The Akron Beacon Journal, Bob Dyer column
This time, the site was his version of Nirvana: the baseball field used for the beautiful 1989 movie Field of Dreams.
On the other end of most of his throws was an 83-year-old guy from
When
How did the guy from
It began in late January, when Stan emailed his favorite columnist and asked whether I could put him in touch with a baseball addict he had seen on a network TV feature story -- a 43-year-old man who had vowed to play catch every day of the year.
I tracked down Ethan, who was open to hooking up with Stan. But logistics were an issue.
When I looked at a map and noticed that
And so it came to be that on an absolutely perfect day for baseball -- 82 and blue -- two total strangers, a man from a different time zone and a local man who is only three years less than twice his age, stood 60 feet, 6 inches apart and had a catch.
You could have seen their smiles from outer space.
Stan loves the game so much that, although he grew up in the
"My whole life revolved around baseball," he said.
After 20 minutes of throwing, as he sat at a picnic table in the shade of a tree next to the famous white, two-story farmhouse, Stan volunteered that playing catch "is part of my DNA. It makes me feel good that I can still do this."
He certainly can. For an octogenarian, he has incredible velocity and accuracy and can snag anything thrown his way.
Stan plays an occasional game in a senior baseball league, but jokingly downplays his ability.
"People ask me if I throw smoke," he said. "And I say, 'No, it's more like a slow-moving fog.'"
His wife of 60 years, Joanne, accompanied him on the long drive and was thrilled to see how much fun he was having.
How it started
For Ethan, a freelance writer whose book America at the Seams is being sold at the
He decided to cash in the offer
The next day, his older daughter asked if she could play. Afterward, she said, "Dad, what if you played catch every day of the year?"
Next thing you know, it's Day 206.
As the streak began to grow, and Ethan began to lean on more and more people to keep it going, he started to question why he was doing it. "Am I just doing this for the sake of a number?" he asked himself.
He wasn't. "As you get to tossing the ball, you just start talking and you're like, 'Oh, this is more than a number. There's a real relationship here.' And they're doing this not only to help me out but there's a mutual joy."
So far he has tossed in 10 states with countless partners, ranging in age from his 3-year-old godson to 85-year-old
Stan's adventures on the beach have been many, as well. The former
In Ethan's words, "There's something about this simple game that brings out the best in people, that exemplifies the best of who we can be.
"When everything on TV and in news is all about division, all about hate, all about paranoia, all about fear, this game says, 'There's still some good.' You might have to look for it, but if you go out and play a little, you'll find it."
We didn't have to look very hard on Wednesday. Everyone was of the same mind, including 9-year-old Jack from
On the set
The Field of Dreams looks exactly like it does in the movie. Exactly.
Feels the same, too.
It is impeccably maintained, with lush grass and laser-straight dirt cutouts.
If the field is not literally in the middle of nowhere, it's pretty close.
When I arrived, I was shocked at how casual the whole thing is. There's no charge to park, no charge to play and nobody supervising. You just walk right onto the field.
(A well-stocked souvenir stand apparently pays the freight.)
Families and pals, almost all from out of state, wander randomly on and off the field, taking turns on the mound, swinging a bat, long-tossing in the outfield and venturing into the gigantic stalks of corn in search of Shoeless Joe.
During my two hours there, as many as 15 people were on the field and as few as zero.
Ethan and his 74-year-old father, Doug, showed up at
"The grass was still dewy," Ethan said. "There was no traffic. Incredible quiet. The only noises were the noises of the game, the noise of the bat, the catch of leather.
"In my mind, I was saying, 'I don't want to make this too big a deal. It's my favorite movie. I don't want to blow this out of proportion.' I was worried I would tear up when I got out here.
"But it was literally just all smiles. It was like, 'Yessssss! This is great!'"
It sure was. Your favorite columnist got in a few throws, too. (OK, at least 50, truth be told.)
Ageless love
Toward the end of our visit, we looked out on the field and saw an old man walking very, very, very slowly with a cane around the bases.
It brought a tear to my eye. A good tear, a tear like the ones most of us shed near the end of Field of Dreams.
When Don completed his circuit, Stan walked over and introduced himself. Decades ago, Don had been a catcher -- and has the mangled fingertip to prove it.
They chatted for a while. Stan gave Don a baseball.
"This means a lot to me," Don said.
"It makes me feel good," Stan replied.
So simple. So powerful.
Shoeless Joe didn't show. Neither did
But you could feel their magic all around you.
___
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