Matthew Perry Was an Investor in 'Field of Dreams' Stadium
Matthew Perry also starred in the NBC sports sitcom 'Go On.'
Matthew Perry died suddenly on Saturday at the age of 54, and family members, celebrities and fans have been paying tribute to the Friends star all weekend. While Perry was known for his work in television and film, he was also a huge baseball fan. The baseball lifestyle brand Baseballism shared a photo of Perry in a Los Angeles Dodgers jersey on social media and said that he invested in the Field of Dreams movie site in 2012. He planned to build youth baseball fields beyond the original movie site carved out of the corn. Baseballism said Perry's dream will come true in 2025.
"Field of Dreams has always been one of my favorite movies and having a chance to do just about anything with Wade Boggs is a dream come true for me," Perry said at the time per The Hollywood Reporter. "I'm looking forward to helping make this a place where young ball players from all over the country can come and make their dreams come true, too. And, if we hear voices coming from the cornfields we'll be sure to follow any and all instructions."
Perry had a passion for baseball but loved all sports. In 2012, the Emmy-nominated actor starred in the NBC sitcom Go On and played Ryan King, a sports talk radio host who joined a support group while trying to move on from the death of his wife. The series lasted one season and starred Laura Benanti, Julie White, Tyler James Williams, Suzy Nakamura, Brett Gelman, Sarah Baker and John Cho. After learning about Perry's death, Benanti went to Instagram to share a photo of the Go On cast and issued a statement.
"Matty was generous, brilliant and an unparalleled talent," Benanti wrote. "What a devastating loss. May his memory be a blessing." Perry continued to work until 2021 as Friends: The Reunion was his last appearance on television or film. In 2022, Perry appeared on Q with Tom Power podcast and revealed how he wanted to be remembered.
"I would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker," Perry said, per PEOPLE. "And his paramount thing is that he wants to help people. The best thing about me, bar none, is that if an alcoholic or drug addict comes up to me and says, 'Will you help me?' I can say yes and follow up and do it. When I die, I don't want Friends to be the first thing that's mentioned. I want that to be the first thing that's mentioned, and I'm going to live the rest of my life proving that."