Sam Ball

American football player (1944–2023)

Sam Ball
Career information
No. 73

Born:	(1944-06-07)June 7, 1944 Henderson, Kentucky, U.S.
Died:	October 30, 2023(2023-10-30) (aged 79) Henderson, Kentucky, U.S.
Position(s)	Tackle
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	250 lb (110 kg)
College	Kentucky
High school	Henderson County
AFL draft	1966, Round: 2, Pick: 14
NFL draft	1966, Round: 1, Pick: 15
Career history
As player
1966–1970	Baltimore Colts

Career highlights and awards
NFL champion (1968) Super Bowl champion (V) Consensus All-American (1965) First-team All-SEC (1965)
Records	Consensus All Big-8 (1961)
Career stats
Games played	61
Games started	2

Sam Ball (June 1, 1944 – October 30, 2023) was an American professional football player who was an offensive lineman for the Baltimore Colts of the National Football League (NFL) from 1966 through 1970. During that span, he appeared in Super Bowl III and Super Bowl V for the Colts. He played college football for the Kentucky Wildcats.

Biography

College career

Ball enrolled at University of Kentucky in 1962, played on the freshman team his first year because then NCAA rules that didn't allow freshmen to play on the varsity teams. He was a three-year letterman under Coach Charlie Bradshaw. He was first team All-SEC and All-American his senior year.^[1]

Professional career

Ball was also drafted in 1966 by the Jets in the 2nd round, 15th overall. 1966 was the last year of separate drafts by the NFL and AFL.

On January 12, 1969, Ball was the starting offensive right tackle for the Colts against the Jets in Super Bowl III. He missed out on a Super Bowl ring as the Jets won 16–7, but won one two years later in Super Bowl V.

The Jets drafted Sam Walton at right tackle in 1968, who struggled as a rookie before being replaced in the playoffs by Dave Herman who moved across from right guard. Ball's choice of signing with the Colts over the Jets influenced the drafting of Walton as Ball would have been used to replace Sherman Plunkett.

Death and legacy

Ball died in Henderson, Kentucky, on October 30, 2023, at the age of 79.^[2]

References

^ "Sam Ball - In Memoriam". UKAthletics. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
^ Stinnett, Chuck (30 October 2023). "Sam Ball, the Henderson native who played for the Baltimore Colts, has died". Courier & Press. Retrieved 30 October 2023.

1965 College Football All-America Team consensus selections

Offense

Defense

DL Walt Barnes
DL Aaron Brown
DL Loyd Phillips
DL Bubba Smith
DL Bill Yearby
LB Frank Emanuel
LB Carl McAdams
LB Tommy Nobis
DB Nick Rassas
DB Johnny Roland
DB George Webster

v t e 1966 NFL draft first-round selections
Tommy Nobis Tom Mack Dick Leftridge Randy Beisler John Niland Charlie Gogolak Jerry Shay Carl McAdams Jim Grabowski Francis Peay Stan Hindman George Rice Gale Gillingham Milt Morin Sam Ball Randy Johnson

v t e Baltimore Colts 1966 NFL draft selections
Sam Ball Butch Allison Rick Kestner Rod Sherman Hoyle Granger Stas Maliszewski Dave Ellis Ray Perkins Jerry Allen Jack White Jerry Gross Claude Brownlee Eric Crabtree Jim Carer Bob Hadrick Jim Ward Lee Garner Rod Stewart Randy Matson Ed Toner Ken Duke Tom Carr

v t e Indianapolis Colts first-round draft picks
Formerly the Baltimore Colts (1953–1983)
Vessels Davidson Shaw Ameche Moore Parker Lyles Burkett Mix Matte Harris Vogel Woodson Curtis Ball Smith Detwiler Williams Hinton Bulaich McCauley Dunlap Drougas Jones Ehrmann Dutton Carr Huff Novak Burke McCall Krauss Dickey Hatchett McMillan Thompson Cooks Schlichter Elway Coleman Solt Bickett Hand Bennett Rison George Emtman Coryatt Dawkins Faulk Alberts Johnson Harrison Glenn Manning James Morris Wayne Freeney Clark Jackson Addai Gonzalez Brown Hughes Castonzo Luck Werner Dorsett Kelly Hooker Nelson Paye Richardson Latu

Indianapolis Colts first-round draft picks

Formerly the Baltimore Colts (1953–1983)

v t e New York Jets 1966 AFL draft selections
Bill Yearby Sam Ball Carl McAdams Jim Waskiewicz Phil Sheridan Ben Hawkins Emerson Boozer Dick Lemay Joe Dobson Pete Lammons James Jones Bill Wolski Jerry Allen Bob Walton Steve Chomyszak Ken Hollister Stas Maliszewski Stan Quintana Bill Cody Ron Acks Tommy Tolleson Gerry Mosher Preston Ridlehuber Randy Schultz

v t e Baltimore Colts 1968 NFL champions
2 Timmy Brown 15 Earl Morrall 16 Jim Ward 19 Johnny Unitas 20 Jerry Logan 21 Rick Volk 25 Alex Hawkins 26 Preston Pearson 27 Ray Perkins 28 Jimmy Orr 32 Mike Curtis 34 Terry Cole 37 Ocie Austin 40 Bobby Boyd 41 Tom Matte 43 Lenny Lyles 45 Jerry Hill 47 Charlie Stukes 49 David Lee 50 Bill Curry 51 Bob Grant 52 Dick Szymanski 53 Dennis Gaubatz 55 Ron Porter 61 Cornelius Johnson 62 Glenn Ressler 64 Sid Williams 66 Don Shinnick 71 Dan Sullivan 72 Bob Vogel 73 Sam Ball 74 Billy Ray Smith Sr. 75 John Williams 76 Fred Miller 78 Bubba Smith 79 Lou Michaels 80 Gail Cogdill 81 Ordell Braase 84 Tom Mitchell 85 Roy Hilton 87 Willie Richardson 88 John Mackey
Head coach: Don Shula
Coaches: Bill Arnsparger Dick Bielski Don McCafferty Chuck Noll John Sandusky

v t e Baltimore Colts Super Bowl V champions
15 Earl Morrall 17 Sam Havrilak 19 Johnny Unitas 20 Jerry Logan 21 Rick Volk 25 Tom Curtis 27 Ray Perkins 28 Jimmy Orr 30 Ron Gardin 32 Mike Curtis 33 Eddie Hinton 34 Tom Nowatzke 35 Jim Duncan 36 Norm Bulaich 40 Jack Maitland 41 Tom Matte 42 Tom Maxwell 45 Jerry Hill 47 Charles Stukes 49 David Lee 50 Bill Curry 51 Bob Grant 52 Robbie Nichols 54 Tom Goode 56 Ray May 60 George Wright 61 Cornelius Johnson 62 Glenn Ressler 68 Dennis Nelson 71 Dan Sullivan 72 Bob Vogel 73 Sam Ball 74 Billy Ray Smith 75 John Williams 76 Fred Miller 78 Bubba Smith 79 Jim Bailey 80 Jim O'Brien 81 Billy Newsome 83 Ted Hendricks 84 Tom Mitchell 85 Roy Hilton 87 Roy Jefferson 88 John Mackey
Head coach: Don McCafferty
Coaches: Dick Bielski Bobby Boyd Hank Bullough John Idzik Lou Rymkus John Sandusky