Ken Griffey Jr. And Ken Griffey Sr. Had A Catch At the "Field Of Dreams" Park
When I first heard that the MLB would be playing an annual game at the "Field Of Dreams" stadium in Iowa, I remember thinking it was silly. I thought it would be corny (no pun intended) and a little lame. I figured MLB would half ass it the way they have a tendency to do. I was so wrong. Last year's Field Of Dreams game was a massive success, ending dramatically with Tim Anderson's walkoff home run off of Zack Britton. And this year, while the game is far from over, it looks like it's going to be another banger.
People constantly complain about how baseball and baseball players aren't marketable; the big reason is that they choose not to be. When baseball actually decides to present itself in a cool manner, it's great. The All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are prime examples of this. MLB must find that balance between competition and pageantry. There will always be weirdos like me who would watch a Major League Baseball game if you played it behind an abandoned gas station, but in general, most people don't share those sentiments. The sport has to grow. In such a marathon season, you must find a way to get people excited, especially when talking about two teams like the Cubs and the Reds, who have essentially nothing to play for at this point. Is the whole thing a bit cheesy? Yeah, of course. But baseball is cheesy. That's why it's awesome.
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If you're looking for a perfect representation of the sport of baseball, look no further than the Griffey's. Is there any player in the history of the sport with a higher approval rating than Ken Griffey Jr? I've never heard a single person say "Ken Griffey Jr sucked" or "Ken Griffey Jr was overrated." His when downfall was his injuries, which were never his fault. It says a lot about his greatness that his father, who played 19 seasons, made 3 All-Star teams at won 2 World Series titles, is far and away the second best baseball player in his own family. And that Jr swing? Perfect. Arguably the best in baseball history.
As cool as the Field Of Dreams game is (and I hope it continues every year), I think the next step is to do something like this a little more frequently. I don't want to see a handful of games at the Field Of Dreams stadium, but I think several forgotten shrines could use a resurrection, even if it's just for one day a year. Or they could rebuild the old Polo Grounds because 483 feet to center field would look hilarious in person. But for the time being, The Field Of Dreams game will be enough.