EXCLUSIVE: 'The Sandlot' Cast Tells Me Why The Movie Still Resonates All These Years Later

I had the opportunity to speak with some of the cast of the iconic sports movie The Sandlot on Thursday night at the Nashville Sounds game (vs. the Milwaukee Brewers Triple-A team) for a conversation about why the iconic sports movie continues to matter to generations of sports fans. The cast is part of the Play Forever non-profit charity, which helps restore and build baseball fields across the country as well as donate equipment and more. 

After a few minutes of shooting the breeze with Brandon Quintin Adams (Kenny), Chauncey Leopardi (Squints), Grant Gelt (Bertram) and Victor DiMattia (Tommy) and sharing some laughs, I began the interview by asking them, "Did you ever think that you'd be here all these years later talking about a film you all made when you were kids?" 

"Thirty-two years later? Absolutely not," responded Kenny. "The movie has really allowed us to still get together though, and just the camaraderie, friendship and growing old together is something very special, just like the film was [to generations of kids.]"

"You can really see that it's multiple generations now, and it's living on, and most importantly, kids are still watching it. That doesn't really happen, because many films do tend to die out throughout the generations. But for whatever reason, this film is timeless. I don't know if it's the setting or if it was the way it was shot in 1962, but it's timeless and we are just fortunate to be part of a movie that is going on four generations now," Squints added.

I responded that it's interesting because there's something beautifully simplistic about the film that reminds all of us about what it's like being a kid and learning the hard truths of life. 

Sometimes you grow up fast in the cul-de-sac or the sandlot and learn the hard truths of life. From the bullying and failures to the amazing moments, like the Sandlot kids had during their iconic Fourth of July game underneath the fireworks-lit sky. 

THE SANDLOT TRANSCENDED SPORTS

"As much as the Sandlot was about sports and baseball, it was also about friendship and inclusivity. Everybody on the team was different and had a different personality, and we all accepted each other. Even Smalls, when he came into play, he was the nerdy kid, but it was about incorporating him," Tommy explained.

When I was growing up, there was no better feeling than running home from the bus stop, finishing my homework as quickly as possible, and going outside "to play." Playing could mean anything - shooting hoops like I was Michael Jordan in Space Jam, throwing on some rollerblades and pretending to be one of The Mighty Ducks, throwing a football like I was Junior from Little Giants, to my favorite sport, baseball, and pretending I was hitting bombs and running as fast as Benny from The Sandlot. 

Unfortunately, it seems that nowadays, kids don't always get to do that as much because of their obsession with cell phones and constantly needing to be in touch via a screen, rather than on a playing field or a playground. There's also the unfortunate truth that years ago, if we had a bad day at school or were bullied, we knew it would end once we got home. However, now with social media, it follows kids everywhere, and they never fully get to disconnect.  

"It's harder and harder. Kids don't have the freedom like they used to because the world has changed. A lot is due to everything being screen-based, which is fine, technology will always move forward. But we need to get them outside and experience life. And through sports, and team sports especially, you learn certain life lessons like you don't get anywhere else. That's what we all did [and show] in the film," Squints explained.

"As a team, you are held to a higher standard, and you also get to see where you're lacking, where you need to improve, etc. And it's also good to see kids see that they need to learn that playing together and being there for one another is a special thing, and we need more of that," Squints continued.

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NO, BUT REALLY, WHO WAS A PAIN ON SET?

But surely everyone didn't get along on the set, did they? After all, kids will be kids. 

Well, it turns out that the "smart ass" during filming was actually one of the adults.

"Denis Leary" the group joked, before adding that filming was absolute chaos at times, because you had so many kids running around and having fun. 

"They have a saying in Hollywood that you never work with kids or animals. And here was a set with 9 kids constantly running around playing baseball and also 3 different dogs! It was crazy!" Squints responded.

"For years we actually didn't really all talk to each other after filming wrapped up. Nobody had cell phones, and we all went and did our own thing," Bertram explained. It wasn't until the film's 25th Anniversary that everyone reunited and formed what else, but a group chat.

"There's a main group chat with everyone in it," Bertram continued before adding that there are separate, smaller ones as well.

Of course, I had to run with this opportunity to find out "Who is the most annoying in the chat? There's always someone who talks way too much!"

Immediately, the group started laughing, saying that it was Tom Guiry, who plays Smalls! 

"Tom usually just rants to himself at all hours of the day about random thoughts and random things. It's one of those chats where we have muted and we go back and read it, and we're like ‘Wait, what?’ He's very bright, but it's hilarious how he just throws it out there!" Squints responded.

"So he's overzealous, could you say?"

"Yes. Very much so!" Kenny laughed. "There are times when we don't know if he's telling us a story or reading lyrics!" Bertram joked. 

And that's what it's all about - those lifelong bonds that still remain even though your childhood friends move on to different states, different careers, different paths.

As The Sandlot taught us.

(And no, Squints still doesn't have his iconic glasses, and we need to find out who does!)

Thank you to the Nashville Sounds for a great night, as well as the Play Forever charity.

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