View source for Sam Ball

{{Short description|American football player (1944–2023)}}
{{other people|Sam Ball|Samuel Ball (disambiguation){{!}}Samuel Ball}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| embed               = 
| name                = Sam Ball
| image               = Ball-Sam-1970.jpg
| upright             = .85
| alt                 = 
| caption             = Sam Ball, 1970
| number              = 73
| current_team        = 
| position            = [[Tackle (American football position)|Tackle]]
| birth_date          = {{Birth date|1944|06|01|mf=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Henderson, Kentucky]], U.S.
| death_date          = {{Death date and age|2023|10|30|1944|6|1}}
| death_place         = Henderson, Kentucky, U.S.
| height_ft           = 6
| height_in           = 4
| weight_lb           = 250
| high_school         = [[Henderson County High School|Henderson County]] (KY)
| college             = [[Kentucky Wildcats football|Kentucky]]
| draftyear           = 1966
| draftround          = 1
| draftpick           = 15
| afldraftyear        = 1966
| afldraftround       = 2 
| afldraftpick        = 14
| pastteams           = 
*[[History of the Indianapolis Colts|Baltimore Colts]] ({{NFL year|1966}}–{{NFL year|1970}})
| highlights          = 
* [[Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl V|V]])
* [[NFL champion]] ([[1968 NFL Championship Game|1968]])
* Consensus [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1965 College Football All-America Team|1965]])
* First-team All-[[Southeastern Conference|SEC]] ([[1965 All-SEC football team|1965]])
| statlabel1          = Games played
| statvalue1          = 61
| statlabel2          = Games started
| statvalue2          = 42
| statlabel3          = 
| statvalue3          = 
| pfr                 = BallSa20
}}

'''Samuel Davis Ball''' (June 1, 1944 – October 30, 2023) was an American professional [[American football|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]] at [[Kentucky Wildcats football|Kentucky]].

==Early life==
Sam Ball was born on June 1, 1944, in [[Henderson, Kentucky]]. He was a four-year starter at [[Henderson County High School]] where the Colonels posted a 32–2–2 record during his tenure.<ref name="death">{{cite news |last1=Stinnett |first1=Chuck |title=Sam Ball, the Henderson native who played for the Baltimore Colts, has died |url=https://eu.courierpress.com/story/news/local/2023/10/30/henderson-native-former-baltimore-colts-player-sam-ball-dies-at-79/71385941007/ |access-date=30 October 2023 |publisher=Courier & Press |date=30 October 2023}}</ref>

==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 (sports)|letterman]] under Coach [[Charlie Bradshaw (American football coach)|Charlie Bradshaw]]. As a senior, he earned [[1965 All-SEC football team|All-SEC First-Team]] and 
[[1965 College Football All-America Team|All-America First-Team]] honors.<ref name="UKA_memoriam">{{cite web |title=Sam Ball – In Memoriam |url=https://ukathletics.com/news/2023/10/30/sam-ball-uk-football-hall-of-famer-has-died/ |publisher=UKAthletics |access-date=5 November 2023}}</ref>

==Professional career==
In the [[1966 NFL draft]], Ball was selected by the [[History of the Indianapolis Colts|Baltimore Colts]] in the first round with the 15th overall pick. Ball was also drafted in the [[1966 AFL draft]] by the [[New 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.<ref name="pfr">{{cite web |title=Sam Ball |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BallSa20.htm |website=Pro Football Reference |access-date=July 9, 2024}}</ref>

In the 1968 season, the Colts won the [[1968 NFL Championship|NFL Championship]] before losing to the Jets in [[Super Bowl III]]. In 1970, Ball was a member of the Colts' [[Super Bowl V]] winning team, which was his last professional football game.<ref name="death" />

==Post-football life==
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.<ref name="death" />

==Death and legacy==
Ball died in [[Henderson, Kentucky]], on October 30, 2023, at the age of 79.<ref name="death" />

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{1965 NCAA Division I FBS College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{1966 NFL Draft}}
{{Baltimore Colts 1966 draft navbox}}
{{ColtsFirstPick}}
{{Jets1966DraftPicks}}
{{1968 Baltimore Colts}}
{{Super Bowl V}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ball, Sam}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:2023 deaths]]
[[Category:American football offensive tackles]]
[[Category:Baltimore Colts players]]
[[Category:Kentucky Wildcats football players]]
[[Category:New York Jets players]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:People from Henderson, Kentucky]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Kentucky]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]