It might not have the identical ring to it as Super Bowl Sunday, however Oscars Sunday is simply as large for its respective business.

Hollywood’s largest night time is right here with the 95th Academy Awards. The ceremony celebrates the 12 months in motion pictures, and typically sports activities have entered the dialog and even come away with the highest prize.

A handful of sports activities motion pictures have earned Best Picture Oscars, whereas others have claimed awards in numerous classes. From the observe to the courtroom and past, a wide range of sports activities have been represented on the award present.

To be clear, we’re speaking about motion pictures that characteristic precise sports activities motion or in any other case showcase athletes throughout their taking part in days. “The Champ” and “On The Waterfront,” for example, observe ex-boxing champions however don’t present both within the ring, eradicating themselves from the “sports movie” class right here.

With that out of the way in which, let’s dive into the most successful sports movies on the Academy Awards.

Which sports activities motion pictures have gained Best Picture on the Oscars?

Three standard sports activities motion pictures, together with two extra epics that may be seen via a sports activities prism, have been named Best Picture on the Academy Awards.

Ben-Hur (1959)

“Ben-Hur” famously featured the biggest price range of any film on the time, however it additionally serves as an unconventional sports activities film. The titular character turns into a champion charioteer and the film contains epic races, showcasing one of many world’s oldest sports activities.

The Charlton Heston basic is one in every of three motion pictures all-time to win 11 Oscars, together with Best Picture.

Rocky (1976)

Soon after sprinting up the well-known steps exterior the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Sylvester Stallone trotted up the steps on the Academy Awards in 1977 to say Best Picture.

The unique “Rocky” was the primary conventional sports activities film to win Best Picture and sparked a sequence that’s as much as 9 motion pictures, most lately “Creed III.” Along with the highest honor, “Rocky” additionally gained Oscars for Best Director and Best Film Editing.

Chariots of Fire (1981)

“Chariots of Fire” follows Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, two British runners who confronted totally different obstacles on their technique to the 1924 Paris Olympics.

The movie beat out the likes of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Reds” to win Best Picture on the Oscars in 1982. On prime of Best Picture, it additionally gained Best Screenplay, Best Costume Design and Best Original Score, which performs in the course of the movie’s iconic slow-motion operating scene.

Gladiator (2000)

Let’s head again to the Colosseum for an additional Best Picture winner.

Like “Ben-Hur,” “Gladiator” brings an historical sport to the silver display screen in grand – and gory – style. The Best Picture winner featured a Best Actor efficiency from Russell Crowe and gained extra awards for Best Costume Design, Best Visual Effects and Best Sound.

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

“Million Dollar Baby” actually isn’t a feel-good watch, however it stays the newest sports activities movie to take dwelling Best Picture.

Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman every gained particular person Oscars en path to the film’s Best Picture win. Hilary Swank earned Best Actress, Morgan Freeman earned Best Supporting Actor and Eastwood earned Best Director. 

Which different sports activities motion pictures have gained Oscars?

Here are a number of the different sports movies that have claimed Academy Awards in classes past Best Picture:

The Pride of the Yankees (1942)

The New York Yankees might have 27 World Series titles, however “The Pride of the Yankees” has only one Oscar for Best Film Editing. The movie, which stars Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig, earned 11 nominations.

The Hustler (1961)

Paul Newman’s pool film earned two Academy Awards: Best Cinematography, Black-and-White and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White. He earned his second profession appearing nomination, however he must wait a bit earlier than lastly lifting a statuette.

Heaven Can Wait (1978)

The 1978 comedy a few Los Angeles Rams quarterback taken to heaven earlier than he was meant to die earned an Oscar for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration.

Breaking Away (1979)

“Breaking Away” earned Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen on the Oscars for its story a few teen, performed by Dennis Christopher, obsessive about aggressive biking.

Raging Bull (1980)

Widely thought to be the most effective sports activities motion pictures of all time, Martin Scorsese’s “Raging Bull” took dwelling two Oscars. While Scorsese missed out on Best Picture and Best Director, Robert De Niro gained Best Actor for his portrayal of Jake LaMotta and Thelma Schoonmaker gained for Best Film Editing.

The Color of Money (1986)

Twenty-five years after “The Hustler” debuted, Newman took dwelling a Best Actor win for his efficiency within the sequel, which was directed by Scorsese. 

Jerry Maguire (1996)

Tom Cruise received a Best Actor nomination, Cameron Crowe acquired an Original Screenplay nod and the film as a complete was up for Best Picture, however it was Cuba Gooding Jr. who claimed the movie’s lone Oscar for Best Supporting Actor as fictional Arizona Cardinals WR Rod Tidwell. Can you say, “Show me the money?”

The Blind Side (2009)

Sandra Bullock earned the Best Actress Oscar for her position in “The Blind Side,” which follows the story of former offensive lineman Michael Oher. The film collected a Best Picture nod, as properly.

The Fighter (2010) 

“The Fighter” earned three Oscar nominations in appearing classes, however none of them went to the titular character performed by Mark Wahlberg. Christian Bale gained for Best Supporting Actor and Melissa Leo beat out fellow forged member Amy Adams in Best Supporting Actress.

Dear Basketball (2017)

Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant went from successful on the courtroom to successful on the Oscars for “Dear Basketball.” The six-minute manufacturing was primarily based on a poem he wrote following his NBA retirement and took dwelling the prize for Best Animated Short Film.

King Richard (2021)

Mixed in all of the chaos Will Smith created on the Oscars in 2022, he earned his first Academy Award for his portrayal as Richard Williams, Serena and Venus Williams’ father, in “King Richard.”

The Queen of Basketball (2021)

“The Queen of Basketball” appears to be like at Lusia Harris, the primary girl to ever rating a basket in girls’s basketball on the Olympics. The 22-minute movie gained Best Documentary Short Subject eventually 12 months’s ceremony.