Writer and director David Mickey Evans on baseball and the legacy of "The Sandlot"

Released in 1993, The Sandlot was a relatively low budget film, reportedly produced for $7 million. The baseball-themed, coming-of-age movie quickly earned multiples of that budget back at the box office, and then plenty more on home video with millions of VHS and DVD copies sold in the years since.

2018 marks the 25th anniversary of the initial release of The Sandlot and Fathom Events is re-releasing the film to American theatres for two nights only, July 22nd and July 24th. These showings will also include an exclusive sneak preview of an all-new Fox Sports documentary about the making of The Sandlot.

We had the pleasure of doing Q&A with the film's director and co-writer David Mickey Evans about what many people call the greatest movie ever made about baseball. Tickets and other information related to Fathom Events' special presentations can be found online at www.fathomevents.com/events/the-sandlot-25th-anniversary, while Evans can be followed on Twitter via @DMESandlot.

When did you first realize that The Sandlot was a movie with a cult following?

David Mickey Evans: During the VHS video rental days it was clear that the film was being rented over and over. But really when the DVD revolution hit. Fans began buying multiple copies of every edition that came out. And it has never stopped since then.

I have heard many people refer to The Sandlot as the greatest baseball-related movie of all time. How do you feel about that?

David Mickey Evans: I feel intensely grateful about that. And humbled. And I certainly never get tired of hearing it, even though I consider The Sandlot a movie about friendship set against a backdrop of summertime baseball.

Do you have a favourite scene in The Sandlot?

David Mickey Evans: Yes, the night game scene when the boys play ball under 4th of July fireworks. To this day I get choked up every time I watch that scene.

Have you worked with any of the Sandlot cast in recent years?

David Mickey Evans: Not in a film or TV series, but we’ve gotten together in 2013 for The Sandlot’s 20th anniversary for a screening tour with the film, and this year as well all over the country celebrating the film’s 25th anniversary. When we get together its like no time at all has passed by. We’re all social media pals as well, so we keep in touch fairly often.

The Sandlot-related promotions aside, what is coming up for your career-wise?

David Mickey Evans: A theatrical Sandlot prequel. A TV series my partner Howard Burkons and I created called Pacific Coast Highway A film starring Peter Fonda I co-wrote with my partner Paul Jaconi-Biery, and I will direct called Hemingway's Hero. And a script I wrote based on the life of Iowa football coach Ed Thomas called The Sacred Acre looks like it’s going into production soon.

Is baseball a big passion of yours? Do you have a favorite MLB team?

David Mickey Evans: I am baseball fan, but not a fanatic. My favorite team is the Los Angeles Dodgers. I bleed Dodger blue.

Finally, when not busy with your career, how do you like to spend your free time?

David Mickey Evans: With my wife Stacey and our German shepherd dog, Maverick, at the beach. Tennis and golf when I can. And fishing.