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“The Sandlot” was a movie that came out in 1993, a family film featuring a group of boys playing baseball in a local sandlot. One of the standout actors in this movie was the dog, which went by the name of The Beast in the film.
The Beast, a.k.a. Hercules, was an Old English Mastiff, an enormous breed of dog. Here, we give you more information about the dog in the movie and off the set.
Let’s Talk About “The Sandlot”
“The Sandlot” was released in 1993, but the plot takes place during the summer of 1962. A preteen boy, Scott Smalls, moves to a new town and joins a group of similarly aged boys who play baseball in a sandlot.
However, adjacent to the sandlot is The Beast, a huge and ferocious dog that the boys warn Scott about. Apparently, The Beast will eat anything and everything that comes near him. Of course, the kids inevitably encounter The Beast in all his magnificent glory.
He chases one of the boys but becomes entangled in a fence. The boys lift the fence to free The Beast and discover that he’s a super sweet dog whose name is actually Hercules. It’s the kind of movie that’s full of hilarious antics and nostalgia and is certainly worth a watch!
The Old English Mastiff
An Old English Mastiff is typically just called a Mastiff. They’ve been around since medieval England and were even referred to in Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales.”
At the end of World War II, though, it’s thought that there were only 14 Mastiffs in the whole of the U.K. Thanks to breeders in the U.S., though, they were brought back from the brink of extinction.
Today’s Mastiff stands at about 30 inches at the shoulder and can weigh up to a whopping 220 pounds, so they can be quite intimidating. But with the right training and socialization, these huge dogs are protective of their families and make excellent guard dogs. They are also lovable, patient, and calm.
As amazing as these dogs are, they are not for everyone. They’re big dogs and require a great deal of socialization and training to help temper their wariness of strangers and other animals. They aren’t recommended for new dog owners.
Who Was The Beast in Real Life?
The filmmakers of “The Sandlot” used two dogs and a puppet for the part of The Beast/Hercules. The puppet took two people to operate due to its massive size.
There was another Mastiff that was a stand-in for the main dog actor, Gunner. Gunner hailed from Mtn. Oaks Ranch Mastiffs in California, where his owner, Andie Williams, loaned her dog for the movie. Gunner was full of personality, so he was a perfect fit for “The Sandlot.”
Gunner’s owner insisted that they use a stunt dog for the more active scenes, since Gunner wasn’t a young dog at that point. But he was the dog that slathered his saliva all over the main actor’s face. They spread baby food on his face, and Gunner just licked it all up!
“The Sandlot 2”
A sequel came out 12 years after the original, but it wasn’t much of a success. It has the same plot as the original: Kids play baseball in a sandlot and are harassed by a giant dog with a heart of gold.
An English Mastiff was also used for this role, which was called The Great Fear by the kids but whose real name was Goliath. The writers tied this dog into the original movie by stating that he was an offspring of the original The Beast/Hercules.
There was also “The Sandlot: Heading Home,” a third movie, but there’s no dog in this one.
A Few Interesting Facts About Mastiffs
Conclusion
Now you know more about the Old English Mastiff, the breed of the dog featured in “The Sandlot.” These dogs can be intimidating due to their immense size, but they are wonderful family dogs that will shower you with affection, devotion, and drool.
“The Sandlot” is an enduring movie that many people watched as children. There’s no doubt that The Beast, a.k.a. Hercules, stole the show. He transformed from a fearsome villain to a loving friend, which has endeared so many of us to the Mastiff breed.
Featured Image Credit: Waldemar Dabrowski, Shutterstock
