Describes the traditional formulas that have made sports movies such crowd-pleasers, including stock figures like the disgraced athlete on a quest for redemption, or the wise old coaches who help mentor the heroes to victory. Lester Friedman also explores how the genre's attitudes have changed over time.
Sports Movies covers a broad spectrum of baseball, basketball, football, and boxing films. Describing the traditional formulas that have made these movies such crowd-pleasers, it also explores how the genre’s attitudes have changed over the years, especially regarding key issues like class, race, masculinity, and women in sports.