Hall of Famer John Smoltz worked ‘Field of Dreams Game' same day his father died

The annual MLB "Field of Dreams Game" that shares the name with the beloved baseball movie is bound to elicit strong emotions from pockets of viewers around the country. Thursday's edition that saw the Chicago Cubs defeat the Cincinnati Reds 4-2 did just that. 

Fox Sports did well to begin the occasion with iconic baseball figures Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. re-creating the memorable movie scene in which Kevin Costner's character asks his father: "Hey dad, you want to have a catch?" 

It turns out that wasn't the top tear-jerker moment from the evening. 

As noted by Nick Aguilera of the MLB website and Ted Holmlund of the New York Post, Fox commentator Joe Davis pointed out in the bottom of the eighth inning that analyst and Hall of Famer John Smoltz lost his father, John Adam Smoltz, earlier in the day at the age of 79. 

"He lived by his faith, he loved family and he would be so mad if I didn’t do this game," Smoltz remarked about his dad. "I can’t think of another day to honor him, when you think about this park, this movie, and how he loved every one of us and anyone he came in contact with. I’m the man I am because of him. He was awesome."

Smoltz added a touching story about how his father made his first baseball card when the he was just in high school and wasn't yet a household name among passionate fans.

"And everywhere he went, he just handed them out to people," Smoltz continued about the homemade cards. "I didn’t get it then. I was actually begging him to stop doing that. I get it now, because I’ve run into so many people who met my dad and they say, 'I met your dad.' And I say, 'Stop. Did he give you a card?'

"We’ll miss him. I’m going to live every day for him."