Sam Bombiani was nicknamed “the
Bomber” mainly because he was both explosive and exciting as a
football player for the Bridgers in the late 1940s. Sam was a
four year starter at Ambridge from 1945 to 1948, scoring 34
touchdowns and running for 748 yards, with an average scoring run of 22
yards. Only three of those touchdown runs came inside the five yard
line. An outstanding kickoff and punt returner, Sam went to St
Mary’s College in California. In a freshman game against San
Francisco, he carried the ball six times for six touchdowns. In his
sophomore year against Southern California, he returned the opening
kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, only to have it nullified by an
offside penalty. Undaunted, Sam returned the next kick 96 yards for
a touchdown. St Mary’s dropped their football program after that
year, and Sam began to pursue boxing. He compiled a 31-6 record
as an amateur and won the Pacific Coast Lightweight title in 1952
and made the semifinals of the National AAU tournament in Boston
that year. Sam turned pro and won the Alabama featherweight and
lightweight crowns. He retired in 1958 due to a recurring back
injury with a lifetime record of 20-3-5.
Sam Bombiani was nicknamed “the
Bomber” mainly because he was both explosive and exciting as a
football player for the Bridgers in the late 1940s. Sam was a
four year starter at Ambridge from 1945 to 1948, scoring 34
touchdowns and running for 748 yards, with an average scoring run of 22
yards. Only three of those touchdown runs came inside the five yard
line. An outstanding kickoff and punt returner, Sam went to St
Mary’s College in California. In a freshman game against San
Francisco, he carried the ball six times for six touchdowns. In his
sophomore year against Southern California, he returned the opening
kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, only to have it nullified by an
offside penalty. Undaunted, Sam returned the next kick 96 yards for
a touchdown. St Mary’s dropped their football program after that
year, and Sam began to pursue boxing. He compiled a 31-6 record
as an amateur and won the Pacific Coast Lightweight title in 1952
and made the semifinals of the National AAU tournament in Boston
that year. Sam turned pro and won the Alabama featherweight and
lightweight crowns. He retired in 1958 due to a recurring back
injury with a lifetime record of 20-3-5.