Why 'The Sandlot' Never Gets Old

True story: At one point in time, I thought about tattooing "Remember kid. There's heroes and there's legends. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die," somewhere on my person. But then I turned 11, and also, my mom said no. Nonetheless, this quote from The Sandlot still hits me in the heart, and it still rings true — especially for movies. As in, if you and I were to ever sit down and have a conversation about what movies belong in the "hero" category" and what in "the legends," The Sandlot would most certainly fit into the latter.

I have actually no idea how many times I've seen The Sandlot. In fact, I would probably not want to count. Simply for fear of the number being aggressively high — and me subsequently having to reevaluate my life choices. (No, not really. My love for The Sandlot knows no bounds. See above.) The 1993 flick about a group of kids just trying to play some ball and not get mauled by an English Mastiff was the typification of my youth. There are so many reasons to watch The Sandlot over and over again. Here are 11 of them, just for kicks. P.F. Flyers kicks, specifically.

1. It's The Ultimate Summer Movie

*Holds hand to chest and slowly mouths words to "America The Beautiful"* Was there anything more glorious than this 4th of July scene? Or The Sandlot's depiction of summer in general? It's crazy to me — but in the coolest way possible — that I can re-rewatch The Sandlot and actually feel the warmth of summer nights envelop me like the hug Scotty never got from his step-dad, Bill.

2. Because... Baseball

I will admit that I'm not a huge sports fanatic, but damn can I get behind some baseball watching. I think I will attribute that solely, 100 percent to this movie. The Sandlot is my "mediocre appreciation for baseball" origin story.

3. But Also Because This Wasn't Your Typical Sports Movie

In the '90s, the typical "sports films" had a specific kind of trajectory — the group of misfits get together, overcome challenges, Emilio Estevez shows up, and bam! They become champions. The Sandlot saw this and was like "nah." And then they did something different and honestly more inspirational because it involved creatively fashioning devices out of other devices — in order to procure a ball they could have just asked the neighbor for in the first place.

4. It Taught Us Everything We Needed To Know About Friendship

The camaraderie between these young baseball lovin' fools is palpable. Despite them being a group of boys — and therefore always teasing each other — we all knew that at the end of the day, The Sandlot gang had each other's backs.

5. Scotty Smalls Was The Everyman

Scotty Smalls was you. Scotty Smalls was me. Scotty Smalls was all of us. When he didn't know who Babe Ruth was, when he couldn't play baseball or "fit in" to save his life. When he threw up at the fair. The list could go on. FOR-EV-ER.

6. Which Was Important In Terms of Gender Norms

No seriously. Typically speaking, Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez would be our movie's star. The handsome, talented, self-actualized — and arguably most masculine — character. Not here, friends. Think about it. Smalls was bad at baseball. He was small and less far along in puberty than some of his friends, but he was still the kid we all wanted to root for. He was the hero. Even though he wasn't really the biggest, baddest, or the bravest.

7. Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez

Which brings me to my next point. Benny. At first glance, Benny was impenetrable. Tough as nails, that one! Smart and savvy and unusually good looking/good at baseball. But underneath it all, Benny had a soft spot. He was also kind. What I'm really trying to say — in case it's not clear — is that Benny was perfect. Thank you for letting me share that.

8. It Taught Us Empathy

When Benny and Smalls finally make their way over that fence and come face to face with Thelonius Mertle — the ex-pro baseball player that now lives alone with The Beast and is visually impaired, our hearts broke, and we learned something huge and invaluable. Never judge a person by the perceived ferociousness and monstrosity of their dog.

9. The P.F. Flyers

THE SECRET WEAPON.

10. The Squints And Wendy Love Story

Sure the relationship had a rocky start, but the fact that these two end up together in the end? Come on. That makes the borderline harassment seem OK. Right?

11. It Showed Us That Dreams Can Come True

Listen, if it weren't for that wonderfully narrated wrap-up in the final scene, we wouldn't know for sure where everyone ended up. But, now that we do, we can say for certain: Things happen for a reason. Dream big. Never give up. Maybe one day you'll become a pioneering developer for bungee jumping.

I guess what I'm really trying to get at is, when it comes to The Sandlot, I'll always want s'more.

Images: 20th Century Fox; Giphy