October 22, 2001
 

Ron Sams
 

A few years ago I acquired a book entitled "Total Steelers" which gave
biographical data on everyone who had played for the Steelers, through 1998,
and used it as the basis for a column above Bridgeville High School
graduates who played professional football.
 

In addition to Bob O'Neil, whose career was familiar to me, I was surprised
to find Victor (Putt) Vidoni, who played end in 1935 and 1936, and John
Yurchey, who played halfback in 1940. Both were Duquesne graduates.
South Fayette products included Allen Donelli, a halfback in 1941 and 1942,
and Jonathan Hayes, a tight end from 1994 through 1996.
 

At the end of the column I wondered if there were other local athletes who
played professional football, for other teams. The recent obituary for Ron
Sams provided a partial answer. It reported that he had played for the
Buffalo Bills in 1961 and that his son, Ron Sams, Jr., had played center for
the Minnesota Vikings for four years. I suspect there are a few more
examples that I have missed.
 

Ron Sams' widow, Judy, works at Pittsburgh Vision Services. On several
occasions my wife asked me if I knew Judy's husband, and each time my memory
was a little vague. My brother reminded me that Ron had played "Knee-Pants"
baseball with him the summer of 1950. At that time he was a Bridgeville
resident and was the best pitcher in the league.
 

Proof that Ron was originally a Bridgeville boy is the fact that he had a
distinctive nickname, "Cat", that stayed with him throughout his life. I
don't know if nicknames were unique to Bridgeville or to that era, but they
certainly were prominent in those days.
 

My recollection of that league was that it included four teams of boys who
were thirteen and fourteen years old. Joe's team was coached by Gus Ferree;
Mose Perkins coached another team; and two Gardner brothers a third. I don't
know who the fourth coach was. They played their games at a field in
Coultersville. The kids were old enough that they were able to play a
respectable game; we enjoyed watching them.
 

Judy Sams is a member of the nursing staff at Pittsburgh Vision Services.
These ladies have a major responsibility, since many of the clients there
have medical/physical problems that are much more serious than their loss of
vision -- diabetes, brain tumors, traumatic accidents, etc. Since the
Bridgeville facility is a residential one, the staff must be on call "around
the clock". On several occasions the nurses have performed extraordinary,
life saving feats; they are indeed an impressive group.
 

The other three nurses are Ellie (Aleski) Miller, Debbie Bates, and Becky
Wisbon. Ellie is a long time (I prefer not to say "old") friend, a fellow
classmate in the BHS Class of 1949. Debbie is the daughter of two other
classmates of ours -- Pat and Fred Donelli.
 

Apparently Ron Sams' family moved to South Fayette before he went to high
school. His experience with the Buffalo Bills was preceded by outstanding
years at South Fayette High School and at Waynesburg College. His life was
dominated by a love for sports and especially for supporting the football
careers of his two sons -- Ron, Jr. and Howard.
 

His business career included serving as president of Frank B. Fuhrer
Distributing Company. The obituary included a cute story by ex-Pitt
offensive line coach. When Ron, Jr. was playing for Pitt, his (overage)
father volunteered to take snaps as a quarterback during offensive line
drills, an impressive sight at 5'-10" and 250 pounds.
 

Ron enjoyed telling people that he had intercepted two Johnny Unitas passes
when they both were playing sandlot footall, Unitas for the Bloomfield Rams
and Sams for the Millvale Amici.
 

Ron Sams is certainly a candidate for the Bridgeville Area Sports Hall of
Fame, when we get around to establishing it.