The Sandlot

If you grew up in the '90s, chances are you've seen or at least heard of 'The Sandlot'. It's a classic sports family/comedy movie that to this day is still loved by many. In it, new kid Scott Smalls meets up with a group of boys who play baseball in a nearby sandlot. Scott is not very good but wants to learn. In the group, talented Benny Rodriguez becomes his mentor to help him get better. One day, one of the boys hits a home run that goes over a fence and into a backyard. Scott goes to retrieve it but is stopped by the rest of his friends. They tell him a frightening story about 'The Beast', a larger chained up dog that lives there and has kept many of their balls.

Another day, the boys lose the only ball they had to play with. Scott, knowing his dad is away, borrows a ball from him. One signed by the legendary Babe Ruth. Only, he doesn't know its true value. It is with this ball that Scott gets his first home run, straight into the yard of the beast. And only then do the rest of the boys find out about the signature on it. It is a ball they must retrieve before Scott's dad returns. But to do that, they must face the beast that has haunted the neighbourhood for as long as they can all remember.

The whole premise centres around the love these boys have for baseball. In a time where there was no social media or smartphones, these boys found love in a sport and used a local sandlot as their home away from home. They learn, they play and they teach, with some classic 90s mischief along the way. The most important thing though? Their teamwork. And not just in their games. In losing the signed Babe Ruth baseball they come together to try and plot a way to get it back. Though some of the ideas aren't working they still try so Scott can return his father's ball.

A couple of the boys, years in the future even make it into the sports industry. As an athlete and as an announcer. This from a bond many years earlier. It's good to see a friendship from their local sandlot days continue into their adult and professional years. All stemming from the sport of baseball.

This was a classic for many in the 90s and to this day is still popular among those millennials. I personally still remember having rented it at the now non-existent Blockbuster. At school, it was a favourite with all the baseball fans. And it's clear why. It gave some hope and even encouraged some to try out for the school's baseball team. A movie with this much power and influence deserves to be recognized and it is getting that recognition. Disney+ have even announced the original cast returning for a new series based on The Sandlot. So for those with a subscription, get in a watch before you see what they have planned!