Underdog Day is a holiday that falls on the third Friday in December every year. It’s a day on which people are encouraged to sing the praises of those who fought against impossible odds to become unlikely heroes.

It doesn’t matter if the underdog is an athlete, a politician, or someone else who did the impossible to achieve their dreams or for the greater good. After all, when a person sees an underdog win, it sets off a chain reaction in their brain that makes them believe that just about anything is possible.

The History Of The Term Underdog

The word “underdog” was first used during the second half of the 19th century. It was used to describe the dog that was beaten in a fight. However, the love of underdogs is something that goes back thousands of years in Western culture.

This is primarily due to core Judeo-Christian stories such as David & Goliath that emphasized how an underdog could beat someone who they shouldn’t ordinarily be able to defeat. This tradition was then bolstered in British legends such as King Arthur and Robin Hood. It’s so ingrained in Western culture that people love it when the underdog wins in a fight.

The Greatest Underdogs In History & Legends

Do you want some examples of underdogs in history or legends? We’ve gathered together a collection that we think you’ll like.

• The 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team (“The Miracle On Ice”)
• The 2019 St. Louis Blues Hockey Team
• Indian Army rifleman Lachhiman Gurung fought off 200 Japanese soldiers on May 13, 1945.
• The English during The Battle of Agincourt.
• Sam Houston at the Battle of San Jacinto.

The History Of Underdog Day

This holiday, also known as National Underdog Day, was started back in the mid-1970s. Why was this holiday started and who started it? This holiday was started by Peter Moeller. He invented the holiday in 1976 to celebrate not only the unsung heroes found in sports but also the unsung heroes found in movies and even in real life.

Observing Underdog Day

Underdog Day can be celebrated by taking a few moments to remember the underdogs that inspire you. It could be an activist, an athlete, a politician, or a writer. It doesn’t matter. Just make sure to use your favorite underdogs to motivate you to achieve greater things.

When that’s done, you can then use the hashtag #UnderdogDay to spread the word about this holiday. Another way to celebrate this holiday is by adopting one of the true underdogs that exist in the millions in the U.S.

We’re talking about the dogs found in dog shelters who are waiting to go to a good home again. These are the real underdogs that deserve our attention, and if possible, our support. And we feel many of these dogs will become loved because they are the true underdogs.