UK Football Hall of Famer Sam Ball passes away at age 74

It’s with a heavy heart that we bring you the sad news of the passing of a beloved figure in the Kentucky Football family. Former Wildcat Sam Ball, a 2018 inductee into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame, died Monday morning at his home in Henderson, Kentucky. Ball was 79 years old.

A graduate of Henderson County High School, Ball played football at the University of Kentucky from 1962-65, where he was coached by Charlie Bradshaw. Ball was a three-year starter on the offensive line, and as a senior in 1965, he earned All-SEC and All-American honors at offensive tackle.

After Kentucky, Ball was a first-round selection by the Baltimore Colts in the 1966 NFL Draft. Three years later, he started in his first Super Bowl at right tackle, protecting a quarterback by the name of Johnny Unitas in the Colts’ loss to the New York Jets. Joe Namath was named MVP that year.

Ball, Unitas, and the Colts returned to the Super Bowl two years later, defeating Tom Landry’s Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V. It was the last football game Ball played.

He is one of only 16 former Wildcats to win a Super Bowl ring.

“Big Sam,” Team Captain

Ball and Rick Norton co-captained that 1965 Kentucky team to a 6-4 record, a season that included wins over tenth-ranked Georgia and eventual-No. 2 Missouri, plus a brief stop at No. 10 in the poll.

Many years later, Ball returned to serve as the honorary captain before Kentucky hosted Missouri in Lexington in 2017.

Kentucky won that game, 40-34.

Mitch Barnhart on Sam Ball’s passing

“Sam Ball was unique, on and off the football field, with a larger-than-life personality who enriched the lives of everyone he knew,” said Mitch Barnhart, UK Director of Athletics. “Sam’s football accomplishments speak for themselves. After his playing days, he continued to be an active Wildcat, supporting the UK Alumni Association and attending games for as many years as he was physically able.  In addition, Sam never met a stranger and had a big heart for people, evidenced by his numerous community service activities throughout his life.  He will be missed deeply in the Henderson and UK Athletics communities and our deepest condolences are with his family and friends.”

Ball’s jersey is retired at Kentucky, in addition to his place in the UK Athletics Hall of Fame.