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.
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)
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")