“THE SANDLOT” REFLECTION PAPER

Dominique Gabrielle S. Abadies

BSBM MM 2-5

"The Sandlot" is an old film about friendship. Scotty Smalls moves to a new neighborhood
with his mom and stepdad. His father died early and he doesn’t have friends yet, so he's trying to
get along with his stepfather, who is also a baseball fan.

This is my first time seeing this film. While watching and knowing that his father like my
father died, I suddenly realized what the boy is experiencing; Smalls, like myself, had a desire for
that male figure. Smalls' stepfather, Bill (Dennis Leary) was not cruel or violent, but he was a bit
distant and at their first catch practice, he was dismayed at Smalls' skill. His stepfather doesn't
seem to be interested at first, but they eventually get along. It's really difficult when you want to
talk to your father about other things but you can't anymore, which is why you sometimes wonder
why he had to leave. When your mother or father dies, that bond is torn. In response to this loss
you may feel a lot of strong emotions. Numbness, confusion, fear, guilt, relief and anger are just
a few of the feelings you may have. It's normal to have a tough time for the first year. After then,
you accept it and move on.

As per Scotty, he was just a child and a boy and I can imagine how it hurts and how it
feels incomplete. He was a shy kid, and doesn't have the skill to socialize with other people. Social
skills help children interact with the world around them through relationship development, verbal
communication, and body language. The right set of social skills will make it easier for a child to
make friends, share with their classmates, and cooperate in social environment.

One day, Scotty decided to go outside and make new friends. He follows a group of
baseball boys. Having the baseball skills of a kid, Scotty is first hesitant to play with the boys. Day
after day, he finds himself standing in left-center field looking towards the sky at the ball that is
plunging down at him and hits him in the eye. The boys begin laughing at him and cracking jokes.
Thankfully for Scotty, Benny, the leader and best player of the boys, is understanding and teaches
Scotty the basics of baseball. He learned baseball skills with this group of kids and this is where
their friendship started and their friendship lasts until they had their own life and career.

When we were young and new to a neighborhood or at school, we always take tiny steps
to get to know the people around us, just like Scotty. This stage is important to the social
development of the child as it prepares them for adolescence. I remember when we had just
moved in and I noticed a group of friends playing just down the street; I wanted to join them but
didn't know how to approach them. One of them suddenly shouted and invited me to join them in
their game; I was surprised and excitedly joined them. We ended up meeting there every after
class to play hide and seek and other games, and the one girl who shouted and invited me to join
them became my best friend.

My first day of school was also not easy; I was nervous as I walked down the hall to my
room. Everyone seems to be staring at me. But, as time passed, that feeling disappeared, and I
found myself at home in my surroundings. I got to know my classmates and made a few close
friends. I enjoy going to the canteen with them and eat our favorite snacks. I enjoy going to the
canteen with them, sharing stories while eating our favorite snacks and juice packs. We also have
this game called "Chinese Garter" where you use a thick garter to perform stunts, and we can
play in teams or by partner.

So you see, there are things that will surprise you; one day, you may have made new
friends. One day, you find yourself discovering new things. You discover the importance of
childhood friendships, the struggles of first crushes, fitting in and getting out of your comfort zone,
and the joys of being a kid during summertime, both on and off the baseball field or at school.

This film reminds us of the best parts of being a kid when school's out of session, endless
days you get to fill with any kind of fun you want, adventures you never planned and more.
Experiences that made your childhood more fun and memorable. A kind of story that you’ll never
get tired of telling your sons and grandchildren.

The Sandlot aren’t so much the baseball scenes, but the ones showcasing the adventures
of youth. I laughed at the scene where they all went to a public pool. Squints has a crush on a
Lady Lifeguard and made a plan to trick the lifeguard into kissing him through mouth resuscitation,
he doesn't know how to swim and jumped on the pool. After that the boys chew on something
before riding a carnival ride, only to puke all over themselves. They also accidentally threw the
baseball ball into the yard where there was a big dog that they were afraid of and devised science
inventions to recover the ball signed by a famous baseball player.

After getting the chewed-up ball back, the kids meet Mr. Mertle. They’ve been afraid of
him and his dog, but they find out that Mr. Mertle is really a kind man, who played baseball and
was blinded after getting hit with a fastball. He then trades them their old ball for his own, signed
by the 1927 New York Yankees. After talking to the kids, he asks them to visit every week so they
can talk about baseball together.
 They thought Mr. Mertle and his dog are mean, but after meeting them, they realized that
they can be friends with him. While initially afraid of Mr. Mertle, the kids come to see how
interesting he is, and can learn from his stories of playing baseball. They have a newfound respect
for him and learn something new while facing their fears. Sometimes people may appear
unapproachable but once you get to know them, you'll realize they're the sweetest person with a
good heart. That is why there is a saying "Do not judge the book by its cover". Talk to them, get
to know them more, You'll never know.

The more important story here is friendship. Everyone has been Scotty Smalls at some
point in their life. Everyone idolized a Benny, most of us knew a Squints and a Ham who are fun
to be with. In the film’s closing moments, we learn of the significance of these childhood
connections. Many of the boys drifted apart as they aged, but Smalls and Benny remained friends,
Benny a pro ball player and Smalls the team’s commentator. Smalls not only found friendship and
acceptance as a kid in the sandlot, he figured out his purpose in life, something he’d keep with
him forever.

Benny plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Scott is the one who announces his games.
In the announcing booth, Scott has a picture of the sandlot team, showing just how much those
friends meant to him, and changed his life, even if most of them grew apart. The movie highlights
the intensity of childhood friendships, and while the kids all tease each other, they were also the
truest of friends that summer.

This is truly an inspirational film for me. The movie highlights the timeless concepts of
growing up, making friends, and facing your anxieties with fun and love. It inspires me to enjoy
life with my family and friends and to appreciate the happiness we bring each other.

Consumer behavior is the study of how people make decisions when they purchase,
helping businesses and marketers capitalize on these behaviors by predicting how and when a
consumer will make a purchase. It's similar to the decision of Smalls and Benny to be bold and
pursue their ambition of playing baseball. Their group of friends also shows how they plan to get
the ball by observing how the big dog behaves. Like almost all businesses, you want to win the
prize, reach the goal, and be successful.