Underdogs and the Players Who Helped Them

Who doesn't love a good underdog story? Not Hollywood! Get ready to root for the long shot.

THE BAD NEWS BEARS

With Jackie Earle Haley, the "best athlete in the area" and the skilled pitcher, Tatum O'Neal, this team is anything but bad news.

THE WATERBOY

Adam Sandler goes from socially inept waterboy to one of the most feared linebackers in college football. Because this is, after all, fiction.

THE MIGHTY DUCKS

Emilio Estevez is sentenced to community service by coaching the local PeeWee hockey team. He makes them over into the Ducks and yes, they are mighty.

HOOSIERS

Coach Gene Hackman helps a small town high school basketball game win the state championship. If this didn’t take place way back in 1954, I bet they’d be blasting “We Are the Champions.”

THE REPLACEMENTS

QB Keanu Reeves choked in his final college game, but is given a second chance to play during a football strike. He’s determined to get it right this time, or it’s back to scraping the barnacles off of people’s boats. And that’s not a metaphor.

RUDY

Sean Astin dreams of playing football, despite significant obstacles in his way. Based on a true story, the movie succeeds in being genuinely inspirational without being a total sapfest.

COOL RUNNINGS

This is the true story of the Jamaican national bobsled team which competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics. Because a tropical clime naturally lends itself to an icy, alpine sport.

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

The All-American Girls’ Professional Baseball League members were underdogs at the time because they were women. And because Madonna was a bit distracting with that cone bra and all.

DODGEBALL: A TRUE UNDERDOG STORY

A group of misfits enter dodgeball tournament. The movie stars Vince Vaughn who is no match for underdog Ben Stiller who’s still workin’ that “blue steel” look.

42

This film follows Jackie Robinson, the first African-American to play in American Major League Baseball. Robinson encounters bigotry and hatred but ultimately wins over the fans and paves the way for others to follow.

MIRACLE ON ICE

Do you believe in miracles? Well, the U.S. hockey team certainly got one at the 1980 Olympics where they iced the competition.

UNDERDOGS

Based on true events, this 2013 film tells the story of a small-town high school football team who play their cross-town rival. And, presumably, won.

THE KARATE KID

Ralph Macchio was a cute, scrawny kid who learned to “wax on, wax off” in order to stand up to the local bullies. And win the heart of adorable Elisabeth Shue.

MILLION DOLLAR BABY

Clint Eastwood gives Hilary Swank that squinty-eyed stare and coaches her to become a professional boxer...and Academy Award winner.

ROCKY

Sylvester Stallone played the ultimate underdog in this 1976 Oscar-winning film. And he drank some raw eggs and ran up a bunch of steps to an awesome soundtrack.