Was the black kid being a part of the team unrealistic?
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — The Sandlot
WorstCaseOntario — 9 years ago(June 09, 2016 10:48 PM)
This movie is set in 1962 in LA county, and racial tensions were still very high at that time and in that area. I can imagine several ignorant, hot-headed white kids (like some in the group are) being racist, or the parents of the kids not wanting their kids hanging out with a black kid. Also, it was possibly unrealistic during that time that Kenny would be allowed in a public pool.
I know by 1962 there were several great black baseball players like Willie Mays and Hank Aaron that the kids were probably fans of, so those kids very well could've gotten comfortable with black people by then. Also, Kenny was a great pitcher so the kids were probably very happy to have him on their team. But it's still something to think about. -
Ultrashiver — 9 years ago(June 13, 2016 07:03 AM)
Benny Rodriguez was Latino and the black kids last name was "DeNunez", which is also Latino. Benny was kind of like their leader so maybe there was a special consideration made if the rest of the team had an issue with him.
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binaryguy1101 — 9 years ago(June 17, 2016 12:33 PM)
But if you don't look at it through the lens of race, and just see it about a bunch of kids growing together through baseball, then it works just fine.
When you watch a movie like this, do you see italian kids and irish kids and english kids? or do you just see a bunch of kids?
This movie doesn't really deal with race (well, I shouldn't say that since it's been a long time since I've seen it). Was the race of the blind neighbor brought up? Anyway, I don't remember race being an issue - so I don't think it's important to try to typecast everyone. I would cast the best actors I had available - and I wouldn't worry about what part of the world their ancestors may have come from (unless the story needed a distinction) -
FedoraDave — 9 years ago(August 25, 2016 07:11 AM)
I watched this film for the first time yesterday, and I was struck less by the acceptance of a black kid on the team than I was struck by the absence of making Ham the butt of "fat kid" jokes. All of those kids were kind of misfits and weirdos, but that didn't matter to them, nor should it matter to the audience, IMO. They were kids who banded together for love of the game, and even Squints, the geeky little kid with the horn-rimmed glasses, had skills, contributed to the team, and was accepted.
Would that this were true in all aspects of life.