Based on the apparent need for high school English programs to have more appeal and relevance for the male adolescent and the idea that sports literature can help fill that need, this study compared the factors contributing to the success of athletes in recent junior novels and biographies popular with the adolescent. The purpose was to determine how realistic the novels are in their treatment of successful athletes and to gain insight into what function sports literature may have for the adolescent. Ten representative novels and biographies were selected for analysis. After defining the successful athlete and the factors contributing to his success, each athlete treated in the selected works was rated on a numerical scale and comparisons were made. The conclusions indicated that junior novels are realistic in their portrayal of successful athletes, for factors contribute to success in much the same way in the two genres. Some other conclusions concerning sports literature for adolescents were that (1) there is an abundance of sports literature recommended by the authorities on literature for adolescents, (2) both genres indicate that success in athletics requires many of the same qualities and efforts that success in other fields requires, and (3) both genres deal with problems considered most crucial to adolescents. (Author/DD)