28/07/2025
With dirt on their knees and gloves in hand, eight Rankin County boys stepped into a scene straight out of one of America’s most beloved baseball movies. For Halloween last year, the group of friends dressed as the iconic characters from The Sandlot and recreated the film’s unforgettable team photo, capturing not just the look, but the spirit of summer baseball and childhood adventure.
The boys, who all attend Hartfield Academy, share more than just classrooms and carpool lines—they share a deep love for the game. Whether it’s neighborhood pick-up games or backyard batting practice, their days are filled with the same energy, imagination, and joy that made The Sandlot a classic. These are the memories that define a childhood summer, and for these boys, the story only got better.
Recently, they had the chance to meet four players from the newly formed Mississippi Mud Monsters, Rankin County’s new Frontier League baseball team. The “Sandlot” boys stood shoulder to shoulder with the pros in a moment that bridged movie magic with real-life dreams, one generation of ballplayers meeting another, united by a shared love of the game.
“It reminded me of why I started playing baseball in the first place,” said Ryan Cash, an infielder from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who first picked up a bat at the age of two. “Being here in Rankin County, with the southern hospitality and the support from the community, this really is a dream come true.”
Read the rest of the story in the June/July edition of Hometown Rankin!
Mississippi Mud Monsters
