Why do people like Ajax?

I like him because I have friends like him.

I think people appreciate that he's vocal with where he stands, there's no trickery or lies - he doesn't like you he'll straight out tell you. That and despite the issues he has with the rest of his gang during the movie, he has their backs. There might also be some sympathy for him, he didn't run out on his fell Warriors at all but they gave up on him when he needed them. Now... it's debatable whether they should've rescued him or not but that's what some may feel.

If you ever get to read the original book which the movie is loosely based on, the character of Lunkface is Ajax. But you read the book... really all the characters there are worse than Ajax from the film I think. So at least in translation they made him a much more likeable character :)

I wouldn't say there weren't any gays around.. there was Rembrandt.

I don't remember Ajax raping anyone. Mercedes Ruhl was out there as bait... but all that really went on was some trash talk and nasty flirting. What was the charge?

Your thinking has been poisoned by SJW rhetoric.

Ajax defeated the leader of the Baseball Furies and was ready to take the whole gang by himself had Swan and Snow not shown up. That's a good reason to like him.

I didn't see him as a rapist. Mercy was not innocent, she was looking for a good time, even followed them. When Ajax caught her she even commented that she was looking for some action and he just said "I will give it to you baby". As far as the police officer, I do think she set him up a little "you want to show me how you play with the chicks" and I know other posters felt it was entrapment.

Ajax was definitely not the brightest, but there was still something likable about him not taking any crap and you could see a playful side to him on the train. Plus he was handsome and sexy too.

This movie was made long before the Rainbow movement and the #metoo movement, so Ajax's views on those subjects were irrelevant to his popularity.

This movie was made for aggressive teenage boys and boys who wished they could be aggressive. To that demographic in 1979, Ajax was the baddest of the bad, the coolest of the cool. Now that everyone from the original audience is middle aged, are they supposed to just go "Wait a minute! That Ajax was so unenlightened about women and gays! I don't really like him after all!" and renounce their loyalty to Ajax? I don't think fandom works that way.