Factual error: In an attempt to create a believable 1940s gym, it appears the production crew got hold of many contemporary boxing posters as possible. Most of these were Greeked to avoid mentioning real boxers (such as "Dave Ritlaf" and "John Paropianeo"), but one of these prominently features a "Ronnie Harris", along with a photograph. Ronnie Harris was a real boxer, but wasn't even born until 1948, 7 years after this scene was set, giving away that a poster from the '70s was used. (00:16:08)
Factual error: During the opening credits, Jack Lemmon walks past two "sailors" in dress whites. If they were actual sailors, they would have rate insignia on the left sleeve, service ribbons on the left breast, and a rocker patch on the right shoulder seam.
Factual error: The onlookers are eating pears in spring. Wrong time of the year for ripe pears.
Factual error: It's highly unlikely that any military police from another country would be allowed entry into the U.S. to search for a deserter of its military. In any case, the illegal alien would just hide here under the radar until found by ICE or the police and then deported back to his or her country.
Factual error: A carton of HEB milk is taken out of the fridge and it has the new (as of 1994) label on it. The movie is set in the late 80s, when the old style label was still used.
Factual error: In one scene Cobb and the sportswriter doing his biography are driving across the country to get to the baseball Hall of Fame. They are stopped next to some railroad tracks fixing a flat tire, and a train goes by that has Burlington Northern markings (BN). Burlington Northern didn't come into existance until ten years or so after Mr. Cobb died.
Factual error: One of the male character is shown wearing a BDU, or Battle Dress Uniform, which wouldn't be developed until the late 70s and wouldn't be released until around 1982, 10 years after the storyline.
Factual error: The three scorecards of 95-94 for the Dixon vs Balboa fight could not possibly be scored that way for a ten-round professional fight in which so many knockdowns occurred. Each fighter went down multiple times, which would've resulted in a much lower set of numbers using the ten-point-must system enforced in Nevada (and pretty much everywhere else). (01:30:25)
Factual error: When Sid gives his credit card to Jay to pay for their meal because Jay's mom doesn't have enough money, a magnetic strip is on the back of the card. This technology wasn't used on credit cards until 1980. The film takes place in the 70's.
Factual error: There is an ostrich that releases an egg on to his plate, however the bird is a male as females are brown and this one was not.
Factual error: When Secretariat crosses the finish line, that finish line pole is not from Belmont, that finish line pole is from Keeneland.
Factual error: When the girls go to their motel rooms before the regionals, they exclaim over the color TV in the room. However, that TV has a digital tuner, not available in the mid-60s.
Factual error: At the conclusion of the film it is stated on screen: "Ayrton Senna died aged 34. In the aftermath of his death, the FIA appointed Ayrton's friend Prof. Sid Watkins to improve safety in Formula One. There has not been a fatality in Formula One since." While it is true that no driver has been killed at a Formula One Grand Prix since Senna, there were crashes at the Italian Grand Prix in 2000 and the Australian Grand Prix in 2001 which resulted in the deaths of marshals. (01:37:50)
Factual error: The streak ended in '04, but at the beginning of the movie the seniors talking about their last game have letter jackets with the year '05 on the sleeve.
Factual error: As the team practices, the film shows the passage of time by using a calendar. The month of July ends on Thursday, the 31st, but August the first is shown to start on Wednesday.
Factual error: In the Templehoff Airport flyover scene there are Soviet era Antonov An-12 propeller driven aircraft on the tarmac. These were first used by the Soviets in 1953.
Factual error: When Vinny Panzienza has his cervical halo brace removed (without anesthetics), he yells and groans and grunts in pain, but his hands are relaxed on the arms of the chair. I can tell you, from experience with this exact situation, the pain is so intense that his hands should have been clenched as tight as a vise.
Factual error: When Tonya is walking through the kitchen at her job at Spud City, she complains that someone took her smokes and walks by an appliance to her left. The design style of the appliance did not exist in the early 1990s.
Factual error: After leaving California heading for Texas, the team is shown traveling on the road throughout the day, then we see them on the freeway driving into the sunset, then it's night as the team gets a hotel. If traveling east towards Texas as darkness is soon approaching, the sun would be behind them, not in front. They would be traveling west (not east).
Factual error: After sleeping in and being late for practice, Jack is driving to the gym. It is supposed to be morning yet the shadows made by the sun show the sun is setting over the ocean and therefore evening.