If anyone knows how to throw a memorable milestone birthday party, it’s Rogers Strickland.
The Weston resident transformed a quiet patch of farmland off Countryside Road into a full-blown 1920s-era baseball field for his 75th birthday celebration on July 12. Just like he did for his 50th birthday in 2000, and several years after that, Strickland brought his own version of a “Field of Dreams” to life, complete with vintage charm, community spirit, and a touch of baseball magic.
Inspired by childhood memories of watching old-school baseball, Strickland first built a backyard stadium a quarter-century ago. He hadn’t played the game himself since he was 14.
“Somehow remembering my grandfather and uncle playing townball in Armstrong, Missouri,” Strickland said. “How much I enjoyed that as a kid. I just wanted to recreate that.”
The original field, which had sat dormant for years, required a rebuild. Over the course of three months, Strickland utilized his resources to restore the diamond, designing it for an era which brought out some of baseball’s most iconic teams, players and stories. Corn stalks lined the left field fence, hay bales offered right field seating, and wooden bleachers flanked the third-base line.
But it wasn’t complete until the arrival of the legendary Dyersville Ghosts — an Iowa-based barnstorming baseball team created for the 1989 film “Field of Dreams.” The Ghosts brought a touch of cinematic nostalgia and helped set the tone for a day filled with celebration.
“It’s really neat,” said Steve Olberding, one of the Ghost players who appeared in the movie. “This is a great setting. To see hay bales up there like that, it’s just a perfect field as far as I’m concerned.”
Olberding, who played second base and left field in the film, auditioned with 100 other hopefuls in Dubuque, Iowa. He was one of only 18 chosen and has since traveled the globe with the Ghosts, performing at events in places like Korea and Turkey.
“It’s crazy,” he said. “Where it took us and what we’ve done is hard to believe.”
The day kicked off in the early afternoon with a youth baseball camp, where the Ghosts taught dozens of children critical skills like baserunning, fielding, hitting and bunting. That was followed by a softball game open to anyone with a glove, a comedic baseball exhibition, and even hot air balloon rides. The main event — a dream field game between the Ghosts and local Weston Royals — capped off the evening.
“This is my dream of how life ought to be lived,” Strickland said. “Having parties like this. This requires almost no technology whatsoever, and I like that. It’s just about people being people, playing baseball, and letting kids have fun.”
But for Strickland, the celebration wasn’t about turning 75 — at least not entirely. The day also served as a way to bring the community together and raise money for five different charities. Thousands of dollars were collected through the event, adding deeper meaning to the festivities.
“It’s really about these kids more than anything else,” he said. “There is not a better picture than to see this.”
The event’s theme of “second chances” reflected Strickland’s own personal journey. He openly acknowledged past regrets in both family and professional life, and the birthday party served as a way to give back and make up for lost time.
“I believe that my God is a God of second chances,” Strickland said. “This is a chance for me to give back and have a second chance to be with my family, to be with my community and make a difference. That’s what’s so special about this for me.”
And just like the iconic film that inspired it all, legendary figures emerged from the cornfields once again. Local heroes like Satchel Paige and Buck O’Neil joined the ranks of Babe Ruth, Shoeless Joe Jackson and other baseball greats — portrayed by costumed players — to cap off a day that was equal parts celebration, nostalgia and education.
Strickland’s dream was more than just a birthday wish — it was a chance to relive the joy of childhood, share it with the next generation, and remind everyone that it’s never too late for a second chance.
