Hidden Truths and Mysteries of The Sandlot

The film, though based in California, was actually shot in Salt Lake City, Utah. The whole process spanned over a period of 42 days. Utah was going through a blistering heatwave at that time with temperatures soaring up to an incredible 111ºF on certain days. The heat was serious, one day Tom Guiry, who portrayed the character of Scotty Smalls, became so disoriented while running in a scene that he bumped into a camera operator. However, there was a sudden drop in temperature on the day they were set to film the well-known swimming pool scene. The weather was predominantly overcast, and the mercury dipped to 55 degrees. That’s why if you look closely, you might catch some of the kids visibly shivering in that scene; because indeed, they were!

The Sandlot kids had a truly cool treehouse, but it proved difficult for the movie’s set creators and props team to locate the perfect tree. One day, while Evans and his team were cruising around Salt Lake City, they spotted a man chopping down a huge oak tree. They asked if they could have it for their set, and lucky for them, the man said yes. They moved the enormous tree to their filming area, using a big amount of cement to fix it into the soil. And that’s how the foundation of the famous treehouse came into existence.

Imagine the movie without Hercules, the dog. Often, a giant puppet dog was used for scenes, but some moments needed a real dog. According to Tom Guiry, the dog who played “The Beast” was just as imposing in real life as he was on screen, which could be a bit scary. To get Hercules to lick Smalls’ face for a scene, they applied an entire jar of baby food on Guiry’s cheek. Thankfully, Guiry, being a dog lover, found the whole scene quite enjoyable and memorable.

The unforgettable episode in which a bunch of lads learned the hard lesson that consuming tobacco and going on carnival rides are a terrible combination. The imitation blend that they were compelled to eat was a unique mix of bacon and licorice. Unsurprisingly, they didn’t have to pretend to be nauseous after a certain period. After several turns on the ride and having to endure the unpleasant concoction, some of the boys became just as unwell as they appear in the movie scene. The cast’s recollection of this moment was far from joyous.

David Mickey Evans, the creator of The Sandlot, found himself facing a major legal battle. A guy he used to go to school with was convinced that the character Squints was based on his life. He was really upset, saying that it showed him in a negative light and caused him “undue embarrassment.” However, a judge tossed out the case because there just wasn’t enough proof to show that Squints was really based on this guy. This ended up having a big impact in Hollywood, helping to establish the rule that moviemakers can create characters inspired by real people, without having to worry about getting sued.

Marley Shelton, the actress who played the beautiful Wendy Peffercorn, was as adored by the boys in real life as in the movie. Chauncey Leopardi, who embodied the character Squints, was quite anxious and even a little scared about a particular scene in the script where he had to kiss Wendy. He kept on asking about when would they film that intimidating scene. The director of the movie felt nervous about how the young actor, Leopardi, would handle it as well. Therefore, as the day arrived to shoot the now-famous pool scene, the director took no risks. He gave Leopardi precise directions to keep his tongue in his mouth during the kiss, with a clear warning of otherwise.

For a bunch of boys not yet teenagers, the summer they spent making the movie was like being at the best camp ever, complete with swimming, baseball, and even a carnival. They all quickly became buddies and enjoyed lots of fun times. They were real pranksters too – they managed to slip into the movies without any grown-ups knowing, and watched the adult-rated thriller, Basic Instinct. Reflecting on that time, Guiry admitted, “For an 11 year-old, you really couldn’t ask for a better movie to be in.”

There’s one scene that was super tricky to film, and it’s the funny s’mores scene with Ham and Smalls. The other boys just couldn’t help bursting into laughter, especially because of the way Patrick Renna, who played Ham, was handling his lines. Multiple attempts, more than a dozen, were made before the director had to resort to a different tactic – he told the boys that they had to bite their lips to stop themselves from laughing. Nowadays, this scene is recognized as one of the most memorable lines of the movie. But if you watch closely, you can catch Mike Vitar (you might know him as Benny) in the background trying his best not to crack up, his lip caught between his teeth.

While most scenes of the movie were carefully planned and written, a handful of them weren’t. The best unscripted lines, unsurprisingly, came from Patrick Renna, who played the character, Ham. The memorable squabble between Ham and his adversary Philips along with several spontaneous lines voiced from behind the catcher’s mask were thought up in the heat of the moment. They were sometimes inspired by the director, who would toss ideas from the side. These improvised moments produced some truly creative insults such as, “You mix your Wheaties with your mama’s toe jam!”

There’s an enchanting quality to the 4th of July scene, and it’s not just you who senses it. Tom Guiry confessed that it was among his most cherished scenes to film. Captured during the so-called “magic hour”, as the sun began its descent, the atmosphere seemed to hold a sense of enchantment that the kids, too, could perceive. Reflecting on this in a later interview, Guiry expressed, “When we’re all watching the fireworks… even though there wasn’t any dialogue, it’s great to see all of the kids’ faces. Just really brings back memories.” This statement highlights the power of the scene, underlining the quiet emotion and nostalgia it sparked, even without the use of dialogue.

“You’re killin me Smalls!” is the quote from The Sandlot that most people seem to know by heart, and it’s a phrase that’s stayed with Tom Guiry long into his adult life. Even as he’s hit his 30s, he can’t seem to escape hearing that line multiple times a day. At first, he was not too fond of it, but as he aged, he started to enjoy it more. Nowadays, he takes pleasure in reminiscing about his time on The Sandlot and loves the knowledge that the film had a big influence on a substantial number of people.

The boys might not have been stars before this, but quite a few famous folks were among the adults. The young lads couldn’t keep their excitement under wraps regarding the opportunity to meet James Earl Jones – they were thrilled to be around Darth Vader himself! On the flip side, Denis Leary wasn’t quite what they’d been expecting. Tom Guiry had imagined he would turn up with a cigar, be quick with his words and clad in a leather jacket. He recalls telling his mom how Denis Leary was so different in real life than the picture he had painted in his head.

Though Scotty Smalls was portrayed as an awful baseball player in the movie, in reality, Tom Guiry was much better at the sport. He was already part of a local little league team before he started filming for the movie. It was a fun challenge for him to pretend to be clueless about baseball as he had to actually learn how to forget his well-honed skills. When the movie was finally shown, Guiry humorously stated that his little league coach was visibly upset with his character’s obvious lack of baseball know-how as shown in the film.

Reflecting over the past 25 years, it feels hard to believe that the classic film we all know as The Sandlot once bore a different title – The Boys of Summer. It’s the brainchild of David Mickey Evans. But during its early production stages, he was met with the threat of a legal action from writer Roger Khan, who had a book in print bearing that very title. Coincidentally, Roger Khan’s book was about the same subject – baseball – which made the risk of confusion even higher if the shared title were maintained. But, fatefully, The Sandlot ended up being an ideal fit for the movie and aligned perfectly with its theme.

While each character in the movie was remarkable, something particular about Squints set him apart – his face has even been transformed into a famous internet meme. The actor who played him, Chauncey Leopardi, bore little resemblance to his on-screen persona in real life. When he wasn’t performing, Leopardi would swap his character’s signature nerdy wardrobe and oversized glasses for baggy jeans and a hat worn backwards. His castmates found it amusing that he was quite a fan of gangster rap music, which was a far cry from the character he portrayed on the screen. Despite the character’s geeky appearance, the real personality of Leopardi couldn’t have been more different.

If you’re into baseball, there’s a good chance you loved The Sandlot from the ’90s. It’s true, many current MLB players were inspired by this fantastic film. A few years back, the New York Yankees had a blast reenacting the humorous “Great Bambino” scene from the movie. Just recently, the Milwaukee Brewers also did a tribute scene from the movie. Yahoo Sports took it a step further, asking players to share their cherished Sandlot moments to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the iconic film. As a result, it’s quite evident that the film has touched the hearts of a whole generation of baseball lovers and players.

Though plenty of folks regard The Sandlot as a top-ranking baseball film, there’s a compelling argument to be made that it’s not fundamentally a sports movie. One critic likened it to the summertime equivalent of A Christmas Story, offering a warm and fuzzy trip down memory lane to days of childhood. Tom Guiry supports this viewpoint, believing that the movie aligns more closely with films such as The Goonies or Stand By Me instead of traditional sports films. Essentially, at the emotional hub of the film, it’s a universally relatable tale of growing up, whether you’re a fan of baseball or not.

When the movie directors first started their search for the perfect cast, they’d originally thought to use actors who were just nine or ten years old. However, once the casting process got started, they soon discovered that they needed the characters to be played by older kids. The role that proved most challenging to cast was that of Ham, as they struggled to find an actor who fit the part just right. Then, at the eleventh hour, Patrick Renna walked in for an audition, and after a short performance, they told him he had a plane to get on and he better hurry.

There are a bunch of hidden clues and surprises in the film, yet the most notable one has to do with Babe Ruth. It’s evident the legendary figure, the Great Bambino, has a critical bearing on the lives of these young characters. However, there’s a subtle hat tip to him in the closing scenes that you may have overlooked. When we see Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez matured, he emerges playing for the Dodgers. If you pay a little extra attention, you’ll notice the numeral on his jersey. He’s been given three as his jersey’s number, which is the same as Babe Ruth’s.

In the scene where Benny is all grown up, you might have noticed he looks especially similar to the actor who played him as a kid. That’s because they’re not just actors who look alike, they’re real-life brothers! The older Benny at the end of the film is played by Pablo Vitar. The younger Benny? That’s Mike Vitar, who is actually Pablo’s younger brother in real life. This wasn’t just about finding actors who looked identical, they wanted to keep it in the family, and that’s why the resemblance between the two is so striking.

Touching on the subject again, it may seem surprising but Benny didn’t actually wind up with a big baseball career in his future. Mike Vitar, who played him, chose to follow a more ordinary path and became a firefighter. He had a small run acting in the Mighty Ducks movies and made appearances on several television shows. But eventually, he realized the lifestyle of an actor was not his cup of tea and decided to leave acting behind.

We’ve previously discussed David Mickey Evans’ significant role as the director and co-writer of the movie, and the fact that he was essentially the mastermind behind the film’s concept. However, there’s another part he played in the film that deserves credit. Curious about the narrator’s voice that you hear echoing throughout the film? It’s supposed to represent an older version of the character Scotty Smalls, but the voice you hear is actually that of Evans himself. This just shows that there isn’t anything that this extraordinary man can’t do.

Surely, no one can forget the funny, slightly silly hat Scotty Smalls sported in the movie. Remember the oversized, wide-brimmed one with a fish motif? You might be surprised to know that Tom Guiry actually undertook a mission to hunt it down and reclaim it. His desire for this memorable hat was so strong that he spent many years in the pursuit. Sadly, he came up empty-handed when the filming wrapped up, leading to the possibility that this iconic hat might be lost forever.

Okay, so you might already know what the movie’s tobacco was made of, but do you know about the “vomit’? This part’s a bit yucky, so we’ll keep it simple. The film staff whipped up a disgusting mixture of oatmeal, baked beans, split pea soup, and water to make the Ferris wheel scene look pretty real. This nauseating mixture was fired from paint guns to get that perfect splash. While the kids might have genuinely felt ill, it’s a relief to know that the vomit was only make-believe.

Interestingly, Marty York, the actor we know as Yeah-Yeah, first auditioned for the character of Bertram. That role, however, was claimed by Grant Gelt. Believe it or not, York almost missed out on being part of the film entirely! Originally, he wasn’t chosen for any part, but fate stepped in when the actor who was lined up to play Yeah-Yeah fell sick right at the last minute. The casting team decided to bring York in as a substitute and we think they couldn’t have made a better choice. It’s hard to picture anyone else in the role of Yeah-Yeah.

Marty York, the actor known for playing the adorable Yeah-Yeah in The Sandlot, grew up and landed himself in some legal hot water. It’s said that he got arrested after a tense altercation with his girlfriend at a nightclub in L.A., which unfortunately became a physical dispute. It’s often said that actors always remember their fans, and York definitely embodies this idea. He didn’t forget his devoted Sandlot followers when he found himself in need, reaching out to them for financial assistance with his legal fees. Being cast in that iconic film turned out to be a saving grace for him eventually.

Many of our beloved characters seem to be drawn from the realities of living people. One character who is often overlooked in this context is the wonderful Wendy Peffercorn. Her character isn’t entirely ripped from reality, yet there’s a bit of a real-life inspiration for her. Evans nostalgically remembered a lifeguard from his younger days who donned a red swimsuit. Does it ring any bells? This real-life lady was named Bunny. Makes you wonder if she was as much of a sensation at the swimming pool as Wendy was.

After The Sandlot, many of the cast found success in other Hollywood roles, however, some are best remembered for their performance in this one movie. Take Chauncey Leopardi, who depicted the character Squints, as an example. Leopardi didn’t star in any other big movies after his standout performance in The Sandlot, but he did have some notable TV acting gigs. Interestingly, you might have seen him in popular television dramas, such as Gilmore Girls and Freaks and Geeks, where he continued to showcase his acting abilities.

Although it didn’t receive high praise from film critics, The Sandlot secured its spot as a favorite among fans and remains a cherished piece of ’90s entertainment. Attempts were made to recapture the movie’s charm with a remake and a sequel, but both largely missed the mark, ultimately being released straight to DVD. The Sandlot 2, a near replica of the original story, and The Sandlot: Heading Home, a nostalgic look back on the youthful days of playing baseball with friends, failed to outshine the original. However, the beauty of the first Sandlot film is that it’s there for everyone to enjoy and revisit as many times as they wish.

If you’re someone who loved uncovering these secrets and lesser-known facts about The Sandlot, you certainly won’t want to miss out on these equally surprising and intriguing behind-the-scenes tidbits from Sesame Street.

You likely won’t buy into these hidden, gloomy details about your favorite kids’ show that you almost certainly spent your childhood years watching.