Quick Links

When The Sandlot first premiered in 1993, no one could've guessed how successful the film would become or how iconic it would be in the minds of moviegoers. While family-friendly films have always done well at movie theaters, they don't often get the huge hype as some of the blockbuster hits at the movies with the huge budgets. Yet, there was something truly special about this baseball-inspired film about a group of kids in a sandlot. There must have been a magical spark during the production stage since the storyline and script were able to garner the attention of some big stars in Hollywood. From Karen Allen to James Earl Jones, it's interesting to see that there were some A-list film stars who agreed to take a small role in the film.

Although the film is over 20 years old, it still remains hugely popular with those who saw it at the movie theaters and others who watched it long after its premiere. In fact, the film has managed to be passed down from one generation to the next, with many people still quoting some of the memorable lines from the film. In 1993, the main cast of characters were all quite young. While they will forever be those same kids from The Sandlot for many fans of the film, they've since grown up and moved on to other endeavors. Check out what the characters from The Sandlot have been up to after all of these years, and see what your favorite characters have turned into after their days on the sandlot.

Patrick Renna

Patrick Renna portrayed one of the most beloved characters from The Sandlot, Hamilton "Ham" Porter. While he may not have had the same boyish good looks as those of Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez, his personality more than made up for it. He was considered to be the second-best player right behind "The Jet," and he liked to see himself as the Babe Ruth of the team. He played the catcher position and definitely had the smack-talking aspect of the game of baseball. He was quick to offer up a war of words with anyone and everyone, and he had the signature ability to come out as the victor. While Renna went on to star in a number of different roles on the big screen and on television, people still remember him for his role as "The Ham."

Tom Guiry

Tom Guiry played the role of Scotty Smalls, which brought out the most memorable quote from the film. When "The Ham" stated, "You're killin' me, Smalls," no one could've known that the phrase would live on in infamy long after the release of the film. This was the first role for Guiry, but it led to a number of future roles on the big and the small screen. From Black Hawk Down to Mystic River, Guiry seemed to have a promising career in Hollywood as an adult actor. Yet, he had a few snafus in his personal life that garnered headlines outside of his promising film career. In 2013, Guiry was reported barred from boarding a plane due to his intoxication, and it resulted in him head-butting a police officer.

Mike Vitar

Mike Vitar starred as Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez in The Sandlot and was one of the favorite characters of the film. People likened him to a young Fred Savage from his Wonder Years era, and it seemed like Hollywood had a future heartthrob in the making. Vitar continued his acting career and starred in both D2: The Mighty Ducks and D3: The Mighty Ducks. Yet, his career didn't seem to skyrocket in Hollywood. His final acting performance occurred in 1997 when he appeared on an episode of Chicago Hope. He then went on to become a firefighter, but he made headlines when he was involved in a brutal attack against a USSB student. A video was released, showing Vitar and his fellow firefighters beating 23-year-old Samuel Chang, to the point where his pulse stopped and he needed to be revived.

Chauncey Leopardi

Chauncey Leopardi had already been in a number of roles prior to getting cast as Michael "Squints" Palledorous in The Sandlot. From small roles in episodes of L.A. Law to a role in the hit film Father of the Bride, he wasn't exactly an unknown actor. Yet, the role of Michael "Squints" Palledorous was truly memorable because of his signature look and demeanor. He played a crucial part in the storyline of the film because he was the one to regale the story of "The Beast." After The Sandlot, Leopardi went on to star in a number of films, including Casper and Houseguest. Yet, he didn't receive a huge amount of success and ultimately returned to his role from The Sandlot in The Sandlot: Heading Home.

Marty York

While there were some young actors who had already acted in previous roles before landing a spot in The Sandlot, Marty York made his film-acting debut when he got the role of Alan "Yeah-Yeah" McClennan. He was known for spontaneously calling out, "Yeah, Yeah," but somehow, it came off as endearing with this fresh-faced youngster who completed the team. York continued to get a few small roles after The Sandlot but nothing that really helped to propel his acting career. The next time he really made headlines was when his mugshot was revealed after an arrest where he allegedly beat up his then-girlfriend. To make things even worse, York started asking his fans for financial help through the Internet, an act that didn't really exude the persona of being a successful adult actor.

Marley Shelton

Marley Shelton had already appeared on the big screen prior to playing the role of Wendy Peffercorn in The Sandlot. She was the impossibly beautiful blonde lifeguard whom all the boys drooled over, but only Michael "Squints" Palledorous was able to actually land a kiss with her. After The Sandlot, Shelton appeared in numerous films, with many people thinking of her as one of the most successful actors that came from this iconic film. She starred alongside Tobey Maguire in Pleasantville and Drew Barrymore in Never Been Kissed. Yet, many people remember her for her performances in Sin City and Grindhouse. She's remained consistently busy as an actress throughout the 2000s on the big screen and started acting in the television series The Lottery in 2014, even though it was a short-lived series.

James Earl Jones

The Sandlot is often thought of as a kid's film, and there weren't many adults who actually had character roles. Yet, James Earl Jones definitely had the most monumental role as Mr. Mertle. He was initially introduced as an evil man and the owner of Hercules ("The Beast"). Yet, it was later discovered that he was actually a former professional baseball player and extremely misunderstood by some of the kids in the neighborhood. James Earl Jones was already a hugely respected actor prior to his role in The Sandlot, his list of movies including hit films like Coming to America and Field of Dreams. After The Sandlot, he continued to act and is considered one of the best actors in cinematic history. Whether you know him from The Lion King, Star Wars, or The Big Bang Theory, James Earl Jones remains a legend in the minds of the public.

Shane Obedzinski

Prior to appearing in The Sandlot as Tommy "Repeat" Timmons, Shane Obedzinski had only appeared in a handful of roles, and they were all quite small. In The Sandlot, he played the youngest of all of the players, which made him even more endearing to moviegoers. Yet, time wasn't friendly to Obedzinski, and he quickly lost the adorable features from his character in The Sandlot. While many of the other cast members from the film went on to gain a number of other roles, that wasn't the case for Obedzinski. He pretty much disappeared from the Hollywood scene and began living a life out of the spotlight. Back when Myspace was still being used as the main social media platform, he had an account, but it was deactivated, and all of the information was removed. Nowadays, he's living a quiet life without any endeavors in pursuing his acting career.

Victor DiMattia

Victor DiMattia played the role of the older brother to Tommy "Repeat" Timmons in The Sandlot. His character was Timmy Timmons, a huge Yankees fan. He actually looked strikingly similar to the actor who played Tommy "Repeat" Timmons, but the similarities didn't carry on into their adulthood. DiMattia actually had quite a bit of experience as a child actor, starting his career at the young age of just 5 years old. Yet, he didn't have much success after The Sandlot and only had a few roles, with none of them helping to further his acting career. His biggest endeavor was when he wrote, directed, and starred in Dinkins, a short film based on a zombie apocalypse. Other than that, he's led a quiet life outside of Hollywood.

Brandon Quintin Adams

When Brandon Quintin Adams was cast as the pitcher, Kenny DeNunez, in The Sandlot, he had already starred in a number of memorable roles. In addition to being in the Michael Jackson film Moonwalker and a myriad of television-show appearances, many people remember him from small parts in A Different World and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He appeared alongside Mike Vitar in The Mighty Ducks film series after The Sandlot, but he had further aspirations outside of the acting world. Adams did voice acting in Kingdom Hearts II, and he dabbled in becoming a rapper. Yet, his biggest headlines came when his best friend, Merlin Santana, was killed right in front of his eyes. The murder was deemed a senseless act, and Adams had an interview with Jet magazine where he talked about how devastating the event was for him.

Grant Gelt

Grant Gelt played the role of the second-base player named Bertram Grover Weeks in The Sandlot. While he may have had the look of a dorky little kid with the glasses, he had a bit of swagger, which only a handful of the other cast members possessed. He had a rebel-like attitude and even enjoyed chewing tobacco from time to time. He had quite a bit of success as a child actor, with credits from some hit television shows like Boys Meets World and Life Goes On. Yet, he didn't choose to further his acting career later on in life, and by the time 1999 rolled around, he started to go in a different direction. He began managing rock bands and worked with groups like Velvet Hammer and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Karen Allen

As one of the few adult actors in The Sandlot, Karen Allen was one of the best known among the cast of the film. Her biggest success came from Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, but people still loved her as the mother character in The Sandlot. While she continued acting, she made her directorial debut with the film, A Tree. A Rock. A Cloud, which was based on an acclaimed short story. The film went on to win a number of film-festival awards. She's made claims that she would still love to act at the age of 65 but that there aren't many opportunities for women of a particular age. In the meantime, she's having success as a director and will forever be remembered for the hugely successful film roles in her past.

Denis Leary

People have mixed feelings about Denis Leary's character, Bill, in The Sandlot. While some think of him as a guy who really tried his best (for a man during that '60s era), others think of him as completely unreasonable. The incident involving the lost Babe Ruth ball struck a chord with some fans who felt that he reacted a bit too harshly. Whatever the case, Leary, at the very least, gave a convincing performance in The Sandlot. He went on to act in a variety of shows and even created the hugely successful series Rescue Me, which ran for seven seasons. On top of being a writer and comedian, he's also thought of as a hugely talented actor who continues to hone his craft.

Art Lafleur

It must've seemed like a major undertaking to appear in The Sandlot as the iconic Babe Ruth, but Art LaFleur was up for the challenge. His appearance in the film was akin to a deity in the eyes of a child, and he gave one of the most memorable lines from the film. The line "legends never die" really helped to force a bit of courage to get the ball from "The Beast," and it was one of the most root-worthy moments of the film. After The Sandlot, LaFleur went on to appear in a number of different roles and worked alongside some of the biggest names in Hollywood. Some of his most memorable appearances were alongside Bruce Willis in The Hostage and Tim Allen in The Santa Clause film series.

Wil Horneff

Wil Horneff made his film debut in The Sandlot, even though it was a minor part. He played the role of Phillips, the rival to the main characters, but it helped him to further his career as a child actor. He went on to star in the television series, Law & Order and even had a number of roles on the big screen. Some of his most memorable roles were in Ghost in the Machine, Born to Be Wild, and The Yearling. He continued acting and had some roles on hit television series, but he didn’t limit himself in his career. He became known for his athleticism and competed in the Junior Olympics. He went on to become the owner/operator of Training Grounds Jiu-Jitsu & MMA and won numerous titles in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Grappling.

Sources: TMZ, Maxim, Cage Potato