Despite 'hypocrisy' of Field of Dreams game, Joe Jackson's top advocate all for interest it creates

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Mike Nola is one of many people who had an emotional reaction to a father-and-son scene in the 1989 baseball movie "Field of Dreams."

The son, Ray Kinsella (played by Kevin Costner), said to his father, John Kinsella (played by Dwier Brown): "Hey Dad, wanna have a catch?"

Nola was only two years removed from the death of his father when he watched the film. Nola and his father were both huge baseball fans.

"To be honest, I cried like a baby at the end of the movie," Nola said. "Even when we re-watched it on VHS or DVR copies, my wife knew right when we got to that part I wasn't going to be able to control myself. My dad loved baseball and his death was still pretty fresh to me.

"We used to have a catch in the backyard, so I still get a little choked up now, but it's no longer the uncontrollable, messy crying I did the first time I saw it."

But the movie holds an emotional sway over Nola for another reason as well. It's a positive portrayal of former Chicago White Sox standout "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, who spent considerable portions of his life in Greenville, South Carolina, and the surrounding areas. Jackson was one of eight players banished from Major League Baseball for the game fixing-scandal in the 1919 World Series against Cincinnati.

The Black Sox scandal and Jackson were key inspirations behind W.P. Kinsella's book "Shoeless Joe," which was later adapted into the "Field of Dreams" film.

Nola was an original board member of the Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum and Baseball Library when it opened in 2008 in Greenville. He stepped down this spring and is now a board member emeritus. He has operated his own website — the Shoeless Joe Jackson Virtual Hall of Fame — since 1996 as well.

The museum is directly across the street from Fluor Field, home of the Greenville Drive, a High-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.

"'(Field of Dreams)' was a well-done movie and positive for Joe," Nola said. "A lot of people ask me questions like why did they have Ray Liotta as Joe in that movie. He batted right-handed and Joe batted left-handed. Ray threw left-handed and Joe threw right-handed. I always say, 'It's easy. You do things in Heaven opposite of the way you do them on earth.' Don't overanalyze it. Just enjoy the movie for what it is. It was a positive portrayal for Joe. It was about redemption on a bunch of different levels."

More: How an Iowa couple is celebrating their love, while honoring a late friend at Field of Dreams

Nola said none of the main stars of the movie has ever visited the museum to his knowledge.

For the second consecutive year, Nola is excited about Thursday's Field of Dreams game in the famous rural Dyersville cornfield between the Reds and Cubs because he knows it will spark national conversation about Jackson.

And that may be more true this year than last, because of Liotta's death in May.

"It can only have a positive effect to help Joe's cause," Nola said. "The more you have out there that's related to Joe the better. Any time you get Joe's name out there in the press is a good thing and it's going to be mentioned during this Field of Dreams game. They mentioned it last year and will every year they play this game. That's only going to get people interested. I don't know if (MLB commissioner Rob) Manfred will honor Joe or give Joe his due."

More: 'These guys are magicians': Meet the brothers behind the corn at the 'Field of Dreams' site

Despite attempts, Jackson never got back in the good graces of Major League Baseball and his career after the 1919 World Series consisted of playing in leagues not associated with MLB. He's been excluded from the Hall of Fame.

Jackson died Dec. 5, 1951 in Greenville and was living at the home that now contains the museum dedicated to him.

The game that the MLB has created, built from Jackson's lore, was a smash hit in 2021. It was the most-viewed MLB game, in fact, in 16 years. 

Meanwhile, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson remains officially a banished figure in baseball.

Nola admits mixed feelings about Jackson's name being a part of the Field of Dreams game.

"It is bittersweet," he said. "In a way, there's a little bit of hypocrisy there, but I get what they're trying to do and I'm behind it because I'm for any kind of press Joe gets and everybody is going to think of Joe when they see Field of Dreams."

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Shoeless Joe Jackson's top supporter talks Field of Dreams game