Sports Movies at the Academy Awards

Million Dollar Baby, Chariots of Fire and Rocky have each won an Oscar for Best Picture. Here is every sports movie even nominated for an Academy Award, starting with the most successful.

Sports Movies at the Academy Awards

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Wins (4): Best Picture, Actress (Hilary Swank), Supporting Actor (Morgan Freeman), Director (Clint Eastwood) — Nominations (3): Best Actor (Clint Eastwood), Editing, Adapted Screenplay

Chariots of Fire (1981)

Wins (4): Best Picture, Original Screenplay, Costume Design, Original Score — Nominations (3): Best Supporting Actor (Ian Holm), Director (Hugh Hudson), Editing

Rocky (1976)

Wins (3): Best Picture, Director (John G. Avildsen), Editing — Nominations (7): Best Actor (Sylvester Stallone), Actress (Talia Shire), Supporting Actor (Burgess Meredith), Supporting Actor (Burt Young), Original Screenplay (Sylvester Stallone), Sound, Original Song ("Gonna Fly Now")

The Hustler (1961)

Wins (2): Best Cinematography, Art Direction — Nominations (7): Best Picture, Actor (Paul Newman), Actress (Piper Laurie), Supporting Actor (Jackie Gleason), Supporting Actor (George C. Scott), Director (Robert Rossen), Adapted Screenplay

Raging Bull (1980)

Wins (2): Best Actor (Robert De Niro), Editing — Nominations (6): Best Picture, Supporting Actor (Joe Pesci), Supporting Actress (Cathy Moriarty), Director (Martin Scorsese), Cinematography, Sound

The Fighter (2010)

Wins (2): Best Supporting Actor (Christian Bale), Supporting Actress (Melissa Leo) — Nominations (5): Best Picture, Supporting Actress (Amy Adams), Director (David O. Russell), Editing, Original Screenplay

National Velvet (1944)

Wins (2): Best Supporting Actress (Anne Revere), Editing — Nominations (3): Director (Clarence Brown), Cinematography, Art Direction

The Champ (1931)

Wins (2): Best Actor (Wallace Beery), Original Screenplay — Nominations (2): Best Picture, Director (King Vidor)

Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956)

Wins (2): Best Cinematography, Art Direction — Nominations (1): Best Editing

Pride of the Yankees (1942)

Wins (1): Best Editing — Nominations (10): Best Picture, Actor (Gary Cooper), Actress (Teresa Wright), Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Art Direction, Sound, Special Effects, Original Score

Heaven Can Wait (1978)

Wins (1): Best Art Direction — Nominations (8): Best Picture, Actor (Warren Beatty), Supporting Actor (Jack Warden), Supporting Actress (Dyan Cannon), Director (Warren Beatty and Buck Henry), Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Original Score

Jerry Maguire (1996)

Wins (1): Best Supporting Actor (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) — Nominations (4): Best Picture, Actor (Tom Cruise), Original Screenplay, Editing

Breaking Away (1979)

Wins (1): Best Original Screenplay — Nominations (4): Best Picture, Supporting Actress (Barbara Barrie), Director (Peter Yates), Adaptation Score

The Color of Money (1986)

Wins (1): Best Actor (Paul Newman) — Nominations (3): Best Supporting Actress (Mary Elizabeth Manstrantonio), Adapted Screenplay, Art Direction

The Blind Side (2009)

Wins (1): Best Actress (Sandra Bullock) — Nominations (1): Best Picture

Seabiscuit (2003)

Nominations (7): Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound Mixing

Moneyball (2011)

Nominations (6): Best Picture, Actor (Brad Pitt), Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill), Adapted Screenplay, Editing, Sound Mixing

Foxcatcher (2014)

Nominations (5): Best Actor (Steve Carrell), Supporting Actor (Mark Ruffalo), Director (Bennett Miller), Original Screenplay, Makeup and Hairstyling

The Natural (1984)

Nominations (4): Best Supporting Actress (Glenn Close), Cinematography, Art Direction, Original Score

Field of Dreams (1989)

Nominations (3): Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score

The Great White Hope (1970)

Nominations (2): Best Actor (James Earl Jones), Actress (Jane Alexander)

This Sporting Life (1963)

Nominations (2): Best Actor (Richard Harris), Actress (Rachel Roberts)

Ali (2001)

Nominations (2): Best Actor (Will Smith), Supporting Actor (Jon Voight)

The Wrestler (2008)

Nominations (2): Best Actor (Mickey Rourke), Supporting Actress (Marisa Tomei)

Hoosiers (1986)

Nominations (2): Best Supporting Actor (Dennis Hopper), Original Score

The Hurricane (1999)

Nominations (1): Best Actor (Denzel Washington)

Creed (2015)

Nominations (1): Best Supporting Actor (Sylvester Stallone)

Warrior (2011)

Nominations (1): Best Supporting Actor (Nick Nolte)

The Karate Kid (1984)

Nominations (1): Best Supporting Actor (Pat Morita)

Bang the Drum Slowly (1973)

Nominations (1): Best Supporting Actor (Vincent Gardenia)

Bull Durham (1988)

Nominations (1): Best Original Screenplay

Hoop Dreams (1994)

Nominations (1): Best Editing

The Longest Yard (1975)

Nominations (1): Best Editing

Real Steel (2011)

Touchstone Pictures/Everett Collection

Nominations (1): Best Visual Effects

Rocky III (1982)

Nominations (1): Best Original Song ("Eye of the Tiger")

The Karate Kid, Part II (1986)

Nominations (1): Best Original Song ("Glory of Love")

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