Revisiting The Sandlot: As it Stands Today
Inspired by Thalia Bardell’s an article for howiGit.com, 18 months ago I compose a simplistic piece about the filming locations for the movie “The Sandlot.” Unbeknownst to me, this article would grow to not only be the most popular on sports-glutton.com, but also become a primary source on the inter-wide web for information on and images of the filming locations for the movie. My article “The Sandlot As it Stands Today” has been liked over 500 times on Facebook, credited as the informational source on the film’s location in the Deseret News, and linked to by countless websites and blogs.
Humbled by the attention this article received I wanted to revisit the filming locations for The Sandlot one more time prior to my departure from the Salt Lake Valley and offer an expanded glimpse at the filming locations through the lenses of an improved camera.
The following are the details about and the images from revisiting the filming locations for one of the greatest baseball movies ever made.
*Please remember that all images are property of sports-glutton.com and may not be used without express and written permission from sports-glutton.com
The Neighborhood
Smalls and Benny’s houses are located is in a quite neighborhood on the eastside of Salt Lake City at the corner of Bryan Ave and 2000 E (Google Maps).
- The 1950′s pink exterior of Small’s House has been replaced with grey.
- “Benny the Jet” Rodriguez’s house and the Wasatch Mountains.
- A look down Bryan Ave: No milkmen making deliveries or kids running off to play at the Sandlot.
The Sandlot Itself
The Sandlot itself is located in the Glendale area of Salt Lake City, about 6 miles west of the kids’ homes (Google Maps). Driving past the privately owned field, The Sandlot is unrecognizable as the sacred place where Ham, Squints, Smalls, Yeah Yeah, The Jet and the others played baseball in its purest form. There is discussion by the Utah Film Commission to remake the baseball field in honor of the film’s 20 anniversary in 2013.
- The Sandlot as it stands today.
Vincent Drug
12 miles south of The Sandlot in Midvale, is Vincent Drug where the boys purchased new baseballs, etc. (Google Maps) Sadly, the drug store has closed its doors. The nostalgic signs and disheveled interior are all that remains.
- The exterior of Vincent Drug.
- A view of downtown Midvale, UT.
Lorin Farr Park Pool
Of course when it was too hot to play ball at The Sandlot the young lads preferred to “scam pool honeys” at Lorin Farr Park Pool in Ogden, UT. (Google Maps) Wendy Peffercorn might not be on lifeguard duty anymore, but the pool is still a popular summer time hang out.
- An aging sign that welcomes visitors to Lorin Farr.
- Where Porter greeted the “Pool Honeys” with a cannonball.
- The “front” side of Lorin Farr where the boys had to collect their belongings.
- Squints’ view through the fence of Wendy Peffercorn.
- The now paved grassy area the boys ran through after getting kicked out.
Rose Park Little League Field
The challenge between the Sandlot kids and the “rich” kids took place at the Rose Park Little League field about 4 miles north of the actual Sandlot. (Google Maps) The field is still actively used for Little League games.
- The Rose Park Little League Field.
- Remember how Porter was “just trying to have a friendly conversation.”
- Rose Park’s weathered homeplate.
- The view from the home team’s dugout.
- Looking back over the field from the “press box.”
Liberty Park Amusement Rides
Only a few of the amusement rides at Liberty Park where the post-game victory celebration and up-chucking of Big Chief chaw were permanent. (Google Maps) The rides available include a small ferris wheel, spinning cars, airplanes, and chairs…that are all intended for smaller children.
- The family friendly rides at Liberty Park.
The Salt Lake Valley
A few times the movie shows images of the Salt Lake Valley where the town and Sandlot are situated. Here is one of those views looking west:
- Downtown Salt Lake City is to the right, as is the Sandlot. Midvale and Vincent Drug is to the left. At the bottom right of the Oquirrh Mountain Range is the smelter from the world’s largest copper mine.
The Kids of the Sandlot Today
And finally here is a short video showing the Sandlot Kids Then and Now:
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[...] *Because of this post’s popularity, we have published a new article that revisits The Sandlot filming locations and includes new/additional images. Click here to read: Revisiting the Sandlot: As it Stands Today. [...]
Great post, Jed. I grinned ear-to-ear from beginning to end. There is so much within that movie to love and your post brought much of it back for me. Presenting the “Then and Now” video/slideshow was a nice touch. I don’t know whether to call it curiosity or just plain nosiness, but I do enjoy seeing how the kids have turned out. Great job!
Glad you enjoyed the revisiting post, as much as I enjoyed putting it together. Cheers!
The Sandlot was one of my favorite movies growing up. How cool to see all of there places (and the stars) now. Great piece, my friend!
Thanks Laura!
I’d better keep this on the down-low but I have never seen or heard of this movie. Did it not get an international release? I do hope they recreate the baseball field for the anniversary of the movie. And congrats on posting such a successful blog post xx
Its a great little movie Charlie and I would assume that you could find it down under or at least on I-tunes.
[...] Revisiting The Sandlot: As it Stands Today (sports-glutton.com) [...]
[...] Revisiting The Sandlot: As it Stands Today (sports-glutton.com) [...]
I’m watching The Sandlot for the first time and your comments and photos have greatly enriched my experience. I grew up in nearby Spanish Fork in the Fifties and recognized the Wasatch mountains immediately. I searched IMBD, then googled until I goggled your location shots. Great job!
I remember riding my bike every summer day with a mitt or two slung on the handle bars, bat across, and a ball in my pocket (barely…you really couldn’t get a ball very far into your or you couldn’t get it out without taking your pants off…no cargo pants then). My Little League coach was a great man and father…Harry Cutshall. He coached his son Ronny and a tribe of kids around the same age who waited for the Sunday afternoon delivery of the “C’s” Newsletter, one sheet, both sides covered with typewritten stats and write-ups of the previous week’s games and practices. Imagine the fun and friendship for four years…
Thanks again for your time and effort…gotta get back to the movie…Benny’s climbing the fence to get the ball…there’s The Beast…!
I grew up in and now still live with my husband and children in the neighborhood where the “kids” lived. When they were filming this movie – all of the neighborhood kids and parents were actually extras in all of the neighborhood scenes. The house in the movie that was pink was not changed at all for the movie. It really was pink “in real life” until only a few years ago.
[...] For a view of the movie’s filming locations today, click here. [...]