This page lists all of the Backyard Sports characters. Fictional characters are only shown. Either visit via the imagemap above, via the links below or choose a random kid.
Commentators[]
Lists the games broadcasters and color commentators.
Sunny Day[]
Sunny Day appears as the commentator in most Backyard Sports games and speaks with the voice of a broadcaster-woman. An African-American girl, Sunny has brown hair and wears a blue vest most often.
Vinnie the Gooch[]
Vinnie the Gooch is the first color commentator in Backyard Baseball, and the entire series as a whole. The Gooch was laid back and spoke in a very cool manner. Despite being a fan favorite, he retired after Backyard Baseball 2003 and replaced by Abner Dubbleplay, though the Gooch would return in Backyard Sports: Baseball 2015. He was voiced by Dolores Rogers.
Abner Dubbleplay[]
Abner Dubbleplay is the second color commentator for Backyard Baseball, appearing specifically in the GameCube Backyard Baseball, 2005, and 2006; he also appears as a secret playable character in Backyard Football 2006. Abner has a tendency for stating the obvious and is interested in conspiracy theories as well as luck. He was voiced by Adam Watson.
Jack Fouler[]
Jack Fouler is the third color commentator for Backyard Baseball, appearing specifically in the Backyard Baseball '09 and '10 games. His surname is reference to foul balls. He was voiced by Jim Curtis.
Earl Grey[]
Earl Grey is the color commentator for Backyard Soccer games. He is named after the type of tea, in true British style. Like Vinnie the Gooch, Earl was voiced by Dolores Rogers.
Chuck Downfield[]
Chuck Downfield is the color commentator for the Backyard Football games. His name, as you might have guessed, is another play on words. Known for his boneheaded statements during broadcasts, Chuck seems happily dumbfounded. He was voiced by Klem Daniels.
Barry Dejay[]
Barry Dejay as the color commentator for Backyard Basketball games up until 2007. He spoke in a hip manner, constantly using lingo in games. His name is a play on the term, "bury the J." He was voiced by Dex Manley.
Buddy Cheque[]
His name being a play on "body check", Buddy Cheque is the color commentator for the Backyard Hockey games. He emphasizes most vowels in his speech and speaks with a Canadian accent. Like Barry Dejay, he was voiced by Dex Manley.
Erik Stream[]
Erik Stream is the color commentator for the lone Backyard Skateboarding game. He speak with true skater dialect, and his name is a play on "air extreme." He was voiced by Michelle Thorsen.
The Original Players[]
This section lists the fictional players who first appeared when the franchise began in 1997.
Pablo Ramon Sanchez[]
Pablo Sanchez is the best player in the game, hence his nickname, "Secret Weapon." He mainly speaks Spanish (which he learned to speak in school), and despite him not speaking English (or does he?), unlike all the other players in the series, he plays amongst the best of his Backyard companions. Pablo Sanchez is widely agreed to be the most legendary player of the entire series. His touchdown dance in Backyard Football is also one of the most legendary things in this game, along with his backwards cap. His theme song is so iconic that it has become the walk up music for several real life MLB players.
Stephanie Morgan[]
Stephanie is a little African-American girl who is obsessed with baseball and chewing gum, which gives her the nickname of "Bubbles." She talks fast and long and doesn't know when to shut up. She can be seen wearing her baseball cap and mitt in most games, including non-baseball games. She claims her father played minor-league baseball but had to retire due to shin splints he suffered while baserunning. She can also be quite cocky, letting other kids know when they underperform. She was discontinued after Backyard Baseball 2006 but makes her return in the 2015 mobile games.
Dante Robinson[]
Dante, nicknamed "Stretch", is one of the shorter players in the series. He is always energized, eats constantly, and is easily recognized by his afro. Dante is best friends with Reese Worthington, and they keep each other entertained. He appears in most of the Backyard Sports games, only being absent in the 2010 spin-off games, Sandlot Sluggers and Rookie Rush.
Kiesha Monet Phillips[]
Kiesha Monet "Flash" Phillips may be a joker, but she takes her sports seriously. She is one of the biggest, tallest, mightiest players of the series, and offers a dominating presence in a line-up in any sport. A prominent character in the franchise, Kiesha's only absence was in the 2015 mobile games.
Kenny Kawaguchi[]
Kenny is in a wheelchair and considered to be the "cool kid" of the group. He may be handicapped, but it doesn't stop him from trying his hardest at sports. Kenny earned his nickname "K-Man" due to striking out many opposing hitters, as well as striking out plenty at the plate himself. He has a little sister named Vicki. He and Barry DeJay maintain a radio station, labelled KNNY. Kenny was discontinued after Backyard Baseball 2006 although his sister, Vicki, remained in the franchise until Rookie Rush.
Victoria "Vicki" Fumiko Kuki Kawaguchi[]
Vicki is Kenny's little sister. She isn't very aggressive (her nickname is "Swan") and mainly wears a pink tutu due to her love of ballet. She will perform any of her dancing moves in sports. Vicki appears in most of the games, only being absent in Backyard Skateboarding, Backyard Football 2006, and the 2015 mobile games.
Ashley Raelynn Webber and Sidney Marie Webber[]
These identical twins share the nickname "Little Smokey", and they love to play doubles tennis with each other. Their father is a multi-millionaire who spoils his two twin daughters. Despite this, the girls are very sweet and kind, and always eager to play. Both Sidney and Ashley love to pamper their own twin Labrador Retrievers. They are much better players when playing together.
Dmitri Ivan Petrovich[]
Dmitri Ivan "Paste" Petrovich is a large, nerdy boy who loves technology and has a habit of eating paste, hence his nickname. Dmitri almost always has a pocket protector or calculator on him while playing sports. He loves sports simply for the related games having to do with physics and mathematics. He was absent in the short-lived 2015 mobile game series.
Ernie Steele[]
An African-American boy who is one of the tallest Backyard Kids. He, like Kiesha, is a total joker, only he doesn't take sports so lightly. Being tall can be a burden for Steele, as he is often seen as awkward and lanky. However, this 5'6 7-year-old can dominate any sport when plugged into the correct situation in the right line-up. One of his family members says he'll be a comedian when he grows up, which earned him his nickname, "Funnybones." His jokes are mostly unfunny, but he's still young, so he's got some time to work on his content and delivery. Stephanie Morgan has a crush on him, as indicated in Backyard Soccer MLS Edition. His home ballpark, Steele Stadium, is featured in more Backyard Baseball games than any other ballpark. This park is noted for its shallow centerfield. Ernie was absent in Backyard Skateboarding and was discontinued from the franchise after Backyard Football '10. He was originally voiced by Dolores Rogers.
Kimberly (Kimmy) Rae Eckman[]
Kimmy is a young red-haired girl who loves sports. She is a tough tomboy, and fancies candy a lot, though it makes her hyperactive. Her best friends are Dante and Jocinda. Her nickname is "Twinkle Toes", and her middle name is Rae. Kimmy retired after Backyard Football 2006, though she makes a return in the mobile games. Reese is the only one whom she dislikes.
Reese Worthington[]
Reese is a small, frail blonde boy who is slightly nerdy. He and Dante are good friends, but Reese is disliked by certain kids for clowning around too often and being a big show-off. Worthington is based off of an original designer of the series, Richard Moe, who has asthma (just like Worthington), and was nicknamed "Big Toe" in grade school (also like Worthington). He was discontinued after Backyard Football '10.
Michael "Mikey" Rhett Thomas[]
Nicknamed "Nugget," this kid is short, stocky and looks the bit of a loner. He seems to always have a cold, which causes him to constantly pick his nose. He has good power in his bat and has a rocket for an arm, but he's an absolute liability on the basepaths. If he fails to score, he shouts, "I'm telling my mom!". He is not the brightest kid, as he frequently forgets the name of the game he is currently playing. He often asks the player if they are his mommy. His middle name is Rhett, after Rhett Mathis, the original programmer of the first game and music composer. Mikey was discontinued after Backyard Baseball 2006.
Richard "Ricky" Alexander Johnson[]
He is a young Black boy with a melon-shaped head, hence the name of one of the custom team names in the series. He has a low self-esteem, seen in Backyard Baseball, when he would constantly break the fourth wall by, after saying things, adding, "if that's okay with you." His father is a football coach, so his favorite sport shifted from soccer to football over time. His left hook was filthy on the mound, but he was a pretty darn mediocre addition to any line-up card. His middle name is Alexander, and his nickname is "Fella". Ricky's only absence was in the 2010 spin-off games, Sandlot Sluggers and Rookie Rush.
Tony Gianni Delvecchio[]
A boy of Italian heritage who speaks with an intimidating New York Bronx accent, "Vec" is somewhat arrogant about his abilities. Tony Gianni Delvecchio is also the older brother to Angela. He backs up his arrogance in Backyard Football, where he is absolutely elite on offense and defense. His crush on the Webber twins is also notable in the baseball series.
Angelica (Angela) Alexandra Delvecchio[]
Tony's younger sister. She's eight years old and still in the third grade, but she has the IQ of an 8th grader. She has two left feet, since when she was born, she had one of her ankles injured. She is best known by the nicknames of "Sugar Pop" and "Gelly". She is considered a tough athlete (having grown up with four brothers) and dislikes playing alongside her brother, as she prefers paving her own path. She often pokes fun at Tony for his lack of athletic talent. Unlike her brother, Tony, Angela was absent in Backyard Skateboarding and retired after Backyard Football '10.
Jocinda Smith[]
Jocinda Smith is known by the nickname of "MVP." She is OK in baseball, but her decent skill in basketball is what gave her this nickname. Many wouldn't tag her as the best player in the series (not really up there with Pablo, the Webbers, Kiesha or Achmed). She has four brothers and has a pet parrot. Her family owns a court that is playable in the Backyard Basketball games, called Smith Brothers Court. Jocinda was discontinued after Backyard Football 2006 though a generic kid with her name appeared in Backyard Sports: Baseball 2007.
Pete Wheeler[]
Known as "Wheelie", Pete is a long-necked boy with an oddly tall head. He is insanely stupid, but he's good at most sports due to his blazing speed. He is easily the fastest character in the series. He zones out constantly and was held back in first grade 4 times before due to his absolute stupidity. Pete appeared in every game until his retirement after Backyard Football '10.
Billy Jean Blackwood[]
A tall southern girl who speaks with a Southern accent, Billy Jean has all the makings of a future Southern belle. She is the tallest kid in the league, with the exception of pro baseball player, Randy Johnson. This earned her nickname, "Crazy Legs." She competed in several beauty pageants, and she dreams of moving to Paris, France and becoming a fashion model when she grows up. She despises Marky Dubois, who has a crush on her. She retired after Backyard Baseball 2006.
Marky Dubois[]
A redneck who does not like wearing socks or shoes. It wasn't until he began playing hockey where he finally got footwear for himself. He has a pet frog whom he carries in his pocket all the time. He has a crush on Billy Jean, who hates him, and if put on the same team, her stats will get worse while Marky's get better. His nickname is "Cootie". Marky retired after Backyard Football '10.
Sally Dobbs[]
Nicknamed "The Boss," she acts like a motherly figure to the younger kids, especially her younger brother Ronny, who can't stand her. Many kids dislike her due to the belief she is too bossy. She is wise, as she is the oldest player in the league (next to Tony Delvecchio). She was discontinued after Backyard Skateboarding: Game of the Year Edition.
Ronald (Ronny) Henry Dobbs[]
The biggest cry-baby in the game, Ronny is a short kid with skinny legs. He likes to think of himself as a big kid, even though he'll cry after underperforming or not getting his way. He can't stand his older sister, Sally, who is a bit bossy towards him. He believes she prevents him from playing well. He's nicknamed "Spud" because of his underwhelming height and ability. Although Ronny is one of the youngest kids at 5, he is a bit older than Dante Robinson. He was discontinued after Backyard Baseball 2006.
Achmed Khan[]
Nicknamed "Axeman," Khan is portrayed as an easygoing kid who loves playing his air guitar and listening to rock music and EDM. He is almost always seen wearing large headphones during the games. He is typically a great athlete in whatever sport he's playing, with above-average statistics.
Amir Khan[]
Achmed's younger brother who also dreams of being a rocker. He likes to play the drums (earning him the nickname "Sticks"), as well as playing sports. If he is on the same team as Achmed, he plays better (though gets a debuff in his pitching). He looks up to Achmed, unlike several little siblings in the series, such as Angela Delvecchio and Ronny Dobbs. Amir retired after Backyard Football 2006 but can sometimes appear as a generic player in Backyard Sports: Baseball 2007.
Gretchen Hasselhoff[]
A young blonde girl who likes to talk pretty fast. She can also run quickly in many games but overall can be considered quite mediocre. She is nicknamed "Jabberjaw" as a result of her talkatively. She isn't very popular amongst other kids due to her being quite hyperactive and she retired after Backyard Baseball 2006.
Annie Frazier[]
Her nickname is "Flipper." She's a hippie who likes to play sports for the sake of being outdoors. She doesn't like to hurt others either as this was made apparent in Backyard Baseball 2005. She hosted her own ballpark, the scenic Frazier Field. The stadium's bio said that she didn't like players sliding around because it hurt the Grass Gods. Nevertheless, Frazier is a fine sleeper pick in almost all sports. Annie disappeared after Backyard Football '10.
Jorge Raoul Louis Garcia III[]
His nickname is "Bonkers". A snobby rich Spanish kid who hates to get dirty, Jorge is despised by all the other kids for his attitude. He isn't an athletic type, as he is below average in almost each game. He comes from money, and makes this fact known in Backyard Hockey. The first thing he says upon clicking him is, "I'm Jorge Garcia, and I have more money than you." Jorge is widely considered to be one of the worst characters in the games. His only absences were in Backyard Skateboarding, Backyard Football 2006, and the 2015 mobile games.
Luanne Lui[]
A young girl who loves carrying her teddy bear around. She believes her teddy bear is good luck, but sometimes, he gets in the way. Her nickname is "Lulu." She is amongst the fastest players in the game. She is noted to be the youngest player in the entire series. She retired after Backyard Football 2006 but made a return in the 2015 mobile games.
Maria Luna[]
Also known as "Pinky", Maria is a little Hispanic girl who loves the color pink. Her strength on the field is speed. Her family owns an authentic Mexican restaurant, called "La Luna Lleno." Whenever she played on a team that had pink as a color, she played infinitely better. Maria retired after Backyard Football '10.
Lisa Crocket[]
Her nickname, "Mad Dog," puzzles many players, as she isn't very aggressive, nor is she very social. She mumbles and has a dry sense of humor. She admires Dmitri Petrovich for his brain, and she also had immense raw power in all sports. However, she wasn't very agile, which hurt her overall game. Lisa retired after Backyard Football '10.
Characters Introduced in Later Games[]
J Hasselhoff[]
There isn’t anything known about her, but she is implied to be the twin sister of Gretchen Hasselhoff. She is only playable on the Plug-and-Play game Backyard Baseball & Soccer.
Arthur Chen[]
A Chinese-American kid. He is good friends with Achmed Khan.
Samantha Pearce[]
A blonde girl who loves to surf tidewaves.
Joey MacAdoo[]
One of the best players, next to Sanchez. He thinks of himself as one of the best players, just like Tony. He looks like him, too.
Ace Patterson[]
A military-born child, who is good at many sports, and especially loves playing football.
Jimmy Knuckles[]
The first villain in the Backyard Sports series, Jimmy was the leader of a group of bullies who forced the belief that victory was the only thing that mattered in baseball and took over Mellowbrook Field. However, after losing to the New Kid and the "All-Stars" team they formed in a match, the others surprisingly showed empathy for him, as they were simply happy to be able to play normally again, which convinced him to stop being mean to the players.
Trivia[]
- According to creator Nick Mirkovich, the kids are all between the ages of seven and twelve.[1] Luanne and Ronny are the youngest, at five and four years old, along with Dante Robinson to be just a little younger than Ronny, and a little older than Luanne. Sally claims to be the oldest, but this is disputed among other characters. Beginning in 2007, the characters were aged-up to being middle school students.
- There are five siblings in the series: the Delvecchios (Tony and Angela), the Dobbs (Sally and Ronny), the Kawaguchis (Kenny and Vicki), the Khans (Achmed and Amir), and the Webbers (Ashley and Sidney).
- Backyard Football 2006 had cut a few kids out of the game. Backyard Sports: Baseball 2007 would cut even more kids in the game, only appearing as generics.
- Pablo, Dmitri, Kiesha, Tony, Ashley, and Sidney, were the only characters who appeared in every game of the series until the franchise reboot. As of now, Pablo, Tony, Sidney, and Ashley are the only Backyard Kids that never been dropped or discontinued even when the franchise rebooted. Pablo is the only child to appear as a playable character in all games.
References[]
- ↑ Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman (February 23, 2021). "The Origins of ‘Backyard Baseball.’ Plus: Best Shape of His Life SZN Is Here.". The Ringer (Baseball BBQ). Event occurs at 1:06:49. Retrieved April 5, 2022.