Underdog Day
Underdog Day:
The underdog day is an unofficial celebration that is observed annually in December, usually on the third Friday. This day remembers the behind the scene individuals, the overlooked populace; the so-called losers who don’t fit into culturally defined standards of success.
Year | Date | Day | Where |
2020 | 18th December | Friday | United States |
2021 | 17th December | Friday | United States |
2022 | 16th December | Friday | United States |
Twitter Hashtags:
#UnderdogDay
Why Underdog Day?
When you watch a sport or any competitive event for that matter, your brain crunches up probabilities based on statistics and overall ratings of who is going to take the cup home. In the end, the victors or top dogs become the centre of attention and the rest of the participants, the underdogs usually vanish into the abyss.
In the second half of the 19th century, the term had the literal meaning, “The beaten dog in a fight”. Underdog is a term that is popularly used in the context of sports. There are many theories of the word’s origin and usage.
The word was used in the context of building wooden ships. The wooden planks used were known as dogs and were placed over a pit. Two men were required for the sawing process, one person stood on top of the plank while the other person had to stand beneath the plank. The person who stood below the plank was known as an underdog, and he/she stood through the heaps of sawdust that fell from the sawing. In a broader sense, this term can be used to refer to the unsung heroes, scientists, authors, the runner-ups and people who try and try but never reach the arena of top-level success.
Though we all love winners, our heart goes out to those who couldn’t make it to the top. As humans we have experienced failures in life, we rub shoulders with those who offered up their sweat and blood in pursuit of success, those who are overshadowed by their superiors and those who hardly receive any recognition for their contributions. It is not a coincidence that popular movies and books that portray underdogs such as the Rocky film series or Watson from the Sherlock Holmes stories have a large fan base.
While we revere the winners, we identify more with the underdogs. Being a popular theme in pop songs like “Never Say never”, it summarizes the life of persistent underdogs. Their persistence through thick and thin is commendable. And when the underdogs finally make it, the celebration is nothing short of magic.
Sometimes a word of encouragement is the sole gap between an underdog and his/her potential. This day reminds you to be the fuel and flame to your dreams and to support your friends without being weighed down by success factors.
How Can We Observe Underdog Day
- Live The Life Of A Famous Underdog
Gather your friends and family for a movie night featuring famous underdogs like William Wallace from Braveheart, Watson from Sherlock Holmes or movies like Karate Kid or Forrest Gump.
- Be A Beacon of Hope
Do you know of any friends or family struggling in their lives? Appreciate them for their hard work and motivate them to move forward against all odds.
- Let the Word Spread!
It’s a good opportunity to recognize the underdogs you know and respect in your life. Share your celebration through posts, photos and memes using #Underdog Day
Interesting Facts About Underdog Day:
Few Interesting facts related to Underdog Day!
- Bill Chase’s calendar of the annual event first featured the idea of the Underdog Day
- Bill Chase, the father-in-law of Peter Moeller was also known to announce the Underdog of the year name which received much attention from the media.
- Michael Jordan has nine thousand bad shots credited to him but nothing could stop him from becoming one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
- Some of the sporting teams that were considered as underdogs have re-written history with their success like the 2004 Greece Soccer team and US Hockey team in 1980.
- The Underdog series aired by NBC in the 1960s featured a caped superhero.
- The antonym of the underdog is top dog. An underdog winning the event is termed as an upset in the land of bets and statistics.
History of Underdog Day:
Underdog Day was established by Peter Moeller in 1976. Underdog day is celebrated to recognize the underdogs in society and thanking them for their perseverance and contributions to society.