The Sandlot (101 minutes)

Hope Springs Eternal in the Summer of 1962

Hey everyone! My name is Josh and I write about movies over at Charlie Don't Surf. I want to start by thanking Amanda for the opportunity to be a guest writer for The 90-Minute Movie. I’ve been very excited about this since we chatted a few weeks ago. The Substack community of people who love movies is so strong and full of great people who connect because of a shared passion for film. So, let’s get to it…. or in the words of Ham Porter, “PLAAAAAAAAAAAAY BAAAAAAALL!!!!!!”

Hope springs eternal this time of year. The weather is getting nicer, people are spending more time outdoors, and kids have their eyes set on their summer break from school. For many, hope springs eternal because of two words: Opening Day. The start of baseball marks, not just a change in season, but a fresh start for the game that best embodies life, overcoming adversity, hope, and storytelling. The Sandlot is a film about hope springing eternal for one particular kid, Scotty “Smalls,” as he discovers friendship and a love for baseball after moving to Los Angeles in the summer of 1962.

To use a nickname from baseball history, the 1990s had a Murderers’ Row of Kids Sports Movies: The Mighty Ducks Trilogy, Angels in the Outfield, Little Giants, and Air Bud just to name a few. Those four movies are worth the Hall of Fame, but The Sandlot stands out amongst the legends. It is the Willie Mays of Kids Sports Movies. Of all the films in the genre, The Sandlot is the most quotable and the one that resonates most across generations.

But why does The Sandlot have this special magic that sets it apart? Because it has four themes…or four batters in its lineup…that make it a timeless classic.

The Lead-Off Hitter of Loneliness

Having “Loneliness” as your lead-off hitter sounds like some bad managerial decision-making, but hear me out for a minute. Every kid has been lonely. Every kid has felt out of place amongst a group of people. Every kid has had that awkward moment of embarrassment. Every person can relate to what Smalls went through during the first 20 minutes of the movie. His mom recently remarried and he is adjusting to having a stepdad. On top of that, his family moved to a place where he had no friends, and is struggling to find the place where he belongs. Any adult watching The Sandlot can relate one way or another to where Smalls is at the beginning of the film.

To make matters worse for our friend, his life turns into “Bad News Bears” when finds the gumption to introduce himself to the kids at The Sandlot. This collection of scenes takes me back to my freshman year of high school. I had a moment similar to the one that Smalls had. I went to this school where I knew nobody. It was a private school with a tight-knit community of students who went to grade school together. I felt like I was on the outside looking in. We were able to hang out in the gym during the lunch period. I loved basketball and knew that I was going to try out for the team that winter (I got cut). In a moment that crushed my high school hopes and dreams, I tripped over my own feet and flat on my face…in front of EVERYBODY. Mind you, this was like the second week of school and I didn’t have a single friend. Talk about embarrassing.

Luckily, no one called me an “L-7” Weenie or a “Square.” I’m sure there were a few laughs and someone did ask if I was okay, but still, how does one trip over their own feet while just dribbling a basketball? You can see how I didn’t make the team, but this also wasn’t the end of my high school experience. It got better and I had a fun four years. Things got better for Smalls. He may have felt like his life ended when the baseball hit him in the face and when he lacked the skills to throw it, but things got better when he made a friend in Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez.

*Side note: There are a lot of hilarious moments in this film, but I always laugh the hardest every time Kenny DeNunez gives this look when Smalls runs the ball to him instead of throwing. The disgust is perfect. Nice Kansas City Monarchs hat too.

The Clean-Up Hitter of Friendship

Smalls would not have had the memorable summer or fallen in love with baseball without Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez. Benny saw something in him that he didn’t see in himself. Shoot, the other kids didn’t even want to accept him at first. Fortunately, Benny “The Jet” could have also been called Benny “The Captain” because he was the clear-cut leader of the group. It helped that he was far and away the most talented at baseball. He would eventually play in the Major Leagues, but I think this character sends a strong message about accepting new people into the group and making sure they feel like they belong. It’s a good message for all kids, and adults, to receive when watching The Sandlot.

After Smalls becomes “one of the guys”, he has a ton of fun with the group and they get into loads of trouble. It is scene after scene after scene after scene of a group of kids having one of the most memorable summers in film history. They have the tree house camp out and tell the story of “The Beast”. Squints makes his move on Wendy Peffercorn and they play ball under the Independence Day fireworks. They beat the pants off the privileged Little League squad then have a regrettable night of celebrating at the carnival. This season of fun will lead to the inevitable stuff of legends, the scenes that make the characters, and the movie worthy additions to the Baseball Movie Mythology.

The Pinch Hitter of Mythology

Let’s have a quick conversation about Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez. His legacy has long been established in the Fictional Kid Athlete Hall of Fame. Let’s be frank, he’s the GOAT and it’s not even close. Who would his competitors be? Charlie Conway from The Mighty Ducks? He wasn’t even the best player on his hockey team. He was the team captain, but you can’t be the GOAT if there are three to five of your teammates who are better hockey players. What about Pablo Sanchez from the Backyard Sports video game series. He was an all-around athlete, but never became a pro. I’m going to bet that Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez had pro scouts at his high school games once word got out that he pickled The Beast. What about the kids from Like Mike and Rookie of the Year? They’re disqualified because of magic. Benny never used performance-enhancing magic. He didn’t need it.

So, what makes The Sandlot and Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez great is the mythology behind them. The kid was a once-in-a-generation athlete who had the “It Factor.” You know the story. Smalls hits a ball signed by Babe Ruth over the fence and it becomes the property of The Beast. After many failed attempts at retrieving the ball, Benny is visited by Babe Ruth in a dream. This is the moment that he goes from great athlete to the legend that he is today. Babe Ruth speaks those memorable words, “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die” and Benny does the unthinkable. He laces up his P.F. Flyers, hops the fence to get the ball, and outruns The Beast. His legend will live on forever.

The Walk Off Hero of History

Baseball is a game of history, storytelling, and collection. The boys get a lesson in all three when they meet Mr. Mertle, the man who owns The Beast (named Hercules), and the property where all of their homerun balls were lost. Mr. Mertle was a part of baseball history. Not only is the house full of collectible items, but he played and he had a story to tell. Mr. Mertle was a great ballplayer and played with Babe Ruth. Unfortunately, Mr. Mertle would not have been allowed to play in the Major Leagues because African Americans weren’t allowed into the league during this time period. He would have played with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig when they barnstormed during the offseason. Major Leaguers played against Negro Leagues players on these barnstorming tours and quickly found out that the level of competition equaled, and was possibly even better, than Major League Baseball. Based on the picture in his house, Mr. Mertle likely played for the Pittsburgh Crawfords.

Mr. Mertle gives Smalls another autographed ball to replace the one covered in slobber and dirt. More important than the ball, Smalls got the summer of his life. A summer of new friends, fun, a passion for baseball, and memories that he cherished for a lifetime.