STUDENT SCORES BIG AT FIELD OF DREAMS

Clarke Student Scores Big at FIELD OF DREAMS

Tucker LaBelle ’22 is just a sophomore at Clarke University, yet he feels he has been blessed with many amazing opportunities since arriving in Iowa from his hometown of Athens, Ohio. One such opportunity is at Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa. As most locals are aware, the field was made famous by the 1989 film Field of Dreams, starring Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones. In the film, an inspired Iowa farmer (Costner) builds a baseball field, then sees “Shoeless” Joe Jackson's ghost and other marvels. The film became an Academy Award nominee for “Best Picture of the Year” in 1989.

The Dyersville field has gained world-renowned accolades not only from the film, but also as a beloved tourist destination. It serves as a moment in time and a place in cinematic history. The field and farm belonged to the Lansing family of Dyersville since 1906, and Don Lansing is the man who said “yes” to the Hollywood producers who wanted to use his boyhood home for the film.

When LaBelle landed at Clarke and decided on a Communication major, he reached for the stars and sent his resumé to Field of Dreams. The CEO offered him a position as tour guide, and this spring he was promoted to Social Media Coordinator and Content Creator. He continues to work there while enrolled full time at Clarke.

When asked about stand-out moments in his position thus far, LaBelle shared, “I was given the opportunity to be ambassador for the company and oversee Senator Bernie Sanders, his family, and actor Susan Sarandon when they visited the field. This was an incredible opportunity that involved working with Sanders’ campaign staff in advance of the event and on the day of, and hosting him and his family. The other highlight that sticks out is when I was company ambassador again for filming of an episode of the History Channel’s show ‘American Pickers.’”

He continued, “I have also been featured by the Associated French Press and several local news stations talking about the field, which has been amazing. Every day is a highlight at Field of Dreams. I was fortunate enough to meet many of my childhood role models who I thought I would never meet, such as Ricky Henderson who is arguably one of the greatest baseball players of all time. I’ve also loved meeting and creating a working relationship with a member of the original film cast, Dwier Brown, who plays Costner’s father, John Kinsella, in the film.”

Clarke Assistant Professor of Communication Emily Goodmann, said, “Tucker has been a stand-out student from the start. He parlayed an internship at the Field of

Dreams into a paid social media position for the school year. We are very proud of his success and look forward to sharing his stories on The Crux, our online publication for students, by students.”

The next huge event LaBelle is involved in is the upcoming MLB game at the Field of Dreams on Thursday, August 13, 2020, at a newly constructed ballpark built adjacent to the movie site that will hold 8,000 fans. The Chicago White Sox will take on the New York Yankees, with the White Sox being the home team. Fox Television will provide exclusive national coverage of the 7 p.m. (ET) game. The design of the park will pay homage to Chicago’s former Comiskey Park, which was home of the White Sox (and, for a time, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson) from 1910-90.

LaBelle is looking forward to the big day. “My involvement with the MLB game is ongoing. I will be capturing every moment I can with a camera. My participation up to this point has consisted of coordinating social media posts to promote the game and its arrival in Dyersville as well as shooting drone footage and photography, some of which has been and will be used by the MLB.”

Even as a relatively new college student, LaBelle has learned that his education in the communication field provides him with endless potential to develop his career. He grew up in a house of journalists and authors and always knew he wanted to do something content-based to share the stories and messages of others.

He said, “The opportunity at Field of Dreams has proven to me that this is what I want to pursue for my career. Moving forward, I want to launch a photo series highlighting the stories of those who were involved in the creation of this movie and its legacy. Along with that, I am co-writing a book with my boss, Roman Weinberg, that will be published this summer to offer readers the stories behind the Field of Dreams and the influential figures involved.

"The bottom line for me is that this opportunity has offered, and continues to offer me, pathways to the career I plan to pursue. Who knows? Maybe I’ll remain at Field of Dreams long term, doing what I love most.” 