The meaning of relationships and hopes

More than 25 years ago, one of the most prolific movies on baseball, life and relationships debuted in thousands of theaters in what turned out to be a major blockbuster of 1989. Life’s simple but sometimes intricate lessons emerged at the end of “Field of Dreams” when the main character, Ray Kinsella played by Kevin Costner, talks with his deceased father. After Kinsella introduces his father, John, to his family and before his dad slips back to the cornfield, Ray asks his father if he wants to play a game of catch, which they do.

The young catcher who removed his mask and looked at his father in the movie is Dwier Brown. not only an accomplished actor but also a Midwest native who weaved a compelling story of the father and son relationship and their own Field of Dreams in his 2014 book, “If You Build It….”

For a Friday afternoon at Greater Nevada Field, home of the Reno Aces, Brown talked to fans about baseball, the movie and his book. Brown, who moved to Ojai, Calif., 35 years ago, began a Father’s Day book tour in 2014 after finishing his book. Brown visited Dyersville, Iowa, the location of the movie’s original “Field of Dreams” and attended the 100th anniversary of Wrigley Field, one of the nation’s most iconic ballparks and home to the Chicago Cubs.

”When I was out at Wrigley, I found out too late they were doing two Field of Dream event at Dodger Stadium,” Brown said

While Brown spent time visiting ballparks, he also participated in other events celebrating the 25th anniversary of the film’s release. Winnebago sponsored his book tour throughout the Midwest, and later he followed up with visits to minor-league fields and to major-league venues at Tropicana Field in Florida and Fenway Park in Boston.

One of Brown’s most memorable stops occurred at Ft. Riley, Kansas, which is an hour east of Kansas City, where he attended a Wounded Warrior event in early autumn before spending a day watching one of the hottest teams in baseball at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium.

“I went to a Royals game before they made it into the playoffs in 2014. It was exciting. I would like to think I’m a good luck charm when I visit the home team. Now I’m trying to spread the word to both minor or major league teams and maybe get some World Series tickets,” he laughed, as his smile widened.

Since its debut a quarter century ago when “Field of Dreams” began capturing the imagination of fathers and sons and movie aficionados, Brown, though, said he has seen changes in the game — bad and good — at both the minor and major levels.

“I’m cautious about the ‘corporatization’ of everything, not just baseball,” Brown lamented. “Before, we saw the silly fan attractions but fans were close enough to the players. You see a game at El Paso and you could talk to the left fielder. To me that was making baseball fun.”

Much of that fun and excitement at the minor-league level remains, and the Aces promote activities for the families, some including the new and emerging players. Reno’s Mike Freeman, for example, and others enjoy signing autographs for the newest fans, the youngsters.

Freeman’s love for the game goes back to his childhood when he first played catch with his father. As a young boy, the Aces second baseman said his father served as his first coach throughout Little League baseball. Freeman’s enthusiasm continued to grow over the years, eventually playing for Clemson (S.C.) University before Arizona drafted him. Freeman’s own “Field of Dreams” became a reality when he suited up to play in his first professional baseball game.

“He was really my first coach on and off the field,” Freeman said of his father. “My mom also had a big part because she used to hit popups to me before preschool.”

Freeman said the one thing he took away from “Field of Dreams” is the father-son relationship, and to this day, the 28-year-old infielder said his biggest fan is his father.

“He instills my confidence,” Freeman said.

Because of Freeman’s connection with the fans, Brown still sees much of that fun coming from the minor league park where the marketing brand is attracting families to have a good time and leave with memorable moments such as watching players such as the Reno second baseman. Brown, who grew up in Ohio, also sees improvement in the quality of both players and managers, especially how managers strategize against their opponents by playing small ball and instilling hustle from their players to make the critical plays that win a game.

“I like teams playing small ball and players hustling for every base,” Brown said.

When managers known for their small-ball play pop up for discussion, Tony La Russa’s name comes to mind. Brown said he would have enjoyed playing for a coach like that, especially how La Russa used the small-ball tactics as a manager in both Oakland and St. Louis. The dream element from the movie, however, made Brown, who said he was a decent athlete but not good enough for pro ball, think of how he could have contributed in this type of strategy.

Brown pondered for a moment: “I could have snaked in as a hitter or steal a base.”

Yet, as Brown travels the country, he, too, is fulfilling a dream of meeting older baseball players such as the Johnny Benches, the Bob Gibsons and the Lou Brocks — all Hall of Fame quality players who donned the uniform several generations ago. Brown also expresses sorrow when he looks back at the time before baseball’s reserve clause and free agency when owners did not pay players the type of salary they earn today.

“It was sad that they (older players) struggled and did not get paid enough to sustain their life for another 30 to 40 years,” Brown pointed out.

A certain amount of sweetness and nostalgia also comes from the older generations of fans and players who follow baseball, something with which Brown agrees.

“There is something about baseball, a contemplation of a game event to watch and all the space between the plays. More know about baseball,” Brown pointed out. “I appreciate the things that happened in the movie more. Baseball is an excellent choice for “Field of Dreams” for strategy and quietness, of throwing the ball back and forth. It’s as close to a conversation one can get.”

Reno manager Phil Nevin played baseball for Cal State Fullerton, Costner’s alma mater and knows the actor well. Nevin said he learned a little more insight into the movie’s meaning from the movie star but did not elaborate.

“I watched it with my dad, who was my Little League coach,” Nevin said, recounting when they first saw the movie.

As a young university student in Southern California, Nevin took away some of the movie’s messages for later life and passes them on to those he mentors.

“As I get older, I like to work offseason with my kids, and this is a big thrill for me,” Nevin said.

The bonds of father and son become closer, even among those relationships strained more so than others. Sometimes, Brown said, fathers have a more difficult time trying to hold a conversation with their son. Occasionally, the conversations were short, and sons would rather confide in their mothers. The idea of baseball and the scene at the Field of Dreams changed much of that.

“The idea is playing catch and how that awkwardness for both sides disappears with fathers and their sons,” he added.

Thus, Brown moved to the most famous line of the movie when Shoeless Joe said, “If you build it, He will come.” Afterward, John Kinsella removed his mask when positioned behind the plate and looked at his son who then recognized his father as a young man. Although Brown said the line is often misquoted, he said it points out, nevertheless, several meanings.

“A lot of people have dreams and they stay as dreams and hope,” Brown said.

Ray Kinsella built a field but his neighbors ostracized him. Brown said only from Ray’s belief in a dream did his life change. Whether “he” or “they” is used, Brown considers the word irrelevant. The operative word for Brown, however, is build because the author said that word means taking the first step.

“You are telling the universe to make a place on this journey,” he emphasized.

For Ray Kinsella, he sees his father, plays catch and has a meaningful conversation, a closure to an assumed strained relationship in their earlier years. For many of today’s fathers and sons, Brown said it’s easier to pick up a ball and glove and play a quick game of catch and talk

“Baseball is a different game, but changing the game is not the right thing to do. People will always love baseball,” he said.

Reno hitting coach Greg Gross is a Baby Boomer born in the early 1950s who remembers the fading eras of hitters and pitchers and superstars who competed in America’s pastime. The movie has become one of Gross’ favorites.

“It’s just a real relaxing, nice, nothing hidden-in-it type of movie,” Gross said, reflecting on his own rise in baseball. “When I was young, I always played with the older guys … I played on city leagues against adults … I followed my dad who played in the city league. The movie brought back all these memories.”

Over the years, Gross said the father-son relationships have become better, remembering a time when fathers were the disciplinarians and didn’t say much or were not as close to their children.

“Part of that was in the era we grew up in,” Gross said, adding the relationships between fathers and their sons are much closer now.

Baseball’s lore and attraction for both Brown and current and past players has been part of America’s pastime for more than a century. As a young boy growing up in Ohio, Brown rooted for the Cleveland Indians, so when “Major League,” another 1989 baseball movie premiered, Brown said viewers wanted the Indians to win the pennant and defy the late owner’s wife, a Las Vegas showgirl, who wanted to relocate the team to Florida.

“You like the team, not one to hate,” Brown recollected about the movie and storyline of a veteran club playing for a crusty manager, Lou Brown, and their drive to capture the pennant with a group of veteran players, many past their primetime. “There’s something friendly about the Indians.”

Although Brown is a fan of small-ball tactics and how certain managers treat the game as a chess match such as the Royals, he would like to see the lovable Cubs win the World Series, a feat not done in more than 100 years. The last time the Cubs appeared in a World Series came in 1945 at the end of World War II.

Brown then sat quite for a minute.

“I lived in Chicago for a while,” Brown said. “I know how die hard their fans are.”