take the field
To enter onto a playing field in order to begin some event. Everyone rose to their feet as the home team took the field. The band took the field to perform their halftime show.
take the field
Enter a competition, as in The country's best spellers took the field in the national spelling bee. This term originated around 1600 when it meant "to open a military campaign." The field here is the field of battle. The term has been used figuratively almost as long, the first recorded use being in 1614.
take the field
To begin or resume activity, as in a sport or military operations.