How Do You Define Underdog?

When you hear the word underdog, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Perhaps a social or ethnic group which experiences discrimination or persecution? Maybe you envision an athletic team that is pitted against an opponent that is perceived to be superior. Or does the cartoon canine superhero that fights “all who rob or plunder” pop into your head. How do you define underdog?

Here are some definitions of underdog that I found in two different dictionaries:

New Oxford American

• A competitor thought to have little chance of winning a fight or contest.
• A person who has little status in society.

Merriam-Webster

• A loser or predicted loser in a struggle or contest.
• A victim of injustice or persecution.

Based on the second definition from both of these sources, you can certainly see why some would think that certain social or ethnic groups fall into the classification of underdogs. No matter if there is a basis for their perception or not, I understand why people feel certain groups are indeed classic underdogs.

Athletic teams can easily be declared underdogs. The most recent Super Bowl featured an underdog, as did the 2008 World Series. Both the Arizona Cardinals and the Tampa Bay Rays made their initial appearance in their respective sports’ championship showcase. Before the season, the odds on Tampa Bay winning the World Series was 150 to 1 and Pittsburgh was favored by a touchdown over the Cardinals in the Super Bowl. More classic underdogs.

You can’t blame anyone for thinking of the humble and loveable Shoeshine Boy turning into his alter ego Underdog. Yes, the caped canine was always there when Sweet Polly Purebred sang, “Oh where, oh where has my Underdog gone?” At that point, scoundrels like Simon Bar Sinister and Riff Raff were in a world of hurt! He was an underdog that was a classic.

Although a big fan of this animated character, my interpretation of underdog doesn’t include him. For me, an underdog is a conglomeration of all the dictionary definitions with a twist and is somebody that I pull for to succeed.

Let me give you a few examples of people that fall into the classification of my “non-classic” underdog,

Being a man of considerable girth, I have always rooted for the more portly athletes. I have always enjoyed seeing the “big guys” excel. I think of them as underdogs. That’s why Prince Fielder is presently my favorite baseball player. The slugging first baseman is currently listed at 5’11” and 268 pounds. He reportedly lost twenty pounds during the off-season to get to that poundage. Many baseball pundits have said this underdog’s weight will keep him from flourishing and that he is too fat to play at the major league level.

2009 marks the beginning of Fielder’s fourth full season in the big leagues. Out of the 543 games during that period he has played in all but a dozen but of them. He is the youngest player in baseball history to hit 50 home runs in a season. He has started in an All-Star game and going into today’s action was tied for the National League lead in RBI.

Another underdog who is a big guy is Rupert Boneham. This gentle giant was a contestant on Survivor: Pearl Islands and Survivor: All-Stars. He was also the only player to win a $1 million prize without winning the show. Boneham used his winnings to buy a home, set up a college fund for his daughter, pay off his and his mother's debts, and start Rupert's Kids, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping troubled teens, especially those mired in the juvenile court system.

Susan Boyle, the Scottish singer who came to international public attention after she appeared as a contestant on Britain's Got Talent, is another example. You see, not all of my favorite underdogs are large men. Some are dowdy women. I guess what they have in common is that they are “square pegs” in a world of “round holes”.

Hopefully I haven’t given you the impression that I support all underdogs. There are certain underdogs that I could never bring myself to cheer for. The picture below is a fine example that encompasses two such “non-classic” underdogs. Until next time…from the booth.