Man pleads not guilty to damaging ‘Field of Dreams’ site

DUBUQUE, Iowa – A 20-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges that he drove onto and damaged the Iowa baseball field made famous by the 1989 “Field of Dreams” movie.

The Telegraph Herald reports that Austin Pape, of Dyersville, entered a written plea before his arraignment scheduled for Monday in Dubuque. Investigators say Pape has acknowledged driving onto the field Jan. 22, and his attorney has said Pape will work with prosecutors on a resolution.

Court records say the owner estimated the damage at more than $5,500. The vehicle left deep gashes in the field and damaged sprinklers.

The field sits 2 miles outside Dyersville – 142 miles northeast of Des Moines. Thousands of people visit the property, running around the bases and walking to the surrounding cornfields.