The man who inspired one of the greatest sports movies ever has passed away.
W.P. Kinsella, a renowned author who wrote Shoeless Joe, a 1982 novel that eventually became the movie Field Of Dreams, died on Friday.
He was 81 years old.
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The Canadian author wrote Shoeless Joe about a farmer in Iowa who decides to build a baseball field on his property to attract the legendary ghost of old-time baseball hero ‘Shoeless’ Joe Jackson.
Of course, that novel directly inspired the 1989 Kevin Costner-led Field of Dreams (pictured above) that also starred James Earl Jones.
Kinsella, according to his literary agent Carolyn Swayze, died in a doctor-assisted living facility in Hope, British Columbia.
The author was well-written across his career, but obviously best known for Shoeless Joe — even going so far as to receive an award from the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame during his lifetime for his significant contributions to the game in his home country.
And at the time, he seemed to know exactly where his place in baseball history would be:
“I wrote it 30 years ago, and the fact that people are still discovering it makes me proud. It looks like it will stand the test of time.”
Amen.
Sorry to hear of W.P. Kinsella’s passing. His “Shoeless Joe” has been on my shelf for three decades. pic.twitter.com/Ypvugvenhv
— Mike Wilson (@mWilstory) September 17, 2016
R.I.P., Mr. Kinsella.
Our condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones.
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