The Sandlot Cast Members Look So Different Today

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It's hard to believe, but "The Sandlot" first came out more than 30 years ago, telling the story of a group of ball-playing kids in the summer of 1962. The 1993 cult classic was a bit of a swing and a miss when it hit theaters, but has long been a guilty pleasure of an entire generation. Famous critic Roger Ebert described "The Sandlot" as a summertime version of "A Christmas Story," and it's hard to deny how on-point that comment was. It's one of those movies that you probably love if you saw it in the theaters, and there's a good chance you've shown it to your own kids.

The movie has several notable adult actors, but ultimately, it's about the kids, and there are a bunch in the cast. Fans all have their favorites, and whether that's Yeah-Yeah, Squints, Ham, or any of the other young ballplayers, odds are, someone somewhere continues to cheer them on every time "The Sandlot" runs on cable. The large cast all went their separate ways when filming wrapped, and while some stayed in the business, others didn't.

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Tom Guiry got into acting when he was 12, which is also how old he was when he played Scott "Scotty" Smalls in "The Sandlot," his first feature film. "The Sandlot" was the first in a long career of film and television work for the young actor. After the 1993 cult classic, Guiry went on to star in a number of high-profile movies, including 2001's "Black Hawk Down," 2003's "Mystic River," and 2015's "The Revenant."

Guiry also worked in television, most notably playing Jimmy Donnelly in "The Black Donnellys." He appeared in several police procedural series and some TV movies, though his last credited work came via 2022's "Killin Smalls." Unfortunately, it seems Guiry has run into legal trouble in the midst of a gradually slowing acting career.

Guiry was arrested in 2013 for reportedly headbutting a police officer at a Texas airport. In June 2024, Guiry threw a 35 lb. weight onto his neighbor's car, then went to the man's front door brandishing a kitchen knife. The whole thing was captured on the neighbor's security and doorbell cameras, so it's unsurprising the police hit him with assault, disorderly conduct, and malicious damage charges. He ultimately pled guilty to these charges with a punishment of $757 in fines.

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Mike Vitar portrayed Benjamin Franklin "Benny" — later "The Jet" — Rodriguez in "The Sandlot," but it wasn't his first acting gig. Vitar got into acting a few years earlier, appearing in smaller roles for a few projects, and he continued acting after the film hit theaters. He went on to play Luis in "D2: The Mighty Ducks" and he reprised the role in the franchise's third installment. His last acting credit — besides a flashback scene in 2005's "The Sandlot 2" — was a walk-on role on "Chicago Hope" in 1997.

Vitar may have gotten an early foothold into the acting business, but it was never his passion. Vitar wanted to become a firefighter, so that's precisely what he did. He started out as an EMT before making the transition to firefighting in the Los Angeles Fire Department.

For the most part, Vitar's work as a firefighter hasn't been news-making, except for one 2015 incident. That Halloween, Vitar and two of his coworkers chased a man and held him on the ground. They believed he was handing out drug-laced candy to children, but that wasn't true. One of Vitar's coworkers put the man into a chokehold until he passed out, leading to all three firefighters being charged with felony assault. Vitar got it dropped to a misdemeanor by pleading no contest and was suspended but allowed to return to duty after six months.

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Chauncey Leopardi got started as an actor when he was just 5, so he already booked several gigs before joining the cast of "The Sandlot." Leopardi was cast as Michael "Squints" Palledorous, and he continued acting long after the movie premiered. Leopardi went on to appear in a variety of projects on the silver and small screens.

Leopardi has certainly come into his own, having played a dorky kid decades earlier, this "Sandlot" star grew up to be unrecognizably gorgeous with skills that have kept him acting and working a variety of side hustles. Some of Leopardi's work after "The Sandlot" includes roles in "Father of the Bride," "Houseguest," "Gilmore Girls," and many more. He's probably best known for playing Alan White in "Freaks and Geeks."

When Leopardi isn't acting, he's a professional poker player. The actor competed in the World Series of Poker in 2010, 2022, and 2024, though he hasn't placed too high out of thousands of contestants. Another of Leopardi's ventures includes owning and producing his own marijuana strain, "Squintz." The strain's logo features a cartoon of his "Sandlot" character with a backwards baseball cap, joint, and smoke around him.

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Patrick Renna's first outing as an actor was playing Hamilton "Ham" Porter in "The Sandlot." When that film wrapped, Renna moved on to the next one, and he's continued acting ever since. Throughout his career, Renna has appeared in numerous TV series, including "Boy Meets World," "Home Improvement," "The X-Files," "Bones," and others.

Renna also continued working in movies, appearing in "Poor White Trash," "National Lampoon Presents Dorm Daze," and "Dark Ride." Renna dabbled in producing in 2015's "Bad Roomies" — which he also starred in — though he never stopped acting. Some of his more recent work includes "Monster Summer" and "GLOW," so there's a good chance you've seen him in something. Outside of acting, Renna launched Hambino Athletics to sell apparel related to his "Sandlot" character.

Renna is always happy to meet fans of "The Sandlot," and more than a few happily say, "You're killing me, Smalls," to the actor. Regarding the film, he told US Weekly, "I liken it to how 'The Goonies' is to me because that's my 'Sandlot.' If I saw any of the actors from 'The Goonies,' I would freak out more than I would freak out if I saw Brad Pitt."

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Marty York began his acting career in "The Sandlot," where he played Alan "Yeah Yeah" McClennan. York kept at it for a while, appearing in various TV series sporadically until 1997. He didn't have another acting credit until 2010, when he appeared in a short called "The Trainer." He's acted a few times since, having most recently popped up in another short, "Super Bois," in 2021.

Outside of his acting work, York is big into fitness and spends several days a week working out in the gym. He had some legal trouble in 2009 due to a fight with a girlfriend that led to his arrest. While he initially pleaded not guilty, he changed his plea and received a 60-day jail sentence along with one year of counseling and five years of probation.

Years later, in 2023, York's mother was tragically murdered by a man she was dating, so the actor took to Instagram to share the news with the wanted poster, asking for help in the manhunt. Eventually, his mother's murderer was found and taken into custody. The loss was hard on York, who credited his mother with helping him achieve success. Shortly after her death, York decided to continue with a fan signing because, as he explained on Instagram, there "might be a kid out there that just lost his mother that's coming to see me and I'm not going to let that kid down. My mom would want me to be there."

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Brandon Adams started acting years before he joined the cast of "The Sandlot" as Kenny DeNunez. Prior to that film, he had roles in Michael Jackson's 1988 film, "Moonwalker," "The People Under the Stairs," and "The Mighty Ducks," to name a few. His first acting gig was on the television series "Benson" in 1986, and he went on to appear in "Empty Nest," "Quantum Leap," "Moesha," "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," and more.

Adams also lent his voice to Raijin in the "Kingdom Hearts" game franchise, but his live-acting performances pretty much ended after 2001. The only professional credit he has after that was as a narrator on "The Resort," a dark comedy series on Peacock. When he wasn't acting, Adams shifted gears and became a hip-hop artist under an alias, B. Lee. He also took screenwriting and directing classes, shifting his focus from on-camera to behind-the-scenes.

The multi-talent is often recognized for playing Kenny, even after more than 30 years. Adams described what it's like getting spotted in public as a celebrity to the Chicago Defender in 2009, saying, "It's being recognized for your accomplishments and what you've done ... becoming closer to what you want to achieve in life."

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Grant Gelt got into acting earlier than most of the kids on "The Sandlot." His entry into the entertainment business came in 1988's "This Is America, Charlie Brown," in which he voiced Franklin. After that, he appeared in several television series, including "Knots Landing," "Northern Exposure," and "Blossom." He was already a seasoned actor with many credits under his belt by the time "Sandlot" came around.

While he worked extensively as a child actor in the years leading up to "The Sandlot," he didn't keep with it for much longer. After the film, he knocked out several single-episode TV appearances and a film before retiring from the craft in 1999. He switched his interest to managing rock bands after high school and taught himself the business.

Grant eventually acquired a job at MCA Records, and after a few years there, he returned to management. Gelt co-founded Masscult and works as its chief strategy officer. He also co-founded and co-chairs Play Forever, a nonprofit that aims "to remove obstacles and equip young athletes with the support they need to Play Forever." Gelt runs the charity with his friend and former co-star, Victor DiMattia.

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Victor DiMattia entered the entertainment industry when he was 6, appearing in an episode of "Our House." He went on to play characters in a plethora of popular TV series in the '80s, including "Family Ties," "Punky Brewster," and "Married ... with Children." He racked up dozens of credits before joining the cast of "The Sandlot" as Timmy Timmons, and it wouldn't be his last.

DiMattia continued acting until 1995, then he stopped after playing Sam Cafferty in 11 episodes of "A Peaceable Kingdom." After that, DiMattia tried his hand at a number of professions, including joining a band, working as a bartender, and writing comedy. He also co-founded and co-chairs Play Forever with "Sandlot" costar Grant Gelt.

DiMattia also works at Gelt's company, Masscult, as the director of web3 initiatives. Despite leaving acting to work on entirely different things, DiMattia returned to the craft in 2018, playing Officer Lynam in "Get Married or Die." He's since appeared in two more movies, 2021's "Death Rider in the House of Vampires" and "Breakout" in 2023. DiMattia never forgot the film that made him famous, and shows up to many "Sandlot" fan events alongside his former co-stars.

Shane Obedzinski had a brief career as a child actor prior to playing Tommy "Repeat" Timmons in "The Sandlot." He only had a handful of roles in "Superboy," "My Girl," "Swamp Thing," and other projects before taking the mound in "The Sandlot." After that, he effectively stopped acting, having only two credits from 1993's "Hidden Fears" and a short in 2017.

Obedzinski left his acting career after his childhood, focusing on becoming a business owner. He achieved that goal, as he co-owns and operates New York Times Square Pizza. He opened the restaurant in his hometown of Brandon, Florida, but Obedzinski and his partner, Charlie Jonathan, have more than 30 restaurants in their Fire it Up restaurant group.

Jonathan spoke with the Tampa Bay Times about his partner's former glory, explaining, "He's very down to earth about it. Kids come in with the DVD now. Before it was VHS, and he signs them. He'll sit and talk with every one of them." Obedzinski joined his former castmates at the film's 20th anniversary celebration in 2013, where he noted, "The field looked just like it did 20 years ago." Obedzinski also works on the board of Play Forever.

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Marley Shelton got started on the small screen, appearing in an episode of "The Family Man" in 1990. Three years later, she played Wendy Peffercorn in "The Sandlot" and never stopped acting. Shelton went on to appear prominently in films like "Pleasantville," "Sin City," "Death Proof," "Planet Terror," and many others. Most notably, she portrayed Judy Hicks in the "Scream" franchise. She first played Hicks in "Scream 4" and returned 11 years later to play a promoted Sheriff Hicks in 2022's "Scream." Shelton has worked a lot over the years, but her character in "The Sandlot" is probably the one fans recognize the most.

Shelton spoke with US Weekly on the film's 25th anniversary, explaining that people still recognize her as Wendy Peffercorn. "I'm shocked! Initially, people liked the movie, but nobody thought it was going to have the legs that it did and become this cult classic," she explained. "I think it's still relatable. Something about baseball and adolescence and that simpler time in life."

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Karen Allen launched her feature film career in 1978, playing Katy in "National Lampoon's Animal House." She followed this with a small role in Woody Allen's "Manhattan," and in 1981, she starred in "Raiders of the Lost Ark" as Marion Ravenwood. She went on to reprise that role 27 years later in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," and again 15 years later, in "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny."

Allen played Mrs. Smalls in "The Sandlot," and it's a drop in the bucket in her long and storied career. Allen has worked on the small screen, but most of her credits are for TV movies, as she's more of a film actor than anything else. Still, that's not her only profession because Allen has worked as an adjunct professor at New York University and Bard College at Simon's Rock.

"The Sandlot" was the first film Allen did after her son was born, and she's amazed at its legacy. Allen spoke with AV Club about the film, saying "I got a lot of people who were telling me what huge fans [they were]. 'The Sandlot,' for them, was this seminal film growing up." Allen also runs Karen Allen Fiber Arts, a clothing store in Massachusetts where she showcases designers she appreciates.

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Denis Leary got his start working as a stand-up comic, and he became well known in 1993 for his single, "A***ole," from his "No Cure for Cancer" special. Like many other comics, Leary transitioned into acting, first appearing in and writing for small projects on the silver screen before landing the role of Smalls' stepfather, Bill, in "The Sandlot."

After "The Sandlot," Leary kept at it, appearing in dozens of projects, including "Demolition Man," "The Thomas Crown Affair," and "Underworld." He's also done significant voice acting work, voicing Francis in "A Bug's Life," Diego in the "Ice Age" franchise, and much more. Leary also played George Stacy in "The Amazing Spider-Man" and its sequel, so he's kept himself busy and continues working in entertainment.

Outside of acting and comedy, Leary is an author, having published "Why We Don't Suck" in 2018. That was Leary's seventh book, having penned numerous over the years. Leary continues working in comedy as well, having hosted Comics Come Home in 2024. Leary also founded The Leary Firefighters Foundation in 2000 after his cousin, a friend, and four firefighters died in a fire in his hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts.

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Art LaFleur is one of those actors you've probably seen hundreds of times but never knew his name. That's because LaFleur was a brilliant character actor who possessed an uncanny ability to disappear into his roles. He played Babe Ruth in "The Sandlot," but it was only one of many roles he performed over his near-40-year career as an actor.

LaFleur got his start in 1978's "Rescue from Gilligan's Island" and went on to appear in everything from "Charlie's Angels" and "M*A*S*H," to "WarGames" and "Field of Dreams" before setting foot on "The Sandlot" set. LaFleur continued working in Hollywood, acting in all kinds of projects throughout the 1990s and well into the 2000s and 2010s.

LaFleur's work began slowing down, and his last role was playing Dad for the TV movie, "Dive," in 2017. Sadly, LaFleur tragically died on November 17, 2021, at the age of 78. His wife, Shelly, posted on Facebook, "After a 10-year battle with A-typical Parkinson's, Art LaFleur, the love of my life, passed away ... He was a generous and selfless man, which carried over to his acting, but more importantly, it was who he was for his family and friends."

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James Earl Jones landed his first film role in Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove" in 1964. He also worked in television, and by 1977, Jones landed a small uncredited role in a science fiction movie called "Star Wars." Jones passed at being credited in the first two films for voicing Darth Vader, not believing he contributed enough to the films.

Jones' inimitable voice was the result of overcoming a stutter early in life, and he was renowned for it. Whether he let viewers know they're watching CNN, telling Luke Skywalker he's his father, or speaking to Simba as Mufasa, Jones' acting legacy is hard to deny. Jones played Mr. Mertle in "The Sandlot," and it was one of many excellent performances by the amazing actor.

Jones continued acting into the 2020s, reprising his role as King Jaffe Joffer in "Coming 2 America" and Vader in "Obi-Wan Kenobi." After a long and impressive career, Jones tragically died on September 9, 2024, at the age of 93. Jones has since been celebrated for his career, which included winning an Emmy, Grammy, (honorary) Oscar, and Tony, making him one of the few stars to win the coveted EGOT.