The Champ (1931)

Boxer

Many of you asked us why we did not include Fictional Athletes prior to 1970.  We listened and created a special Veteran’s Category, which featured fictional athletes from movies prior to 1970 and we awaited to see who all of you would pick to be the first Fictitious Athlete “Veteran” for our Hall of Fame.  Loud and clear, you all told us: It was the original “Champ”.

The original 1931 film saw it portrayed by veteran actor, Wallace Berry, who played the down on his luck alcoholic boxer to perfection, earning an Academy Award in the process.  Boxing, especially back then, was a dirty business, and this was one of the best reflections of that.  

The Fictitious Athlete Hall of Fame is proud to induct Andy “The Champ” Purcell as the first Veteran of the Hall!

Long before the Waterboy, we had Amos Dodd, a simple man from Texas who could throw a watermelon farther than anyone else had ever seen? Does that translate into College Football? Why of course it does, and through a strange turn of events (boy do we say that a lot), he is recruited to play for small Texas State against the powerhouse of Yale, which in 1935 was actually true. Stuart Erwin, who played Amos Dodd, was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance.



The Bullet Points:
Movie Appeared:
Pigskin Parade (1935)

Actor:
Stuart Erwin

Role Portrayed:
Texas State University Quarterback

Why You Should Vote For Him:
If you go by what you saw on the field, this was the guy that led the team to a huge win over Yale (when beating Yale mattered).

Why You Should Not Vote For Him:
The Coach’s daughter calling the winning play? Come one, man!