Celebrating the Life and Times of Sam Cunningham, a Football Player Trailblazer
How one man with it indomitable talent ran through lines breaking down barriers
Samuel Lewis Cunningham Jr, nicknamed “Bam”, was an American professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League for ten seasons with the New England Patriots. He played college football at USC, where he was named an All-American and received MVP honors in the 1973 Rose Bowl.
As history can testify, sports was another arena that was segregated and fought hard to keep talents of color out of the game until one player comes along who could not be denied his rightful place in the sport and history.
The major and minor leagues in sports, along with college football are guilty of segregation. Given the talent that was readily available, college football fought to remain segregated in the early 1970s refusing to put Black players on the field.
Most notable in history was when USC in the fall of 1970 brought the Trojans, an integrated roster of players that included a Black fullback, “Bam” Cunningham to the powerhouse Alabama Crimson Tide, chief among the holdouts from admitting players of color to their team.
Sam Cunningham earned the nickname “Bam” due to his size, 6 feet 3, 212 pounds, and his tactic of crashing into the line of scrimmage time and again leading the Trojans to victory 135 yards rushing and two touchdowns, a feat that staunch segregationists could not help but take note of, consciously and/or unconsciously.
As it may have been quietly kept, Mr. Cunnigham’s accomplishment may have played a major role in integrating the sport. Which he admitted recently in an interview that he was just proud to be a part of the integration and sport inclusion process.
Mr. Cunningham was a Santa Barbara native, born August 15, 1950, who became a star athlete at Santa Barbara High, one of four brothers who played for the Dons. His college career began with the renowned game in Alabama which was very scary for some of the USC players who packed knives and one brought a gun. Cunningham being a California native did not think of the game in terms of racism, just focused on the game itself.
After USC’s victory, with Cunningham’s impressive statistics, his accompliishments may have been a key factor opening the door for Alabama Crimson Tide recruiting Black players to its roster.
Also, the Trojans were comprised of an all-Black offensive backfield that also featured Jimmy Jones, a quarterback, and Clarence Davis, a running back plus more than a dozen black players. This reality allowed Crimson Tide to integrate their team with little public outcry.
Being accepted by the opposing team due to his talent, Cunningham yet was faced with the reality of his skin color from white people knowing that they were only accepted because they were instrumental in helping to win football games.
Mr. Cunningham's performance in that game was the start of a successful football career included in his senior year, as a three-year letterman was named team captain, made All-American, four touchdowns against Ohio State in the 1973 Rose Bows, capped an undefeated season, and earned the Trojans a national championship. Also, he was selected by the New England Patriots in the first round of the draft, played nine seasons in the NFL, made the All-Pro team in 1978, and retired as the franchise’s all-time leading rusher with 5,453 yards.
After his football career, Cunningham returned to Souther California and begun another career in the landscaping business.
As many held him as a trailblazer making history with the Trojans, he saw himself a a regular guy who did what he enjoyed doing and saws himself just like regular people. His words sums his life up, “I didn’t do anything more than what I was asked to do. Run the ball. If there’s a hole, run through it. If you can score a touchdown, score a touchdown. Bam. Pretty simple.”
In conclusion at the age of 71, Mr. Cunningham got his wings on September 7, 2021 as he transitioned to a forever place of rest leaving a legacy hat will always be a part of history as a trailblazer and history maker.
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