Billy Sample
Encyclopedia
William Amos Sample is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues primarily as an outfielder
from 1978-1986. Sample played for the Texas Rangers
(-), New York Yankees
and Atlanta Braves
.
, and graduated from Salem's Andrew Lewis High School
in 1973. While at Andrew Lewis, Sample was a three-sport standout in football, basketball, and baseball. As a junior wide receiver on Andrew Lewis' football team, Sample scored the winning touchdown in a 1971 state AAA quarterfinal game. A victory later, Andrew Lewis advanced to the state championship, where Sample's team lost to T. C. Williams High School
- a game dramatized (with historical liberties) in the motion picture Remember The Titans
. Sample attended Madison College (now James Madison University
) for three years, before being drafted by the Rangers in 1976.
, and California Angels, as well as contributing to NPR, CBS Radio
, ESPN
, and MLB.com
. As a scribe, Sample has been published in Sports Illustrated
and The New York Times
, and was one of the columnists at the inception of USA Today
s Baseball Weekly (now Sports Weekly
). Sample was also the baseball consultant for Showtime's production Joe Torre: Curveballs Along the Way, which chronicled the Yankees' 1996 season. Proving the apple doesn't fall far, Sample's daughter, Nikki, lettered in track (javelin) at the University of Rhode Island and oldest son, Ian, caught 10 of Colt Brennan's NCAA record 58 touchdown passes at the University of Hawaii in 2006.
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
from 1978-1986. Sample played for the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
(-), New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
and Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
.
Early life
Sample grew up in Salem, VirginiaSalem, Virginia
Salem is an independent city in Virginia, USA, bordered by the city of Roanoke to the east but otherwise adjacent to Roanoke County. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 24,802 according to 2010 U.S. Census...
, and graduated from Salem's Andrew Lewis High School
Andrew Lewis High School
Andrew Lewis High School is a former high school in Salem, Virginia, US which was named after Andrew Lewis, an American pioneer, surveyor, and soldier from Virginia. He served as a colonel of militia during the French and Indian War, and as a brigadier general in the American Revolutionary War. who...
in 1973. While at Andrew Lewis, Sample was a three-sport standout in football, basketball, and baseball. As a junior wide receiver on Andrew Lewis' football team, Sample scored the winning touchdown in a 1971 state AAA quarterfinal game. A victory later, Andrew Lewis advanced to the state championship, where Sample's team lost to T. C. Williams High School
T. C. Williams High School
T. C. Williams High School is a public high school in Alexandria, Virginia, named after former superintendent Thomas Chambliss Williams of Alexandria City Public Schools who served from the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s...
- a game dramatized (with historical liberties) in the motion picture Remember The Titans
Remember the Titans
Remember the Titans is a 2000 American sports film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Boaz Yakin. Inspired by real events, the plot was conceived from a screenplay written by Gregory Allen Howard. The film starts as a new coach of the Titans, a football team previously coached by the...
. Sample attended Madison College (now James Madison University
James Madison University
James Madison University is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University...
) for three years, before being drafted by the Rangers in 1976.
Major League Baseball career
Sample singled on his first major league pitch in 1978, made the Topps All Rookie Team in 1979, had his longest hitting streak (19 games) in 1981, was fifth in the A.L. in steals (44 of 52) in 1983, sixth in power-speed numbers and was the tenth toughest to strike out in the league, with only teammate Buddy Bell having hit more home runs of the preceding nine. Sample finished with a career .272 average.Broadcasting career
Primarily a broadcaster/writer after his playing days, Sample has broadcast for the Braves, Seattle MarinersSeattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
, and California Angels, as well as contributing to NPR, CBS Radio
CBS Radio Network
The CBS Radio Network provides news, sports and other programming to more than 1,000 radio stations throughout the United States. The network is owned by CBS Corporation, and operated by CBS Radio ....
, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, and MLB.com
MLB.com
MLB.com is the official site of Major League Baseball and is overseen by Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. . MLB.com is a source of baseball-related information, including baseball news, statistics, and sports columns...
. As a scribe, Sample has been published in Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
and The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, and was one of the columnists at the inception of USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
s Baseball Weekly (now Sports Weekly
Sports Weekly
USA Today Sports Weekly is a weekly magazine that covers Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, NCAA baseball and the National Football League. In the February 15, 2006 issue, the magazine added coverage of NASCAR...
). Sample was also the baseball consultant for Showtime's production Joe Torre: Curveballs Along the Way, which chronicled the Yankees' 1996 season. Proving the apple doesn't fall far, Sample's daughter, Nikki, lettered in track (javelin) at the University of Rhode Island and oldest son, Ian, caught 10 of Colt Brennan's NCAA record 58 touchdown passes at the University of Hawaii in 2006.