The actual competition on the field didn’t live up to last year’s heroics, when the White Sox shutout the Yankees, but the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds still had fun. “There’s no way it takes anything away from the day we had here,” Reds manager David Bell said after his side’s 4-2 defeat. “It’s a great experience. I’ve heard so many people across our club say it’s something they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.” The winning team agreed, especially Cubs first baseman Drew Smyly, who pitched a fantastic game. His wife and daughter joined him as they celebrated the latter’s fifth birthday. He was asked for the highlight of the day — other than throwing five shutout innings. “Just being a tourist, taking it all in,” he said. “You just feel like a kid again. You’re in the middle of Iowa playing a baseball game. It’s awesome. “I hope he remembers it. I know I will.”
The players toured the movie set before playing in front of a sold-out crowd of just 7,823 fans. It brought back a feeling that many major league players hadn’t experienced in a long time. “It felt like a college atmosphere,” Cubs shortstop Nico Hoerner said. “Definitely not normal. I could see a horse up close quite easily. It was definitely quieter than normal. I had to turn down the PitchCom.” Not everything went perfectly as Reds second baseman Jonathan India left with a bruised left leg. Bell was relieved to find that India had not suffered a fracture and called it a day. Cubs catcher Willson Contreras also had a scary moment as he rolled his ankle after rounding second base in the third inning, but stayed in the game. “The field conditions were great,” Cubs third baseman Patrick Wisdom said before the first pitch. “I didn’t know what to expect, but everything was great.” Manager David Ross said he was distracted all night “looking at the corn” but was honored to be part of the game, which will not be played in 2023 due to construction. The day and night was also an impressive experience for Japanese rookie Seiya Suzuki. “There aren’t many corn fields like this in Japan,” Suzuki said. Nor are there many major league games with such a familiar feel. A memory that lasted a lifetime was the post-game narrative coming from both sides. “It’s very hard to put into words what it meant,” Bell said. “It was just perfect.”
