a true story?

"Field of Dreams" itself is not a true story, but the basis is true: the 1919 Black Sox scandal, with "Shoeless Joe" Jackson at the center, did happen and remains one of the biggest scandals in sports history.

The movie itself is based on 1982 novel "Shoeless Joe" by Canadian author W.P. Kinsella. The idea originated when Kinsella attended a writers' workshop and incorporated other short stories he had written about Jackson.

Many elements of the "Field of Dreams" story aren't real or can't be real. A corn farm in Iowa was not turned into a baseball field on the whim of a dream -- at least, until MLB started playing the Field of Dreams Game in Iowa -- but Jackson was a real figure, as was Moonlight Graham. 

Field of Dreams movie cast

Here are some of the most prominent names in "Field of Dreams:"

• Kevin Costner (Ray Kinsella)
• Ray Liotta (Shoeless Joe Jackson)
• Amy Madigan (Annie Kinsella)
• James Earl Jones (Terence Mann)
• Burt Lancaster (Moonlight Graham)
• Frank Whaley (Moonlight Graham)
• Timothy Busfield (Mark)
• Dwier Brown (John Kinsella)
• Gaby Hoffman (Karin Kinsella)

The film received three Oscar nominations, though none were associated with an individual actor. 

Field of Dreams ending, explained

By the end of the movie, characters who came to the field in Iowa have realized their long lost dreams and buried old regrets. Shoeless Joe Jackson, Moonlight Graham and Terence Mann all disappear into the cornfield that surrounds the field, symbolizing that they have righted the wrongs that they came to address.

Kevin Costner's character, Ray Kinsella, does the same when he realizes the catcher, John, is actually his father. The two put aside a strained relationship and play catch. 

The final scene cuts to a line of cars, which indicates the number of people trying to come to the field and right their own wrongs or achieve their own long lost dreams. Ray's vision is proven right: he built it, and they came. 

1919 Black Sox scandal details

Shoeless Joe Jackson had a major regret to undo in the movie, as he was caught up in the infamous 1919 Black Sox scandal. Jackson was one of eight White Sox players accused of fixing the 1919 World Series and intentionally throwing games to lose to the Reds. All eight players were charged and found not guilty, but Jackson and his seven teammates were still banned from baseball as a result. 

The scandal didn't come to light until 1920, when pitcher Eddie Cicotte confirmed rumors of a fixed World Series by admitting his role to a grand jury. Jackson's role is disputed by some, as he generally played well in the World Series, and whether the scandal is tied to organized crime is also still uncertain.

Jackson and his disgraced teammates were reinstated by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred in 2025. While mostly symbolic, the decision does allow Jackson to be considered for the Hall of Fame. 

Who was Shoeless Joe Jackson and what did he do?

"Shoeless Joe" was a standout player in the 1910s, playing for the then-Cleveland Naps before finishing his career with the White Sox. Jackson, an outfielder, led baseball in hits in 1912 and 1913, earning four top-10 finishes in MVP voting and winning the World Series with Chicago in 1917. 

At the time of the scandal, Jackson was playing some of his best baseball. He led the White Sox to the World Series in 1919 and had a stellar season in 1920, batting .382 with a career-high 12 home runs and a 1.033 OPS as the live-ball era got underway. That would be Jackson's final MLB season.

Jackson was one of eight players accused of intentionally throwing the 1919 World Series for gambling purposes. His role is disputed. Teammates involved in the scandal would later say Jackson wasn't involved in any meetings about the scheme, and Jackson openly regretted a signed confession he said he made under pressure. 

Still, Jackson remained banned from baseball for the remainder of his life. That element of doubt made room for Jackson to be a sympathetic figure in "Field of Dreams" as he returned to the diamond to right a wrong. 

Field of Dreams house history

The farm and house used as the set of "Field of Dreams" had been owned by a man named Don Lansing since 1906 when directors arrived in Dyersville, Iowa. Don was the grandson of the original owner, Joe Lansing.

The house was renovated a bit by the film crew to make it more spacious for cameras to move around, but it otherwise remained intact. 

"I was born and raised here, lived here all my life." Lansing told The Des Moines Register in 2014, "And one day you get a knock on the door, and it changed my life forever."

Lansing sold the land in 2012, but he met his wife when she came to visit the site in 1995 and continued to tend to the field even after selling it. Today, the "Field of Dreams" house is open for tours and can even be booked for an overnight stay.