Imagery from The Sandlot and Air Bud
The 1990s were the Golden Age of kids' sports movies, with some of the most recognizable titles originating from this defining decade. From elevated made-for-television movies to celebrated cult classics, this genre boasts a wide range of sports underdog stories. This collection of films highlights how society utilizes sports as a narrative for positive upbringing.
9 Air Bud The Start Of An Animal-Athlete Franchise As the only animal-athlete on this list, Air Bud captures the element of fun that sports ultimately heralds. This basketball-playing dog helps a struggling school basketball team, paired with the guidance of a former professional basketball player as a head coach. Though the sports action whimpers in comparison to the other movies, Air Bud upholds all the kids' sports movie characteristics of The Karate Kid.
6 Rookie of the Year Rookie of the Year Was Filled With '90s Acting Legends Like Angels in the Outfield, 1993’s Rookie of the Year interjects improbable fantasy as a child’s entry into the baseball world. It takes from the Spider-Man mythology as the young protagonist juggles his social life with newfound fame and responsibilities.
3 Heavyweights One Of Ben Stiller's Most Hilarious Roles Likely the most unknown on this list, 1995’s Heavyweights aims to subvert the overweight best friend character trope found in most coming-of-age movies. Starring The Mighty Ducks’ Aaron Schwartz, this film features Camp Hope, the definitive summer camp for overweight kids, as it's unexpectedly overtaken by a toxic fitness entrepreneur played by Ben Stiller.
2 Johnny Tsunami A Classic, 1990s Made-For-TV Movie As a made-for-television movie, 1999’s Johnny Tsunami is maybe the best representation of the underdog story. Yet another entry from the Disney super machine, this film follows a former surfer, Johnny Kapahala, as he moves from Hawaii to Vermont and is forced to learn how to snowboard.
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