 Sam Ball, 1970 | |||||||
| No. 73 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Tackle | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born | (1944-06-01)June 1, 1944 Henderson, Kentucky, U.S. | ||||||
| Died | October 30, 2023(2023-10-30) (aged 79) Henderson, Kentucky, U.S. | ||||||
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||
| Weight | 250 lb (113 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school | Henderson County (KY) | ||||||
| College | Kentucky | ||||||
| NFL draft | 1966: 1st round, 15th overall pick | ||||||
| AFL draft | 1966: 2nd round, 14th overall pick | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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Samuel Davis Ball (June 1, 1944 – October 30, 2023) was an American professionalfootball player who was anoffensive lineman for theBaltimore Colts of theNational Football League (NFL) from 1966 through 1970. During that span, he appeared inSuper Bowl III andSuper Bowl V for the Colts. He playedcollege football atKentucky.
Sam Ball was born on June 1, 1944, inHenderson, Kentucky. He was a four-year starter atHenderson County High School where the Colonels posted a 32–2–2 record during his tenure.[1]
Ball enrolled atUniversity 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-yearletterman under CoachCharlie Bradshaw. As a senior, he earnedAll-SEC First-Team andAll-America First-Team honors.[2]
In the1966 NFL draft, Ball was selected by theBaltimore Colts in the first round with the 15th overall pick. Ball was also drafted in the1966 AFL draft by theNew York Jets in the 2nd round, 14th overall. Ball chose to play with the Colts.
Ball saw limited playing time as a rookie in 1966, making appearances in seven games. He earned a starting role the next year, which he maintained for most of his career.[3]
In the 1968 season, the Colts won theNFL Championship before losing to the Jets inSuper Bowl III. In 1970, Ball was a member of the Colts'Super Bowl V winning team, which was his last professional football game.[1]
Ball returned to Henderson, Kentucky after retiring from professional football. He was a seed salesman, ran a cattle ranch, and was served as a motivational speaker.[1]
Ball died inHenderson, Kentucky, on October 30, 2023, at the age of 79.[1]