Man pleads guilty to ‘Field of Dreams’ site vandalism

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FILE – This Feb. 1, 2018 file photo shows the damage done to the Iowa baseball field made famous by the 1989 “Field of Dreams” movie is seen near Dyersville, Iowa.  (Dave Kettering/Telegraph Herald via AP)

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A man accused of driving onto and damaging the eastern Iowa baseball field made famous by the 1989 movie “Field of Dreams” has changed his plea to guilty.

This booking photo provided by Dubuque (Iowa) County Sheriff’s Office shows Austin Pape. (Dubuque (Iowa) County Sheriff’s Office via AP)

Dubuque County court records say 21-year-old Austin Pape, of Dyersville, entered the plea Monday, the day his trial was to begin on a felony charge of criminal mischief. His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 13.

Investigators say Pape acknowledged driving onto the field Jan. 22. 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 just outside of Dyersville, which is 140 miles (220 kilometers) northeast of Des Moines. Thousands of people visit the property every year, running around the bases and walking to the surrounding cornfields.