This year marks the 25th anniversary of The Sandlot, and the cult classic is more popular than ever. It might be due to the fact that the coming-of-age film is the perfect balance of life lessons and comedic moments (who can forget when Squints pretended to drown in order to kiss lifeguard Wendy Peffercorn). Or maybe it's a fan favourite because of it's unforgettable quotes like, "You're killing me Smalls!".
Either way it's made such an impact on pop culture, that not only is the film being rereleased in theatres, but the majority of the cast have also reunited to catch up and celebrate the movie's anniversary. If you're wondering what happened to the pick-up baseball players since the film's 1993 release, click through for a peek into what the cast of The Sandlot has been up to.
The Sandlot may have been Tom Guiry's first role, but he has had the most successful acting career of the group of players after the film's 1993 release. He went on to act in movies like Lassie, Black Hawk Down, and Mystic River. He was even one of the stars in the short-lived (but beloved) NBC drama The Black Donnellys.
Mike Vitar may be most famous for his role as Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez, but you may also recognise him as Luis Mendoza from D2: The Mighty Ducks and D3: The Mighty Ducks. He has since hung up his skates and baseball glove and quit acting to become a firefighter in the Los Angeles area. He mostly keeps a low profile, but did pop up at a Mighty Ducks reunion a few years back, where he posed for this sweet Instagram snap with costar Marguerite Moreau.
The Sandlot launched the film career of Patrick Renna, who later went on to act in movies like The Big Green, P.U.N.K.S, and Son in Law. He has also acted in several TV shows with roles in E.R., Boston Legal, and Judging Amy. Most recently, he appeared on the Netflix series GLOW.
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Chauncey Leopardi as Michael "Squints" Palledorous
Chauncey Leopardi may have had a budding career as a child actor prior to The Sandlot, but his role as Squints is widely considered to be his big break. After The Sandlot, Chancey continued to act in films like Houseguest and Casperbefore moving on to TV roles. Besides his recurring role on the cult classic TV show Freaks and Geeks, you may remember him as Dean's friend Kyle on Gilmore Girls.
After the release of The Sandlot, Brandon Quintin Adams went on to act in D2: The Mighty Ducks and D3: The Mighty Ducks alongside costar Mike Vitar. He later went on to have recurring roles on '90s favourites Boy Meets World, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and Moesha. He most recently voiced the character Rai in the video game Kingdom Hearts II.
Marty York had guest appearances on Saved by the Bell: The College Years and Boy Meets World after The Sandlot before taking a break from acting. In recent years, he has appeared in a few indie films and shorts, and his most recent credit was a small role on the Showtime show SMILF.
Victor DiMattia had already been acting for eight years prior to his role as Timmy Timmons, but after The Sandlot's release, his career started to slow down. In 1995, he completed his run as Sam on the TV show A Peaceable Kingdom before retiring. But it appears he may have been bitten by the acting bug again, as he had a role in the film Get Married or Die, which was released this year.
Shane Obedzinski stole our hearts as younger brother Tommy "Repeat" Timmons, but soon after the film's release, he retired from acting. If you are hoping to run into him, he is often at The Sandlot reunion events, or you can probably catch him at his pizzeria, NY Times Square Pizza in Florida.
After The Sandlot, Grant Gelt continued to act with small parts on Saved By The Bell: The New Class and Boy Meets World before quitting acting. Unlike his character Bertram Weeks who "got really into the '60s and nobody ever heard from him again," Grant got really into music and became a music manager at Fullscreen Media.
Karen Allen had a pretty steady acting career before and after her role as Smalls' mother. After The Sandlot, Karen appeared in films like The Perfect Storm, A Dog Year, and most recently, Year by the Sea. In 2003, she launched her own textile company called Karen Allen Fibre Arts. She currently resides in Massachusetts, where she teaches yoga, runs her company, and also teaches acting at Bard College.
Who can forget Denis Leary's role as Bill the stepdad whose Babe Ruth ball gets destroyed after Smalls steals it. He went on to have a very successful career after The Sandlot premiered, starring in movies like Draft Day, Underworld, and The Thomas Crown Affair. He also starred in his own hit TV series Rescue Me, and you may recognise his voice as from the Ice Age films, where he plays Diego.
He was already a world-renowned actor with roles in Star Wars, Malcolm X, and Coming to America already under his belt, but many fans remember James Earl Jones as lovable Mr. Mertle who owned "The Beast" in The Sandlot. By far the most accomplished actor in the film, James went on to star in movies like Primary Colours and Clear and Present Danger. He also voiced Mufasa in The Lion King, and has won two Tony Awards, a Golden Globe Award, a Grammy Award, and three Emmy Awards for various roles.
The Sandlot may have been Marley Shelton's second film role, but she appeared on various TV shows prior to the movie's release. Afterwards she went on to act in films like Sugar & Spice, Bubble Boy, and Planet Terror. Most recently, Marley starred in NBC's short-lived drama Rise, and she can be seen alongside Dwayne Johnson in the film Rampage that premiered earlier this year.
