Though it’s been around for decades, The Sandlot remains one of the best baseball movies of all time and it’s likely to withstand the test of time for decades to come. From its excellent cast of young actors to its moments of hilarity, memorable quotes and outstanding appreciation for America’s favorite pastime, what’s not to love? The 1993 baseball movie is one I will never tire of, so I had a lot of fun looking back at some of the quotes and scenes that I still think about to this day. Let’s get into it!
"Dad, I Mean Bill"
It’s clear from the first time we meet Scotty (Tom Guiry) that he and his stepdad Bill (Denis Leary) are still awkwardly navigating the start of their father-son relationship. It’s sweet and a little bit sad the way Scotty can’t seem to decide if he should call his stepfather Dad or Bill, because he’s obviously trying to connect with him and not having much luck.
"It Was Like An Endless Dream Game"
I love the way the game is described by Scotty when he’s narrating his first impressions of watching the kids on the sandlot. How they don’t keep score, they just keep playing. It really sets the scene for the heart of the film. It’s not about winning or scores or teams, it’s just about playing baseball all day, every day.
Scotty Joins The Game
On one hand, I can’t help but smile at the way Scotty just sort of inserts himself into the baseball game as a means of introducing himself and trying to make friends. But on the other hand, that’s kind of how it works when you’re a kid, right? -- If you’re brave enough to approach some kids and try to join in on whatever they’re doing, maybe you can just become part of the group. Scotty may have been awkward at the start, but I give him credit for putting himself out there.
"My Life's Over."
All Scotty wants to do is make some friends and play some baseball. Tragically, he doesn’t really know how to do that latter. His attempt to catch and throw a ball is disastrous and this demonstration in front of the other kids seemingly puts an end to his chance at making friends. Which of course feels like the end of the world.
Scotty Trying To Play Catch With His Stepdad
We’ve already seen how awkward Scotty’s relationship is with Bill-I-Mean-Dad, but I don’t really blame Scotty for that. Bill barely seems to be trying, and only agreed to play catch with Scotty at the insistence of his wife. I’m not sure if it’s a lack of interest in helping Scotty learn to throw a ball, or just lack of experience with kids, but this whole sequence is so cringy, and that’s even before Scotty ends up getting a black eye trying to catch the ball.
Benny inviting Scotty to play
Fortunately for Scotty, Benny is open to bringing Scotty onto the team. As he makes it clear to his friends, with Scotty on the team, they have nine guys. It’s a mark of how seriously Benny takes this game, though his friends are all there for the fun of it. But it’s also clear that Benny is a compassionate guy who’s willing to be patient and help Scotty learn the ropes.
"L-7 Weenie"
The rest of the team is not so keen to bring Scotty on board, after having witnessed his lack of skills catching and throwing. Squints even goes so far as to call him a weenie. But Benny is intent on giving Scotty a shot, and he reminds them that they all get to be part of the team, so why shouldn’t Scotty?
"Man, This Is Baseball. You've Got To Stop Thinking. Just Have Fun"
Sometimes, all it takes is a little bit of confidence and a bit less thinking. That’s what Benny instills in Scotty during his first official game on the sandlot. As seriously as Benny takes this game, he’s also clearly aware that having fun is key.
Benny Hitting The Ball Right Into Scotty’s Glove
In a pivotal moment, Scotty has the chance to prove to the team that he can catch a ball. And fortunately for him, Benny is prepared to do most of the work. He tells Scotty to put his glove in the air and he’ll handle the rest. And then he proceeds to hit the ball directly into Scotty's glove. It’s brilliant and secures Scotty some reluctant but crucial approval from the rest of the kids.
Smalls Running Inside To Tell His Mom
I love this moment. It happens right after Benny invites Scotty to come back to the sandlot to play again (except this time without the hat). Scotty is so thrilled to have officially joined the game that he doesn’t even wait to get inside to call out to his mother to tell her he made friends.
Ham Calling His Shot
It’s easy to imagine each of these kids putting themselves into Babe Ruth’s shoes as they play baseball all day, but Ham (Patrick Renna) takes it to another level by mimicking the legendary ballplayer who, as the story goes, once gestured right to center field before hitting a home run. Of course, Ham's friends only laugh at him, but he does manage to respond to Kenny’s (Brandon Quintin Adams) Heater by hitting the ball out of the park, which earns frustration and disapproval from everyone for losing the ball.
“If You Were Thinking You Wouldn’t Have Thought That”
Squints (Chauncey Leopardi) isn’t mincing words here. When Scotty suggests he just go over the wall and get the ball that was lost, the group quickly shuts down the idea, and Squints makes it clear that this is not the kind of thought someone who's thinking would have.
“You’re Killing Me, Smalls."
Scotty may be part of the game now, but he’s still a bit awkward around his new friends, and some are more tolerant of it than others. For Ham, Scotty’s lack of knowledge of things like s’mores is actually killing him. I’m not sure there’s a more memorable line from this movie than Ham’s “You’re killing me, Smalls!”
The Story Of The Beast
It’s time for Scotty to learn about “The Beast.” The whole campout was arranged for this moment, and Squints takes center stage to tell the newcomer the legend of the Beast, a junkyard dog that’s responsible for eating more than a hundred thieves, bone and all. It’s clear all of the kids believe this story word for word, but Scotty’s not so sure.
"For-Eh-Ver"
The delivery of the word “forever” from Squints’ voice coming through the police chief’s mouth will always make me laugh, and remains my favorite Sandlot quote. For reference, “forever” is the length of time the beast was banished to retirement after being too good at his junkyard dog job.
Squints When He Sees Wendy Peffercorn
It’s brought to our attention that Squints is absolutely in love with Wendy Peffercorn (Marley Shelton), when he spots her on the sidewalk and is unable to do anything other than stare at her in awe, even when she's looking directly at him.
Ham Waving To the Ladies Before He Cannonballs
In a rare scene that doesn’t involve baseball, the kids head off to the town pool to cool off. And while the kids are splashing around in the water, Ham steps out to perform a cannonball, but not before waving and being flirty with the ladies sunning themselves.
Getting Banned From The Pool Forever
Squints hatches a plan to secure a kiss from lifeguard Wendy Peffercorn by jumping into the deep end of the pool, despite not knowing how to swim. Wendy’s rage at Squints trying to turn her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation efforts into a kiss seem warranted if you ask me, but Squints doesn't seem to have any regrets, even if the incident cost him and his friends access to the pool.
"For Benjamin Franklin Rodriguez, Baseball Was Life"
As much fun as baseball clearly is to these kids, The Sandlot never lets us forget that for Benny Rodriguez, it’s more than just a game. Baseball is life. Even on the Fourth of July when the rest of the group wants to stop and enjoy the fireworks, Benny will always call them back to the game.
America the Beautiful And The Night Game
Can we talk about the Night Game scene for a minute? There really isn’t a wasted scene in The Sandlot, but this is truly a bit of perfection for the way it encapsulates a specific snippet of summer from the perspective of these kids. It’s the Fourth of July, and the scene is set to Ray Charles’s version of “America the Beautiful,” as the kids play ball at night while fireworks explode in the sky. It’s pure summer magic.
Facing Off Against The Local Team
We spend so much time watching these kids play ball on the sandlot, that it’s almost strange to see them face off against an actual baseball team in town. When a challenge is made between the two groups, they head to the team’s baseball field where Benny’s group proves their skills and secures a major victory.
One Very Poor Decision At The Carnival
Celebrating their win against the local team comes in the form of a trip to the carnival. Riding the rides by itself doesn’t seem like a bad idea, right? But chewing tobacco during the experience was a terrible idea on multiple levels. It’s a mistake the kids learn the hard way when their stomachs rebel during an especially spinny ride.
"Maybe the Shock Of His First Homer Was Just Too Much For Him."
None of the kids can understand why Scotty is so completely panicked after he hits the ball over the fence. This is because none of them know that the ball Scotty provided for the game was taken from his stepfather’s trophy room, and signed by none other than Babe Ruth. Up this this point, they think maybe he just couldn’t handle the glory of hitting a home run. It's hard to imagine he'll ever be able to truly celebrate his first ever home run, given the feeling of utter horror that followed the moment.
"Some Lady Named Ruth. Baby Ruth."
Oh, Scotty. He’d been doing such a good job up to this point of getting caught up on things he needed to know in order to fit in with his new baseball-loving friends. But he never quite got around to learning about who The Great Bambino was. So he had no idea that the name signed on the ball he took from Bill’s trophy room was not signed by some lady, but by Babe Ruth. As in, the Great Bambino. Yeah, it’s the same guy.
All Of The Attempts To Retrieve That Ball
The movie takes a major turn at this point. All of the kids’ focus goes from playing baseball to retrieving the lost Babe Ruth ball. And they do just about everything they can think of to try to get the ball out of the Beast's possession without putting themselves in danger of being devoured by the dog. It does not go well, and results in a lot of chaos, including a major tree-house explosion.
"Heroes Get Remembered, But Legends Never Die"
All it took for Benny to muster the courage to face off against the Beast was a dream of the great Bambino himself, Babe Ruth (Art LaFleur). It’s during this scene that Dream-Babe-Ruth reminds Benny that there’s a difference between heroes and legends, and to follow his heart. The advice does the trick.
Benny Outrunning The Beast
Armed with a new pair of P.F. Flyers, Benny steps up to enter the Beast’s yard and retrieve the ball. Of course, this leads to a major chase through town, resulting in mayhem at the local auditorium where a werewolf movie is playing, a multi-tiered cake being destroyed at a Founder’s Day celebration, and other disasters of varying degrees throughout town as Benny runs for his life.
Scotty And Benny Helping Hercules
When the chase between Benny and the Beast leads back to Mr. Mertle’s yard, the fence comes down right on the Beast, and at first, it’s only Scotty who seems to see what’s really happening -- that the Beast is just a big dog, and right now, he’s hurt and trapped under the fence. He tries to lift the fence, but it takes help from Benny to get it off the dog, who promptly stands and shows his gratitude to Scotty by licking his face.
Enough Baseballs To Play Forever
We’re so focused on whether or not the kids will get the Babe Ruth ball back that it’s easy to forget that the ball was only the latest of many baseballs that went over the fence and disappeared forever. But the Beast has been keeping all of them safe in his hoard, which he shows off to the kids. No longer will they need to scrape together 98 cents every time they lose a ball, they now have a whole collection of baseballs to play with.
"I Take It Back, You're Not In Trouble. You're Dead Where You Stand."
James Earl Jones barely gets any screen time in The Sandlot, due to the mysterious nature of his character. But what he gets, he makes the absolute most of when we meet Mr. Mertle. His response to Scotty when he realizes the ball the Beast chewed up was signed by Babe Ruth is priceless, and probably the exact last thing Scotty wanted to hear.
"Baseball Was Life, And I Was Good At It"
The look on Mr. Mertle’s face when he talks about his baseball career really says it all. Baseball was life, and it’s clearly still the thing that puts the biggest smile on his face. So it sounds like a win-win that he’s willing to part with the priceless baseball to help Scotty if it means getting to talk about the sport with the kids once a week.
Benny Stealing Home While Playing For The Dodgers
The end of The Sandlot takes us back to the present, where Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez is still living his best baseball life, this time for the Dodgers. It’s such a joy to see Scotty watching his friend steal home. He’s still clearly in awe of him, and it’s also clear from the thumbs up Benny gives to Scotty that their friendship has stood the test of time.
