What is your favorite true life sports story of one man's personal accomplishments?

I’m looking for true life inspirational sports stories for my wife’s 8th grade (all boys) English class.

As a prototype think “The Miracle On Ice,” the story of that autistic basketball player who was a dunking machine, or the film’s “The Rookie,” “Remember the Titans,” or that new Sandra Bullock film.

That being said, we’re not looking for movies, but articles or books. She’s assuming the kids have seen all the books.