30 Years Of The Sandlot: Utah Locations To Visit
Apr 7, 2020, 2:17 PM | Updated: Apr 7, 2023, 11:13 am
Photo: 20th Century Fox
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Today, April 7 is the anniversary of the release of the hit movie, “The Sandlot”.
The movie was released in 1993. A large chunk of the movie was shot in and around Salt Lake City, Utah.
For those who haven’t seen “The Sandlot”, the movie is about a group of teenage boys who play baseball every day throughout the summer. All of the boys are different levels of skill – one even goes onto to play in the major leagues – Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez.
This Day In F̶r̶a̶n̶c̶h̶i̶s̶e̶ Salt Lake Baseball history:
1993: The locally filmed movie 'The Sandlot' is released in theaters. Here are Ham and the boys from our 25th anniversary celebration in 2018: pic.twitter.com/ThbOtCR7sO
— Salt Lake Bees (@SaltLakeBees) April 7, 2020
The boys’ summer changes when a new kid, Smalls, moves to town and doesn’t know much about baseball. He knows so little that he lets the boys play a game with his step-dads’ ball autographed by Babe Ruth. Things get messy when one of the boys hits one over the fence, a fence with a big, mean-looking dog behind it – The Beast.
I won’t spoil the movie, but you should watch it. It is family-friendly, funny and it will make you feel good.
Here are some of the locations in Utah you may recognize from the movie:
The Sandlot
The actual location of the sandlot the boys played on is located near 1388 Glenrose Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah, according to IMDb.
The Notorious Swimming Pool
One of the most well-known scenes in the movie is when Squints (the nerdy kid), who can’t swim, jumps off the high dive and fakes being unconscious so he can kiss the lifeguard.
The pool where that scene was filmed is in Ogden, Utah.
Boys Need New Baseballs
Before the Babe Ruth ball comes out to play, the boys bought new balls at a small-town drug store. That store, called Vincent Drug is no longer open but was located in Midvale, Utah.
Night At The Carnival
Another infamous scene about young boys coming of age is when the boys go to a carnival and experiment with chewing tobacco and a spinning ride. Needless to say, it does not end well.
That carnival scene was shot in American Fork, Utah on State Street.
Founders Day Picnic
During an action-packed chase scene (I won’t spoil anything), the boys and run through park hosting a large celebration or Founders Day Picnic. That park is Liberty Park in downtown Salt Lake.
Game Against The Rich Kids
In the movie, the Sandlot crew gets challenged to a game against a local little league team of rich kids, described by IMBd.
Before the game challenge, there is one of the funniest scenes in the movie where the boys face off in a name-calling battle. The names they call each other are the epitome of what it means to be a young teenage boy.
The game takes place at Riverside Park in Rose Park, Utah.
For more places to stop on your Sandlot tour of Utah, check IMDb’s comprehensive list.
