Nothing beats summer baseball.
MLB paid homage to the iconic fireworks scene from “The Sandlot” by recreating the masterpiece at Citizens Bank Park during the All-Star Game.
The recreated spectacle started with the playing of Ray Charles’ famous “America the Beautiful” for the entire Philadelphia crowd before children in Phillies jerseys peeked through a gate in the fence along the right field foul line.
The kids then came inside the ballpark and waved in several others who rode bicycles onto the field while fireworks shot off in the background.
An American flag was projected on screens throughout the stadium, and kids continued to make their way toward the middle of the infield before dropping their bikes.
Players from both teams stood side by side near their dugouts with what appeared to be sparklers, while select players, like Phillies outfielder Brandon Marsh, stood with acting fans on the field.
Some kids exchanged baseball cards with players, and Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was playing catch with a young fan.
Released in 1993, “The Sandlot” is an iconic baseball movie that features a scene where the kids play under the fireworks on the Fourth of July.
The scene also includes Charles’ song, which echoed throughout the ballpark on Tuesday.
Following the moment, the game resumed with the American League leading the National League 3-0.
A pair of Yankees, Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger, got the scoring started to make it 3-0 in the top of the first before Miguel Vargas extended the AL’s lead to 4-0 with a homer in the eighth inning, a score that would hold in an American League victory.
The pageantry of the night, which included the starting lineups signing a document similar to the Declaration of Independence, was fitting for America’s 250th birthday.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
