Latest news with #FieldofDreams'
Chicago Tribune
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Jacobs graduate Doug Feldmann finds baseball home as official scorer for Cincinnati Reds. ‘Kind of got hooked.'
Doug Feldmann won't be mistaken for actor Kevin Costner, but this college professor is living a baseball dream of his own that would be the envy of many. Costner, of course, starred in baseball movies 'Bull Durham' and 'Field of Dreams' before playing the role of fictional Detroit Tigers pitcher Billy Chapel in 'For Love of the Game,' a 1999 film. Feldmann graduated from Jacobs in 1988, the year that 'Bull Durham' was released. He's parlayed his passion for the sport to build a resume filled with baseball connections while pursuing his career in education that started at Northern Illinois and includes a doctorate from Indiana. 'I kind of got hooked,' said Feldmann, who is in his first season as an official scorer for the Cincinnati Reds. It's a job he shares with legendary Ron Roth, who's been at it for 45 years and has coached amateur baseball for 60 years. Both are employed by Major League Baseball. Feldmann, who has taught in the College of Education at Northern Kentucky for the past 20 years, has played and coached baseball, written about it and scouted for several professional teams. His extensive writing on baseball history and the sport's sociological impact on urban and small-town America include articles for Society of American Baseball Research and several books. He previously worked 15 seasons at Reds games for MLB as a data caster. 'Staring at a laptop, he sits next to the P.A. announcer and official scorer putting in all kinds of data that includes scoring and play-by-play,' Feldmann said of the role. 'At the end of the night, I'd check with the scorer to make sure we matched up, then sent a report to New York. It was fun.' With the new job comes more responsibility. Hit or error? It's an age-old question for anyone who has ever kept score at a baseball game and is still one of the most challenging decisions to make, although with all the information that MLB records and compiles, there's more help. Feldmann has 24 hours to change any call he's made and players have three days to appeal. 'Five to six years ago, they were still faxing information to New York each night, but now it's done electronically,' Feldmann. 'In my training I was told the guiding principal is, should (or) could an average major leaguer make the play? 'If someone like Elly De La Cruz ranges far to his left and dives but can't come up with the ball, how many players would even get to the ball? I'm told to trust my eyes.' Players do appeal, especially with decisions possibly impacting bonuses outlined in their contracts based on performance. 'It's dizzying,' Feldmann said of all the information that's now available in the age of analytics. How hard the ball was hit can be gauged by its speed off the bat. 'I'm kind of older school,' Feldmann said. 'I hope the beauty of the game is not lost.' His love for baseball came naturally. His father, John, played minor league baseball for both the Chicago Cubs and White Sox in a professional career interrupted by service in the Navy. Feldmann's late brother, Chuck, taught and coached football at Dundee-Crown. His sister, Julie Edwards, still lives in Algonquin. Feldmann played the sport in high school as well as basketball and football. He walked on to the football team at Northern Illinois. 'I had played fullback and linebacker at Jacobs but was the backup punter at NIU,' he said with a chuckle. 'Not a very critical position.' So, when the school reinstated baseball in the spring of 1991, Feldmann asked coach Jerry Pettibone if he could skip spring practice to try out. He was given the OK and made the team, playing mostly third base and some outfield for coach Joe McFarland. 'We were kind of a ragtag operation,' Feldmann said. 'We took some lumps but we had fun.' Feldmann taught high school for several years and coached lower-level baseball in DeKalb, Libertyville and Rockford before moving on to college teaching. There he tried scouting as a side job, assisting full-time scouts and feeding them information in a freelancer role. 'I'd love to stick with scoring,' Feldmann said. 'I don't know for how long, but I'm really enjoying being at the ballpark and going to the games.'
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Pitbull and Tim McGraw to perform before Braves vs. Reds at Bristol Motor Speedway
Major League Baseball is proud to announce that, for the first time, entertainment and sports will face off against each other, as MLB presents the 2025 MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway on Aug 02, 2025. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The event features an MLB regular-season game between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds, marking the first-ever MLB game in the state of Tennessee. In addition, country musician Tim McGraw is set to perform a pregame concert, as well as international pop phenomenon Pitbull, making it an unforgettable experience for fans. A historic venue, Bristol Motor Speedway, meets America's pastime This will be held at Bristol Motor Speedway, which is known for NASCAR, but will convert its famous half-mile oval into a baseball diamond just for this event. The site, which can set 165,000 or more, has been the site of large-scale events, including the 2016 college football record-setting game between Tennessee and Virginia Tech. The Speedway Classic is another move from MLB's playbook to make baseball more accessible away from traditional stadiums and ballparks, but not the first, given the successful 'Field of Dreams' game in Iowa and games already played at Fort Bragg and Rickwood Field. The game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET and will air nationally on FOX, and will be considered a home game for the Reds. There will be a temporary baseball diamond over the infield of the speedway with 330-foot lines and a 400-foot centerfield. Looks like one can kill two birds with one stone, as these guys try to set up an innovative viewing experience, combining the suspense of baseball with a big-race venue. Music and baseball collide for an unforgettable event Tim McGraw and Pitbull are also part of the entertainment-centric vibe of the announcement, with a pregame concert before the event. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now McGraw has a baseball background, with his dad, Tug McGraw, being a two-time World Series champion. The parties are even more fun with the lively Ojito himself – Pitbull, who brings the heat into your backyard. Together, the two will kick off the evening, emphasizing the intersection between sports and music in an electrifying tone. Also Read: MLB Speedway Classic tickets are on sale on the Cincinnati Reds' website, and a share of sales during December will aid local non-profits. Anyone who plans to be in the Denver area during the 2025 MLB season should book their seats now for this historic game, as it will undoubtedly be one of the defining moments of the 2025 season.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Wife of Fayetteville's ‘Field of Dreams' builder Sam Perroni, passes at 76
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Patricia Perroni, the wife of Sam Perroni, who built a 'Field of Dreams' baseball field in his Fayetteville backyard, died May 19. Sam, his true love story with his wife Patricia, and his beautiful ball field were profiled last August on 'The Good Stuff' with Doug Warner. Each year, Sam hosts a youth baseball tournament with money benefiting the Alzheimer's Association — Arkansas Chapter. Patricia was diagnosed with Alzheimer's shortly after the ballfield was built. Patricia and Sam's love story first began in high school. To this day, he describes Patricia as 'Pure of heart,' a relationship that began in 1966. They later married in 1969. Patricia Perroni was 76 years old. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Canada Standard
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Canada Standard
Ben Affleck shares
Washington DC [US], May 8 (ANI): Actor Ben Affleck shares his views on the paprazzi culture and said that he empathises with singer Britney Spears for her experience with paparazzi frenzy, reported People. The Accountant 2 star, shared on an episode of the This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von podcast as quoted by People that he particularly had compassion for what Britney Spears, had to go through at the peak of the paparazzi frenzy. 'A long time ago, years and years ago, I really had a lot of empathy for Britney Spears because I remember it seemed like -- I mean [she's] not someone I knew or hung out with -- but just like everybody else you see all this s--- that comes through,' Affleck (52) recalled as quoted by People. He continued, 'But having had my own experiences myself, I knew these are people who are following her around at a time where she may or may not have been having difficulty,' as quoted by People. The actor said that he didn't 'know' what Spears (43) was dealing with at the time since he didn't 'know her,' but he did understand 'the cycle of having people harangue you and yell at you and hassle you and follow you' to create 'a tizzy,' as quoted by People. The actor has been in the entertainment industry for decades. Actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck recalled meeting Kevin Costner alongside Matt Damon when they were working as extras. Affleck and Damon started their career in the entertainment industry as film extras. During their recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Affleck responded to Kevin, stating he recalled him and Damon while they were working on the 1989 film, 'Field of Dreams' as per The Hollywood Reporter. 'Field of Dreams' is a 1989 sports fantasy drama film written and directed by Phil Alden Robinson, and based on Canadian novelist W P Kinsella's 1982 novel Shoeless Joe. The film stars Kevin Costner as a farmer who builds a baseball field in his cornfield that attracts the ghosts of baseball legends, including Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) and the Chicago Black Sox. Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, and Burt Lancaster (in his final film role) also star. 'Kevin is being kind saying he remembers us because we were not memorable,' he said, adding, 'It's sweet of him to say that, but I'm pretty sure he remembers the actors with lines.' Ben Affleck is known for his roles in movies like 'Good Will Hunting', Argo and others. (ANI)
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Ben Affleck shares "empathy" with Britney Spears for difficulties during paparazzi frenzy
Actor Ben Affleck shares his views on the paprazzi culture and said that he empathises with singer Britney Spears for her experience with paparazzi frenzy, reported People. The Accountant 2 star, shared on an episode of the This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von podcast as quoted by People that he particularly had compassion for what Britney Spears, had to go through at the peak of the paparazzi frenzy. Operation Sindoor Operation Sindoor: Several airports in India closed - check full list Did Pak shoot down Indian jets? What MEA said India foils Pakistan's attack on Jammu airport: What we know so far "A long time ago, years and years ago, I really had a lot of empathy for Britney Spears because I remember it seemed like -- I mean [she's] not someone I knew or hung out with -- but just like everybody else you see all this s--- that comes through," Affleck (52) recalled as quoted by People. He continued, "But having had my own experiences myself, I knew these are people who are following her around at a time where she may or may not have been having difficulty," as quoted by People. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo The actor said that he didn't "know" what Spears (43) was dealing with at the time since he didn't "know her," but he did understand "the cycle of having people harangue you and yell at you and hassle you and follow you" to create "a tizzy," as quoted by People. The actor has been in the entertainment industry for decades. Actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck recalled meeting Kevin Costner alongside Matt Damon when they were working as extras. Affleck and Damon started their career in the entertainment industry as film extras. During their recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Affleck responded to Kevin, stating he recalled him and Damon while they were working on the 1989 film, 'Field of Dreams' as per The Hollywood Reporter. 'Field of Dreams' is a 1989 sports fantasy drama film written and directed by Phil Alden Robinson , and based on Canadian novelist W P Kinsella's 1982 novel Shoeless Joe. The film stars Kevin Costner as a farmer who builds a baseball field in his cornfield that attracts the ghosts of baseball legends, including Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) and the Chicago Black Sox. Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, and Burt Lancaster (in his final film role) also star. "Kevin is being kind saying he remembers us because we were not memorable," he said, adding, "It's sweet of him to say that, but I'm pretty sure he remembers the actors with lines." Ben Affleck is known for his roles in movies like 'Good Will Hunting', Argo and others. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . And don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
