Dear MLB, please honor ‘The Sandlot’ by playing a specialty game in Utah

The beloved 1993 classic — filmed almost entirely in Utah — is the perfect reason to bring a night of big league baseball to the Beehive State.

Major League Baseball should be in Utah. I’ll never stop saying it.

But while league expansion isn’t coming anytime soon, and the odds of another abrupt Arizona Coyotes-style relocation falling into Utah’s lap are low, that doesn’t mean the Beehive State can’t still host big league ball in the near future.

As baseball’s widespread popularity has declined in recent years, MLB has been forced to get creative and try new things as a means to drum up more interest in the sport.

One such innovation has been the addition of “specialty games” to the league’s calendar each summer. These neutral site contests are played in unique locations and carry a specific theme that MLB can market like crazy during the July/August sports lull that precedes football season.

There have been 12 specialty games since 2016, with two more coming up in 2025. The most famous came in the form of the “Field of Dreams” game in 2021, when the Yankees and White Sox faced off in the famed Iowa cornfield from Kevin Costner’s 1989 tearjerker.

The event was such a smash hit that MLB brought it back the following year. The “Field of Dreams” game worked for three major reasons:

Solid, beloved source material to theme everything around.
Cranking up the nostalgia factor to the max.
A memorable, scenic location.

There’s a Utah version of the “Field of Dreams” game that could follow the exact same formula. It’s such a no-brainer that I can’t believe it hasn’t happened already.

Two words: “The Sandlot.”

‘You’re killing me, Smalls!’

If you’ve never seen “The Sandlot,” my condolences. You were either robbed of an important adolescent experience or didn’t provide it to your own children.

The film follows a young boy named Scotty Smalls who moves to a new town and is welcomed into a group of neighborhood boys who play baseball together every day in the summer of 1962.

Marty York, Patrick Renna, Shane Obedzinski, Grant Gelt, Mike Vitar, Chauncey Leopardi, Brandon Adams, Victor DiMattia and Tom Guiry in “The Sandlot.” — Actors Marty York, Patrick Renna, Shane Obedzinski, Grant Gelt, Mike Vitar, Chauncey Leopardi, Brandon Adams, Victor DiMattia and Tom Guiry appear in a promotional photo for “The Sandlot.” | Twentieth Century Fox

The 1993 classic was filmed almost entirely in Utah, joining an esteemed collection of cinematic achievements within the state that include “Dumb and Dumber,” “Footloose,” “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” and “The Phone Call.”

“The Sandlot” isn’t the best baseball movie ever made — truthfully, it probably doesn’t even crack the top five — but it very well may be the genre’s most iconic entry. It’s the seminal childhood flick, perfectly depicting the magic, terror and wonder of growing up and the bond shared with your closest friends.

Plus, it’s endlessly quotable, visually appealing, has a terrific musical score and introduced the world to the legends of Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez and “The Great Hambino” Ham Porter.

Seriously, Ham Porter puts up a Hall of Fame performance in this film. His actor, Patrick Renna — who looks the exact same today as he did in 1993 — really should have gotten some Oscar buzz for his work as Ham. As Babe Ruth says in the movie, “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”

Patrick Renna is Hamilton "Ham" Porter in "The Sandlot." — Patrick Renna portrays Ham Porter in “The Sandlot.” | Deseret News Archives

So yes, “The Sandlot” definitely fits the bill as beloved source material to base an entire specialty game upon.

Aside from the “Field of Dreams” game, MLB has done specialty games at the College World Series, Little League World Series, at a U.S. military base and a historic Negro Leagues stadium in Alabama.

This year, the Little League World Series game will return, along with a meeting between the Braves and Mets at … Tennessee’s Bristol Motor Speedway.

That’s right. MLB is playing a specialty game at a NASCAR racetrack. If that’s the best idea the league could come up with for this year, clearly the need for a “Sandlot” game is greater than I originally thought. Let’s make this happen.

Features for the game

The “Field of Dreams” game began with Costner leading the Yankees and White Sox out of the cornfield, then giving a heartfelt pregame speech to help set the stage for the rest of the evening.

You can watch the sequence below. It’s pretty remarkable — Costner is Costner, after all — and perfectly matches the tone of the film.

The “Sandlot” game will need its own captivating introduction, although less dramatic than that of “Field of Dreams.” It’s a funny kids movie, so let’s keep things light and not overthink it.

All of the actors who portrayed the “Sandlot” kids need to be part of this. Let’s have them all take the field one by one as Booker T. & The MGs’ “Green Onions” (that bouncy organ song from the movie) plays in the background, and have Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez come out last to receive the biggest ovation of all.

Not only should Scotty Smalls throw out the ceremonial first pitch to Ham Porter at catcher, but Benny should steal home during the pitch. It’s the perfect way to kick off the action, along with Ham shouting his signature “Play Ball!” afterward.

Patrick Renna, who played Ham in The Sandlot, warms up before cast members throw the first pitch to celebrate the movie's 25th anniversary at Smith's Ballpark in Salt Lake City, on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News — Patrick Renna, who played Ham in The Sandlot, warms up before cast members throw the first pitch to celebrate the movie’s 25th anniversary at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

As for other movie-specific details, there needs to be an English mastiff on hand as a homage to “The Beast,” a Babe Ruth impersonator wandering around and s’mores sold at every concession stand.

The participating teams should wear 1960s throwback uniforms and the in-stadium soundtrack must stick to songs from that era, along with David Newman’s outstanding film score.

If we really wanted to go overboard with this, we could put a swimming pool on one side of the outfield and a couple of carnival rides on the other to pay tribute to each of the related, iconic scenes from the movie. That may be too much for just one game, but it’s fun to dream big.

And finally, the night should end with fireworks, although it would be much more appropriate if the fireworks went throughout the entire game.

Finding the right teams

So who should play in this game?

Logistically, the two participating teams should each come from the West Coast to help make travel easier. The most obvious choice for the home squad would be the Los Angeles Dodgers, considering that the film takes place in Southern California and ends with Benny playing for the club.

Plus, the idea of superstars such as Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman coming to play in Utah would be an absolute thrill. If this is Utah’s one chance to host MLB action, we might as well be treated to the best of the best, and the Dodgers can deliver the goods.

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, of Japan, celebrates after a two-run home run by teammate Freddie Freeman against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in Phoenix. | Ross D. Franklin, Associated Press — Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, of Japan, celebrates after a two-run home run by teammate Freddie Freeman against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in Phoenix. | Ross D. Franklin, Associated Press

The Dodgers’ opponent should probably come from the American League to avoid them having to play a critical division matchup in a neutral site. Of the AL West teams, the Rangers and Astros are both too far away from Utah, and the Angels likely won’t travel the nearly 700-mile journey just to play someone who is typically just 30 miles away — although former Salt Lake Bee Mike Trout playing in Utah again would be quite the storyline.

Thus, the Mariners and Athletics would be most convenient, with the M’s being preferable, considering they’re a better and more marketable team.

However, the Mariners were established in 1977 and therefore did not exist in the movie’s 1962 setting, making the A’s — who previously flirted with playing in Utah — the only remaining option.

So there’s our matchup: Dodgers vs. Athletics, live in Utah and wearing 1960s throwback uniforms. It should be a heck of a ballgame, especially if the A’s break out these incredible era-appropriate threads.

Jim Hunter, right-handed pitcher for the Kansas City Athletics, is shown in 1967. Should the Athletics participate in a specialty game themed around "The Sandlot," these would be the uniforms they would wear. | AP — Jim Hunter, right-handed pitcher for the Kansas City Athletics, is shown in 1967. Should the Athletics participate in a specialty game themed around “The Sandlot,” these would be the uniforms they would wear. | AP

Which Utah ballpark should become the new sandlot?

The site of the actual playing field from the movie is in Salt Lake City’s Glendale neighborhood, but it’s much too small to adequately allow for MLB competition and crowds.

Luckily for us, Utah has multiple existing ballparks that could easily host the “Sandlot” classic.

For starters, there’s the new Ballpark at America First Square in Daybreak where the Bees currently play. It’s an awesome place to watch a game, but it might be just a bit too new and nice to stand in for the rough and tumble 1960s sandlot.

There’s also Lindquist Field in Ogden, where the Pioneer League’s Ogden Raptors play. Ogden is a rather appropriate choice, as the movie’s infamous pool scene was filmed there.

Ogden's Lindquist Field. | Scott G. Winterton — Ogden’s Lindquist Field. | Scott G. Winterton

The ballpark itself is wonderful, intimate and captures the small-town feeling prevalent in “The Sandlot.” The outfield fence could easily be altered to appear more similar to that of the movie’s dusty old sandlot, and the view is majestic. Lindquist would be an excellent choice.

But Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City would be the perfect choice.

Smith’s is only 2 miles away from the actual sandlot site. Its 1300 South and West Temple location has been home to a number of different baseball teams for nearly a century. It’s one of the top sports landmarks Utah has to offer.

And it’s in its final days.

With the Bees’ move to Daybreak and the University of Utah opening its own on-campus baseball venue soon, Smith’s sits vacant, still in good shape but without a tenant to enjoy it.

Salt Lake City has plans to redevelop the 13.5-acre site in the near future, but if there’s any chance of being able to host this “Sandlot” game, the ballpark should remain intact just a bit longer for such an opportunity.

0921bees.spt_SGW_4063.jpg — Salt Lake Bees fans watch as the Bees play in one of their last games at Smith’s Ballpark against Oklahoma City on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

The most fitting end to a century of baseball on that site would be to allow the historic, beloved ballpark to host the first regular season Major League game ever played in the state of Utah. It’s only right.

There’s a real appetite for an MLB team in Utah, and filling Smith’s Ballpark with 15,000 fans for a “Sandlot” game would help make that abundantly clear. If “Field of Dreams” was worthy of two specialty games, clearly “The Sandlot” deserves at least one of its own.

Baltimore Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. said it best: “You could be a kid for as long as you want when you play baseball.” At its best, this sport can bring out a magical, youthful glee in all of us. That’s ultimately what “The Sandlot” is all about, and that’s what a specialty game based on the film would honor, celebrate and hopefully capture anew.

So let’s play ball — in Utah!

Source: Utah News