theScore is counting the 100 best fictional characters in the history of sports cinema.
100-91 | 90-81 The | 80-71 The | 70-61 The | 60-51
50-41 The | 40-31 The | 30-21 The | 20-11 The | 10-1
10. Apollo’s Creed
“Rocky” (1975), “Rocky II” (1979), “Rocky III” (1982) and “Rocky IV” (1985)
Possibly the most charismatic sports figure to ever appear on the big screen, Creed (Carl Weathers) is the perfect opposite of Rocky Balboa’s character below. Loosely based on a mix of fighters, including Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, the flamboyant and arrogant boxer embraces his larger-than-life state while warming up and remaining personable at the same time.
9. Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson
“The fighter” (2008)
Darren Aronofsky’s dark immersion in the independent circuits of professional wrestling was a masterpiece that achieved Oscar-worthy success thanks to Mickey Rourke’s incredible portrayal of the fighter Robinson Vanishing. “The Ram” represents everything that is wrong with fame and fortune when his continued journey to relive his glory years ends up costing him more important things in life. Rourke, who really struggled in the film, received a Best Actor nomination for his work.
8. Reggie ‘Reg’ Dunlop
“Blow of blow” (1977)
Already in his 50s when “Slap Shot” was released, Paul Newman’s Reg has a bit of Gordie Howe who feels like a passionate ice leader who has seen and done it all, but continues to exercise his craft because the hockey is really his first love. As always, that trademark Newman cool is present both during games and at the local bar.
Fair warning, though: some of Reg’s pranks haven’t aged well.
7. Crash Davis
“Bull Durham” (1988)
Warning: the video contains rude language
Davis (Kevin Costner) is a veteran catcher who is recruited to teach young pitcher “Nuke” LaLoosh how to be a pro while trying to break a minor league home run record that most people don’t know or care about. Davis may be tough on “Bull Durham”, but his adoration of baseball and his ability to deliver memorable speeches make him one of the most legendary sports characters in film history.
6. Happy Gilmore
“Happy Gilmore” (1996)
It’s the perfect fish-out-of-the-water story: An aspiring hockey player wannabe takes over the world of golf after discovering a strange ability to drive the ball hundreds of yards thanks to his graceless shooting technique. As happy, Adam Sandler is at his best as a man-boy, screaming, hitting and cursing as he runs down the inhabitants of the professional tour.
5. Jesus Shuttlesworth
“He Got The Game” (1998)
Getting a non-actor actor, then-Milwaukee Bucks star Ray Allen to play a leading role in a drama carried a lot of risks, but Spike Lee’s gambit was worth it. Allen does enough to bring the adolescent basketball prodigy, Jesus Shuttlesworth, to life, then removes the paint to let Denzel Washington do the heavy lifting.
With Allen becoming a member of the Hall of Fame, the Jesus Shuttlesworth character has remained in the public consciousness for more than two decades.
4. ‘Steamin’ Willie Beamen
“Any given Sunday” (1999)
Warning: the video contains rude language
Throughout the 1990s, Jamie Foxx was best known for the comedy show “In Living Color” and the comedy “The Jamie Foxx Show”. Digging deep into the sordid bottom of professional football, Oliver Stone’s “Any Given Sunday” helped bridge the gap between Foxx’s comic work and his Best Actor Oscar for “Ray” in 2005.
Much of Willie Beamen’s story remains today: the typecasting of soccer and the treatment of black quarterbacks; Acclimatize to a rapid rise in celebrity status; and balance priorities on and off the field. Beamen feels like an amalgamation of many real-life QBs that came before and after – unique personalities and talents like Jim McMahon, Michael Vick, Baker Mayfield, and Lamar Jackson.
3. Shooter McGavin
“Happy Gilmore” (1996)
McGavin (Christopher McDonald) is everything you want from a sports comedy villain. On the one hand, he sees all the competitors as his inferiors, which often makes him a bad loser and a bad winner. Shooter also positions itself as a guardian of its sport, mocking those who alter the established hierarchies and traditions of golf.
That makes him the perfect role for Sandler’s Happy, a blue-necked rube with a penchant for emotional outbursts. Of course, it doesn’t take Happy long to turn the tables; At the end of “Happy Gilmore”, Shooter has completely lost his moral ground, allowing Happy to win.
2. Dottie Hinson
“A league of its own” (1992)
Second on our list is Hinson (Geena Davis), the dairy farmer turned hunter in “A League of Her Own.” After joining the All-American Girls Professional Baseball Team while her husband is at war, Hinson becomes an immediate sensation thanks to her wonderful game on the field and leadership in this brotherhood classic that was preserved as part of the National Register of Cinema of the United States in 2012
1. Rocky Balboa
“Rocky” (1975), “Rocky II” (1979), “Rocky III” (1982), “Rocky IV” (1985), “Rocky V” (1990), “Rocky Balboa” (2006), “Creed” (2015) and “Creed II” (2018)
The worst loser in the history of sports cinema tops our list, and with good reason. The iconic “Rocky” franchise has spawned eight films in five decades, and the only constant has been Balboa, a no-brainer who made the most of his last chance. Just when Rocky appears to be facing an impossible challenge, the “Italian Stallion” finds a way to beat the odds. Balboa never quits and has shown in the past 42 years that anything is possible, especially through hard work and perseverance.
