Ray Kinsella I need all the karma I can get right now.
2nd most-quoted character in Field of Dreams (1989): in 29 of its 55 quotes
Most scenes with: Dr. Archibald Graham (aka "Moonlight" Graham) (22), Terence Mann (8), Shoeless Joe Jackson (8)
It's okay, honey. I... I was just talking to the cornfield.
More lines from Ray Kinsella
3 quotes Ray Kinsella Ray Kinsella That's my corn out there! You guys are guests in my corn!
Ray Kinsella My father's name was John Kinsella. It's an Irish name. He was born in North Dakota in 1896 and never saw a big city until he came back from France in 1918. He settled in Chicago where he quickly learned to live and die with the White Sox. Died a little when they lost the 1919 World Series, died a lot the following summer when 8 members of the team were accused of throwing that series. He played in the minors for a year or two but nothing ever came of it. Moved to Brooklyn in '35, married mom in '38 and was already an old man working at the naval yards when I was born in 1952. My name's Ray Kinsella. Mom died when I was three and I suppose dad did the best he could. Instead of Mother Goose, I was put to bed at night with stories of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and the great "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. Dad was a Yankees fan then so, of course, I rooted for Brooklyn. But in '58 the Dodgers moved away and we had to find other things to fight about. We did. And when it came time to go to college, I picked the farthest one away from home I could find. [Ray is seen on the University of California, Berkeley campus] This of course drove him right up the wall which, I suppose, was the point. Officially my major was English but, really, it was the '60s. I marched, I smoked some grass, I tried to like sitar music, and I met Annie. The only thing we had in common was that she came from Iowa and I had once heard of Iowa. After graduation we moved to the mid-west and stayed with her family as long as we could; almost a full afternoon. Annie and I got married in June of '74. Dad died that fall. A few years later, Karen was born. She smelled weird but, we loved her anyway. Then Annie got the crazy idea that she could talk me into buying a farm. I'm 36 years old, I love my family, I love baseball and I'm about to become a farmer. But until I heard the voice, I'd never done a crazy thing in my whole life.
Scenes with Ray Kinsella
25 scenesI'd wake up at night with the smell of the ball park in my nose, the cool of the grass on my feet... The thrill of the grass.
If you build what, who will come?
Ray Kinsella He didn't say.
I mean, Shoeless Joe...
Ray Kinsella He's dead. Died in '51. He's dead.
He's the one they suspended, right?
Ray Right.
He's still dead?
Ray Far as I know.
Hey, is this heaven?
Ray Kinsella No, it's Iowa.
Ray Kinsella Don't we need a catcher?
Not if you get it near the plate, we don't.
Ray I bet it's good to be playing again, huh?
Getting thrown out of baseball was like having part of me amputated. I've heard that old men wake up and scratch itchy legs that have been dust for over fifty years. That was me. I'd wake up at night with the smell of the ball park in my nose, the cool of the grass on my feet... The thrill of the grass.
Man, I did love this game. I'd have played for food money. It was the game... The sounds, the smells. Did you ever hold a ball or a glove to your face?
Ray Yeah.
I used to love travelling on the trains from town to town. The hotels... brass spittoons in the lobbies, brass beds in the rooms. It was the crowd, rising to their feet when the ball was hit deep. Shoot, I'd play for nothing!
What's with the lights?
Ray Oh, all the stadiums have them now. Even Wrigley Field.
Makes it harder to see the ball.
Ray Yeah, well, the owners found that more people can attend night games.
Ray Kinsella The voice is back.
Oh, Lord... you don't have to build a football field now, do you?
What if the Voice calls while you're gone?
Ray Kinsella Take a message.
Ray Kinsella You've changed.
Yes, I suppose I have. How's this? Peace, Love, Dope! Now, get the hell out of here!
Now, what the hell is that?
Ray Kinsellla
What's is look like? It's a gun.
That's your finger.
Ray Kinsella No, it's a gun.
Take it out. Let me see it.
Ray Kinsella Get out of here! I'm not showing you my gun. [Mann reaches behind a shelf and grabs a crowbar.] Hey, what are you doing?
I'm gonna beat you with this crowbar until you go away.
Ray Kinsella You can't do that!
[Mann takes a wild swing; Kinsella falls while dodging it.]
Oh, there are rules? There are no rules here!
Ray Kinsella You're a pacifist!
Shit.
Ray Kinsella What do you want?
I want them to stop looking to me for answers, begging me to speak again, write again, be a leader. I want them to start thinking for themselves. I want my privacy.
Ray Kinsella I mean, what do you want? [Gestures toward concession stand.]
Oh. Dog and a beer.
Ray Kinsella By the time I was ten, playing baseball got to be like eating vegetables or taking out the garbage. So when I was fourteen I started refusing. Can you believe that? An American boy refusing to play catch with his father.
Why fourteeen?
Ray Kinsella That's when I read "The Boat Rocker", by Terence Mann.
Oh, God.
Ray Kinsella Never played catch with him again.
You see? That's the kind of crap people are always trying to lay on me. It's not my fault you wouldn't play catch with your father!
So, what was it?
Ray Kinsella Hmm?
The "terrible thing" you said to your father. What was it?
Ray Kinsella I told him I could never respect a man whose hero was a criminal.
Who was his hero?
Ray Kinsella Shoeless Joe Jackson.
He wasn't a criminal. You knew that. [Ray nods.] So why'd you say it?
Ray Kinsella I was seventeen.
Ray Kinsella Fifty years ago, for five minutes you came within... y-you came this close. It would kill some men to get so close to their dream and not touch it. God, they'd consider it a tragedy.
Son, if I'd only gotten to be a doctor for five minutes... now that would have been a tragedy.
[When Karin Kinsella is injured, Archie "Moonlight" Graham leaves the baseball field; this causes him to become his later self, Dr. Graham.]
She'll be all right. She'll be turning handsprings before you know it. (He looks wistfully at ball field.)
Ray Kinsella You can't go back? You can't go back... oh, God, I'm sorry —
It's all right. I'd best be gettin' on home. Alicia will begin to think I've got a girlfriend. [He turns to leave.]
Hey, rookie! You were good.
Ray Kinsella You lied to me.
Well, you were kidnapping me at the time, you big jerk!
Ray You lied to me!
Well, you said your finger was a gun!
Ray That's a good point.
Ray Kinsella I did it all, I listened to the voices, I did what they told me, and not once did I ask what's in it for me.
What are you saying, Ray?
Ray Kinsella I'm saying... what's in it for me?
Ray Kinsella What are you grinning at, you ghost?
"If you build it -" [gestures toward catcher, who is Ray's father, John Kinsella] "- he will come."
Ray "Ease his pain. Go the distance." It was him!
No, Ray. It was you.
Is this heaven?
John Kinsella Is this heaven?
Ray Kinsella It's — it's Iowa.
John I could have sworn it was heaven.
Ray Is there a heaven?
John Oh, yeah. It's the place where dreams come true.
Ray Maybe this is heaven.
Ray "Oh my God....It's my father...My God! I'd only seen him years later when he was worn down by life. Look at him. He's got his whole life in front of him and I'm not even a glint in his eye. What do I say to him?
"Why don't you introduce him to his granddaughter?"
Ray Hey, Dad... you wanna have a catch?
John I'd like that.
Ray Kinsella Don't you miss being involved?
I was the East Coast distributor of 'involved'. I ate it, drank it, and breathed it. Then they killed Martin, they killed Bobby, they elected Tricky Dick twice. And people like you think I must be miserable because I'm not involved anymore. Well, I've got news for you. I spent all my misery years ago. I have no more pain for anything. I gave at the office.
Ray Kinsella So, what do you want?
I want them to stop looking to me for answers, begging me to speak again, write again, be a leader. I want them to start thinking for themselves. I want my privacy.
Ray Kinsella I mean, what do you want? [Gestures toward concession stand.]
Oh. Dog and a beer.
Ray Kinsella Two of those.
Concession stand worker
Seven bucks.
What was the awful thing you said?
Ray Kinsella I said I could never respect a man whose hero was a criminal.
Who was his hero?
Ray Kinsella Shoeless Joe Jackson.
You knew he wasn't a criminal. [Ray nods.] Then why did you say it?
Ray Kinsella I was seventeen. [Terence nods.]
So this is your penance.
Ray Kinsella I know. I can't bring my father back...
...so the least you can do is bring back his hero.
Ray Kinsella You catch a good game.
John Kinsella Thank you. It's so beautiful here. For me, well, for me, it's like a dream come true. Can I ask you something? Is, is this heaven?
Ray Kinsella It's — it's Iowa.
John Kinsella I could have sworn it was heaven.
Ray Is there a heaven?
John Kinsella Oh, yeah. It's the place where dreams come true.
Ray Maybe this is heaven.
John Kinsella Well, good night Ray.
Ray Kinsella Good night, John.
Ray Kinsella [They shake hands and John begins to walk away]
Hey... Dad?
Ray Kinsella [John turns] [choked up]
You wanna have a catch?
John Kinsella I'd like that. Very much.
