Unbelievable Underdogs & Rebellious Role Models E-Book

James Stafford

• Herausgeber: Polaris
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 241

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

In Unbelievable Underdogs and Rebellious Role Models, James Stafford takes readers on an emotional roller coaster through some of the greatest upsets and shocks in the history of world sport. It features incredible true tales of athletes who have overcome poverty, racism, injury, disability and even shark attacks to reach the top against all odds. Sports featured include football, basketball, baseball, surfing, athletics, rugby, ice hockey, American football, wheelchair racing, cricket, tennis, speed skating and boxing. Teams and athletes include Leicester City (football), Jackie Robinson (baseball), Kurt Warner (American football), Tatyana McFadden (wheelchair track and field), Siya Kolisi (rugby), Caron Butler (basketball), Emil Zatopek (running), Emma Raducanu (tennis), Steve Bradbury (speed skating), Wilma Rudolph (athletics), Japan (rugby), Muggsy Bogues (basketball), Kathrine Switzer and Bobbi Gibb (marathon running), Bhagwat Chandrasekhar (cricket), Team USA (ice hockey), Bethany Hamilton (surfer), James J. Braddock (boxing), Jack Fleck (golf) and many more. Packed with stunning illustrations by Tuan Nguyen that bring these epic stories and moments to life, this book will inspire, educate and entertain young readers and reveal the remarkable ability of humankind to prevail over seemingly insurmountable obstacles and challenges.

Leseprobe

This edition first published in 2024 by

POLARIS PUBLISHING LTD

c/o Aberdein Considine

2nd Floor, Elder House

Multrees Walk

Edinburgh

EH1 3DX

Distributed by

Birlinn Limited

www.polarispublishing.com

Text copyright © James Stafford, 2024

Illustration copyright © Tuan Nguyen 2024

ISBN: 9781915359261

eBook ISBN: 9781915359278

The right of James Stafford to be identified as the author of this work and Tuan Nguyen as illustrator of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form, or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the express written permission of the publisher.

The views expressed in this book do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or policies of Polaris Publishing Ltd (Company No. SC401508) (Polaris), nor those of any persons, organisations or commercial partners connected with the same (Connected Persons). Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, or other information or content expressed by third parties are not those of Polaris or any Connected Persons but those of the third parties. For the avoidance of doubt, neither Polaris nor any Connected Persons assume any responsibility or duty of care whether contractual, delictual or on any other basis towards any person in respect of any such matter and accept no liability for any loss or damage caused by any such matter in this book.

Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. The publisher apologises for any errors or omissions and would be grateful if notified of any corrections that should be incorporated in future reprints or editions of this book.

All names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners, which are in no way associated with Polaris Publishing Ltd. Use of these names does not imply any cooperation or endorsement.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available on request from the British Library.

Designed and typeset by Polaris Publishing, Edinburgh

Printed in Great Britain by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY

To all those who rally against the odds,however hopeless it can sometimes seem.

‘The race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong,but it is not often that the turtle beats the hare.’

The Rome Daily Sentinel, New York, 1888

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

JACKIE ROBINSON

THE STORY OF DAVID AND GOLIATH

TOM DEMPSEY

EMMA RADUCANU

THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE

MILKHA SINGH

KATHLEEN THOMAS

TATYANA MCFADDEN

GREAT UPSETS: FOOTBALL

JAMES J BRADDOCK

KURT WARNER

SIYA KOLISI

GREAT UPSETS: ICE HOCKEY

BETHANY HAMILTON

STEVEN BRADBURY

GREAT UPSETS: STEVE ROBINSON

CLARA HUGHES

MUGGSY BOGUES

JACK FLECK

GREAT UPSETS: WRESTLING

KATHRINE SWITZER & BOBBI GIBB

WILMA RUDOLPH

GREAT UPSETS: RUGBY

FANNY BLANKERS-KOEN

GREAT UPSETS: FIFA WORLD CUP

CARON BUTLER

HÉCTOR CASTRO

GREAT UPSETS: BASEBALL

BHAGWAT CHANDRASEKHAR

GREAT UPSETS: RUNNING

HOW CAN YOU BE AN UNDERDOG WITH BITE?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR

INTRODUCTION

In fairy tales and movies and in comic books and novels, everyone loves cheering for the underdog. Whether it’s the ponderous tortoise beating the rapid hare in a footrace, the little shepherd boy beating the mighty warrior in a fight or the brave outlaw in the woods outwitting the town’s evil sheriff, nothing beats the joy of seeing the little guy or girl overcome their bigger, faster, stronger and (supposedly) smarter opponents.

People’s affection for the underdog naturally spills over into sport. If sport was just about perfect athletes and flawless teams winning all the time it would soon become pretty dull. The thrill of an unexpected triumph by those given no chance of winning makes our hearts beat faster and sends our voices soaring with roars of joy and yelps of disbelief. Seeing pluck and determination overcome superior talent and ability is rare at the top level of sport, but that only makes it all the more thrilling when it does happen.

The power of these victories goes beyond the playing fields and stadiums where they take place. We project a little bit of ourselves into the underdogs we cheer on. They offer a glimmer of hope that we too can overcome challenges and obstacles in our daily lives. Their triumph in the face of overwhelming odds enables us to imagine that we too can battle on, look deep inside ourselves to become the best person we can be and, perhaps, see our own dreams come true.

This book celebrates the athletes and teams who defied expert opinion, turned history on its head and shocked the sporting world. From the teenage girl who won one of the biggest tournaments in tennis just months after suffering a sporting disaster in front of millions to the record-breaking NFL kicker who was born without toes, there are stories here that will set your pulse racing and your mind running. Who knows, perhaps one day you too will live your own underdog story that inspires the world.

Why do we use the term underdog in sport?

Before we dive into our first heroic tale, let’s take a moment to find out why the term ‘underdog’ is used for a team or athlete who are seen as having little chance of winning their match or event. There are two competing theories of where this term comes from and one of them is far uglier than the other.

Firstly: the nicer one. This theory holds that ‘underdog’ is a reference that comes from lumber work. Sawyers are people who cut wood for a living. One traditional method of cutting large logs of timber is to work in teams in and above a sawpit. One sawyer (the ‘top sawyer’) stands at the top of a pit upon which a huge piece of timber is positioned on planks of woods called ‘dogs’. The other sawyer (the ‘bottom sawyer’) stands underneath the timber and inside the pit. Together they pull on a large tool called a whipsaw and cut the wood as needed. As a result, sometimes these two working positions are referred to as ‘top dog’ and ‘underdog’.

The second theory is less appealing but, unfortunately, more likely to be correct. This one claims that the term comes from the barbaric practice of dogfighting in nineteenth century America. Dogfighting was a popular blood sport on which people bet lots of money. The losing dog in a fight was called an ‘underdog’. Over time, the term was adapted to be a label attached to a team or athlete expected to lose to a superior opponent.

There’s also a belief that the term underdog first came from dogfighting and was then subsequently used in lumbering – which means the first theory is definitely wrong!

With that (kind of) sorted out, let’s jump into our first inspiring tale.

JACKIE ROBINSON

The star who changed American sport forever

‘I’m not concerned with your liking or disliking me . . . all I ask is that you respect me as a human being.’

JACKIE ROBINSON

Jackie Robinson was born in 1919 in Georgia, USA. He was one of five children and, while Robinson was still a baby, his father left the family to fend for themselves. His mother took the children to Pasadena in California and, although they lived in a respectable neighbourhood, the family lived in poverty. The stark difference between the Robinsons’ economic fortunes and those of the families around them left them isolated socially and prevented the children from taking part in activities other youngsters in the neighbourhood enjoyed without a second thought.

Like many children who are forced to live in cruel and difficult circumstances and rejected by their peers, the young Jackie Robinson almost fell under the influence of a local gang. Thankfully, a good friend talked him out of the lifestyle and kept him on the straight and narrow.

Jackie had a natural talent for sport. Indeed, it ran in the family. His brother Mack won a 200 metres silver medal in the 1936 Olympics in Germany, losing only to the great US champion Jesse Owens. Robinson competed in a range of sports at high school and college including tennis, American football, athletics, basketball and baseball.

When his closest brother, Frank, was killed in a road accident, Robinson decided to attend the University of California (Los Angeles). His decision was motivated by the fact the university was close to the family of his deceased brother. It was here where Robinson chose to focus on sport. His efforts paid off and he won varsity letters (this is a system in the US that recognises a student excelling in a certain area) in four sports: baseball, athletics, American football and basketball. No other student at the college had ever managed this. Ironically, his performances in baseball were arguably the least impressive.

It looked at first as if Robinson would settle on American football, but when the Second World War broke out he served in the army and his sporting dreams were put on hold. During his time in the forces he showed his willingness to stand up against injustice. One fateful day, Robinson refused to move to the back of a bus when ordered to do so by the driver on the basis of his colour. At the time it was law that white passengers had priority during travel over non-whites. One of Robinson’s commanders, looking to teach him a lesson, tried to charge him with being drunk, even though he didn’t actually touch alcohol. Eventually, Robinson was rightly cleared of all charges. Sadly, however, it was a sign of the world he had to live in: one in which his skin colour would be used against him time and time again.

Early days of professionalism

After the war, Robinson joined the Kansas City Monarchs baseball team who played in the Negro leagues. These were leagues made up of teams of African Americans and, sometimes, Latin Americans. Such competitions came into existence because of the ‘baseball colour line’. This was an ‘agreement’ from late in the nineteenth century, never formally written down, that no black players would be allowed to play Major League Baseball or in its related Minor Leagues.

THE FIRST BLACK PLAYER IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES

Before baseball’s colour line was solidified, Moses Fleetwood Walker became the first black baseball player in Major League Baseball when he played for the Toledo Blue Stockings in 1884.

Because of the Second World War, it became increasingly hard for owners in baseball to justify the colour line. After all, over a million African Americans had fought alongside their fellow white countrymen in the terrible conflict. Eventually Branch Rickey, general manager and club president of the Brooklyn Dodgers (now the Los Angeles Dodgers) began to look for a black player to join his Major League roster. He knew that the first man to cross the colour line would have to deal with horrific abuse and threats from the wider public. For this reason, he was keen to find not just a talented black player, but a man who would be able to deal with the pressure and harassment that would inevitably come his way, without getting in arguments or scuffles with his tormentors.

When Robinson, who was seen as an extraordinary batting prospect, was approached and this was explained to him, he asked Rickey if he was looking for an African American man ‘who is afraid to fight back?’ The manager replied that it was the opposite, he wanted someone ‘with guts enough not to fight back’.

Robinson eventually agreed and joined the Montreal Royals, a feeder team to the Dodgers. When he arrived at training camp in Florida he was not allowed to stay in the team hotel with his white teammates due to local segregation laws. In another part of Florida the police said they would prevent the Royals playing if Robinson was involved or even trained in the area. In Jacksonville, the stadium was kept locked on match day to prevent a game with Robinson taking place.

In the end, Robinson made his debut in an exhibition match against the Dodgers and eventually became a regular for the Royals. He had some notable successes with the bat in his early games and played mainly at second base. At the end of the season, thanks to his .349 batting average and .985 fielding percentage, he was named the league’s Most Valuable Player. Thrilled crowds flocked to see him play (some to support him, some to abuse him) and by the 1947 season – during which he also played a few games of professional basketball for a racially integrated basketball team known as the Los Angeles Red Devils – he became a Brooklyn Dodger.

WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN?

Baseball is a sport packed full of statistics and these numbers can be confusing for those not familiar with the game. It’s hard to write about a baseball player without listing a few key numbers. Here are some details to help you understand how good Jackie Robinson was if you don’t know much about what used to be called ‘America’s favourite pastime’.

•Batting average: This is used to help measure how successful a batter is. The figure is made by dividing a player’s ‘hits’ by his total ‘at-bats’. In modern times, .250 is a typical average in Major League Baseball.

•At bat: ‘At bat’ mean two things. Firstly, it is used to describe a batter facing a pitcher. Secondly, it is a statistical measurement. To keep things simple, this second usage is for when a batter reaches a base thanks to a hit, an error or a fielder’s choice (sometimes there is a tactical advantage to letting a batter progress).

•Fielding percentage: This is a number that tries to measure how often a defensive player (or fielder) successfully fields a ball that is hit to them.

•Base: There are four bases on the baseball field, set out in a diamond shape. Players must advance around all of them to score a run.

•Run: A run is awarded when a player on the team at bat makes it all the way around first, second, third and fourth base to get safely back to home plate.

•Walk: When a batter is able to advance to first base after four unsuccessful balls from the pitcher (meaning the pitcher has been unable to get him out in his allotted pitches).

•Stolen base: This is when a player on the team at bat advances to the next base while the pitcher is about to deliver a pitch to the batter. This is like a fascinating game of cat and mouse as a runner tries to outwit the pitcher.

•Sacrifice hits: When a batter sacrifices himself by getting ‘out’ to help his teammates advance on the bases to get a run (or closer to a run).

In the big leagues

After first appearing for the Dodgers in a preseason game, Robinson made his major league debut on 15 April 1947. He was 28 at the time, which, in baseball, is no spring chicken. Robinson had, of course, lost several years of his career due to the Second World War. His selection for the Dodgers fascinated the public and inspired African Americans throughout the nation. It is estimated 14,000 of the 26,000 fans for his first game were black. The sporting curiosity didn’t disappoint: Robinson walked and scored a run as his team won 5-3.

As Robinson became a fixture in his side, he would help draw big crowds wherever he played. Sadly, for all the praise he got, he also got a lot of hatred, abuse and even death threats. He had to deal not just with the nerves and pressure of being an athlete in the public eye, but with the attention of an entire nation. Many fans, players and officials were hoping he would fail and often their behaviour was designed to provoke him into losing his temper so they could say that he wasn’t the kind of person that should be in baseball. At one point there was discussion among many teams and players about going on strike to try and get officials to have Robinson kicked out of the league. Robinson was often physically fouled by opponents. Once he had his leg sliced open by a player intentionally sliding into him. He was also frequently, and openly, racially abused on the field of play. It is a testament to Robinson’s character that he was able to rise above the constant harassment, even if he found it incredibly tough to do so.

It wasn’t just fans and opposing players that didn’t approve of his selection either. Some of his own team resented his presence. In the early days of his time as a Dodger, several players threatened to refuse to play with him. In the end, the Dodgers management backed Robinson and told the rebels they would be traded if they would not play with him. Eventually, the team bonded as even the most sceptical of his fellow players marvelled at his ability to perform to such a high standard under extreme pressure. The more he was attacked, the more his teammates came to his defence or supported him.

Robinson’s first year in the majors was a massive success and he was named the Rookie of the Year. His impressive numbers included 125 runs and he led the league in stolen bases (29) and sacrifice hits (28).

‘Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball?’

After Robinson paved the way, each subsequent season saw more black players enter the league and, as a result, some of the racial spotlight on Robinson lessened. He continued to enjoy great success on the field (he was named Most Valuable Player in the league in 1949), but was also a major star off it too. The Dodger had become a household name and a pop song about him called ‘Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball?’ did well in the music charts. In 1950, he even starred in a movie about himself!

In 1955, Robinson helped the Dodgers to the biggest prize in baseball as they beat the New York Yankees and won the World Series. It wasn’t his greatest season on a personal level, but he had been a key figure for the team for years and still played a significant role in the march to glory.

The following season was to be Robison’s last and he began to suffer greatly from diabetes. He again played in the World Series, but this time the Dodgers came up short. Robinson, though, retired as one of the greats. Here are just a few of his achievements in his decade in the majors:

•All-Star for six consecutive seasons (1949-54).

•Played in the World Series six times.

•Scored 972 runs, 141 home runs and made 1,563 hits.

•Stole 200 bases.

•Retired with a hugely impressive .313 career batting average.

•Upon his retirement his number, 42, was retired across all the MLB teams, the first time such a thing had happened in US sport.

•Placed in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, the first year he was eligible.

The legacy of ‘42’

Robinson’s rise to the top of baseball is one of sport’s most impressive underdog stories. He helped transform attitudes to black players in American sports and inspired millions with both his play and his approach to life. Even after he hung up his baseball cleats, he continued to inspire and amaze. The sporting icon became the first black television analyst for Major League Baseball and the first black vice president of a major American corporation.

Robinson also set up a company that helped build housing suitable for families struggling financially and he was active in politics. Figures like Martin Luther King Jr. considered him key to the civil rights movement in America.

Sadly, Robinson died aged just 53, due to complications from diabetes and heart disease. After his death he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal and Presidential Medal of Freedom. Today, 15 April is Jackie Robinson Day in Major League Baseball. On this date, all players and managers wear ‘42’ in tribute to one of America’s greatest sportsmen.

THE STORY OF DAVID AND GOLIATH

Quite often in sports media you will hear a contest between two unevenly matched teams or athletes labelled as a ‘David and Goliath’ clash. An example of this would be a super-rich football club with a history of winning titles, like Manchester United, playing a cup match against a team from a far lower division – one which would also have far less money to spend on players.

But who were David and Goliath and what was their story? Well, the fight between David and Goliath can be read in the Bible in the Book of Samuel, part of the Old Testament. The story goes as follows.

Many thousands of years ago the Israelites were at war with the Philistines and were facing off in battle in the Valley of Elah (today the West Bank in Israel). Goliath, said by some to be an intimidating nine feet nine inches tall (2.97 metres), was the champion of the Philistines and everyone in the Israelites army was, quite frankly, terrified of him. Every morning and evening, for 40 long days, Goliath challenged Saul, the champion of the Israelites to combat. Saul was too scared. Eventually, a young shepherd and harpist called David offered to fight Goliath instead.

If this didn’t seem foolhardy enough, David refused to wear the armour offered to him by the king as he was not used to how it felt. In contrast, the humongous Goliath came out to face little old David kitted out in full armour and wielding a huge javelin in one of his enormous hands. Amusingly for the Philistines, the unprotected shepherd boy brought nothing but five stones and a sling. It was hard for anyone to take David seriously. Goliath was offended when he saw the youth of his challenger and the simple weapons he brought to the fight.

The brave boy put one of his stones in his sling, whirled it around his head and let rip. THWACK! It smacked Goliath right between his eyes and the giant crashed down to the ground, stone dead. David, for good measure, then chopped off his foe’s head and held it above his own in celebration.

While in the Bible, the story is intended to show the triumph of God (represented by David) over the gods of the Philistines (represented by Goliath), modern writers like to use the tale as an example of an underdog beating a formidable foe. In Britain, if a major underdog wins in team sports it is often referred to as a ‘giant killing’.

The story of David and Goliath is one of the most popular themes in art history and if you keep an eye out, you’ll see references to the battle all over the world in sculptures, paintings, books, films and architecture.

The great Italian painter, sculptor and architect Michelangelo crafted a statue of David which is considered by many people as the finest piece of art ever created. It’s one of the most known and iconic pieces of art and now you know what it is, you’ll spot it everywhere!

TOM DEMPSEY

The toeless NFL kicker

‘Unfair, eh? How about you try kicking a 63-yard field goal to win it with two seconds left and you’re wearing a square shoe, oh yeah, and no toes either.’

TOM DEMPSEY

When Thomas John Dempsey was born in January 1947, nobody would have predicted that he would have a career in the NFL as an American Football player. Dempsey was born with no toes on his right foot and no fingers on his right hand. Despite a setback that would have stopped most people at the time from even considering playing sport at all, growing up he soon began dreaming about playing football professionally.

Dempsey’s father encouraged him to play sport, saying there was ‘no such word as can’t’. The young boy not only played football as a defensive linesman, he competed at wrestling and shot put. At college level he played as a defensive linesman and a kicker. Dempsey wasn’t fond of being known as a kicker and once said kickers were ‘weird’ and he instead thought of himself as a football player who was also able to kick goals. When he first tried kicking, he did so without a shoe and with his foot wrapped in athletic tape. He quickly realised he had a real talent for it.

WHAT DO NFL KICKERS DO?

In the NFL, kickers are specialists who don’t play on ‘offence’ or ‘defence’, but on ‘special teams’. Their key role is to take place kicks at the goalposts to try and score points. A field goal is worth three points and an extra point (from a free play after a touchdown worth six points has been scored) is worth one point.

Kickers also usually take kick offs to start the game or to restart play after scores. Sometimes they may be involved in trick plays which involve their team pretending to kick at goal, but then running or throwing the ball instead. These plays are very high risk and don’t happen much as when they go wrong they can be very costly.

While kickers aren’t expected to tackle well or get involved in the rough stuff, their role is hugely important in American football. Without a good kicker, you won’t win many games. Often they are called into action in the final seconds of a game to try and nail a winning field goal. These moments can be incredibly dramatic and involve amazing coordination and discipline from the kicking team. One player ‘snaps’ the ball (he throws the ball between his legs behind him), another catches it, places it carefully (even lining up the laces of the ball away from the kicker), and then the kicker kicks it. This requires a high amount of skill and nerve from all three players. All of this must be done in a couple of seconds with 11 very athletic and very big men charging at them, trying to block or disrupt the kick.

Dempsey gets his break

When Dempsey was trying to break into the professional ranks, the way players kicked was changing. More and more kickers were using the ‘around the corner’ technique: approaching the ball from a side-on position like football (‘soccer’) or rugby players. Dempsey, however, preferred kicking the old-fashioned way: running at the ball straight on and hitting it front and square. A technique, somewhat ironically, some called a ‘toe poke’. This method allows a kicker to generate plenty of power, but the downside is there is a far smaller margin of error.

Dempsey had to work incredibly hard to get into the NFL. After playing in college (where he once got in trouble for thumping his coach), he went into the semi-professional leagues and endured several unsuccessful attempts to win a spot in the NFL. In 1968 he made the San Diego Chargers practice squad, but never appeared for the team in the regular season.

While he never played in a league game for the Chargers, it was here, thanks to coach Sid Gillman, that Dempsey acquired his famous kicking boot. An orthopaedist was brought in to help create something to help make him a better, more accurate kicker. The finished boot cost $200, around $1,800 dollars in today’s money. The shoe was 4.45 centimetres (1.75 inches) thick and flat at the kicking end.

The boot was a huge success and the following season Dempsey landed a place on the playing roster for the New Orleans Saints. He had made it to the big league and defied the doubters. In his rookie season he kicked 22 field goals and earned a spot in the Pro Bowl (a team picked each year to recognise the best performers of the season). If that wasn’t impressive enough, Dempsey did something in his second season that secured his place in the history books.