Imrem: Reviving fond memories of 'The Sandlot'

"The Sandlot" is one of the Top 10 favorite films of all time.

Strange choice, right?

"The Sandlot" didn't win a best-movie Oscar, wasn't a box-office blockbuster and didn't blow anything to smithereens.

But my list of favorites is based upon my state of mind at the time the movie came out.

Like, this is just me, "The Owl and the Pussycat" was more enjoyable than "The Wizard of Oz."

Why?

Because I was on strike when it turned up in 1970. After walking the picket line in the dead of winter, I stumbled into the theater to warm up.

Barbra Streisand and George Segal provided a few laughs when they were in short supply.

As for "Sandlot," if the choice were to see it or "Gone With the Wind," frankly, my dear, give me the former.

Nothing against "Wind" or "Wizard" - both greats - but neither is "The Sandlot."

Again, why?

Because "Sandlot" is about baseball … or more precisely about a baseball.

Even a bad film about baseball beats a great film about anything else.

The reason for today's meanderings is you might go years without hearing anything about "Sandlot" and the past few days it came up twice.

One concerned actor Bill Murray and his brothers launching a line of golf apparel with a Cubs touch.

Joel Murray was quoted about having a baseball signed by the 1969 Cubs. One day, the story goes, he and his friends ran out of balls and he broke out the precious Cubs collectible.

"It was kind of a 'Sandlot' moment," he said.

In the movie, a kid offers up his stepfather's baseball, which was autographed by Babe Ruth. It flies over a fence into a junkyard where a growling dog called "The Beast" resides. The suspense and giggles proceed from there.

Ben Zobrist is responsible for the other recent reference to "The Sandlot."

The Cubs' infielder-outfielder rode his bicycle from home to Wrigley Field last week, which he has done occasionally this season.

This time, though, Zobrist wore his Cubs uniform, with PF Flyer gym shoes on his feet and a vintage baseball glove dangling from the handlebar.

It was Zobrist's tribute to the kids in "The Sandlot."

Actually, it also was a tribute to all the kids through all the decades who rode bikes to an available field, played with a beat-up old glove and had footgear that preceded Air Jordans.

Two references to "The Sandlot" were as much nostalgia as any grown-up kid could hope for.

It struck the same chord that the movie itself did: Set in 1962, this was the baseball that many of us miss.

You just arrived at the sandlot, playground or park, chose up sides, played a game suitable for however many kids showed up, made up the rules as you went along, fought a little and laughed a lot.

No adults were anywhere in sight, only kids having a ball playing with a ball.

Heck, 54 years ago, back in the days of "The Sandlot," major leaguers didn't have $300-million contracts, hot dogs were the primary performance enhancers and domes were bald heads.

It seemed that everyone - baseball players and fans alike - were kids regardless of their ages.

No wonder "The Sandlot" remains a cult classic and one of my Top 10 favorite movies of all time.

Thanks to the Murrays and Ben Zobrist for reviving the memories.

mimrem@dailyherald.com