Eric Ball (American football)
Eric Ball (born July 1, 1966) is an American former professional football player who was running back for seven seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the UCLA Bruins.
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| Position: | Running back | ||||||||
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| Born: | July 1, 1966 Cleveland, Ohio | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 218 lb (99 kg) | ||||||||
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| College: | UCLA | ||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 1989 / Round: 2 / Pick: 35 | ||||||||
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College career
Ball played at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1985 through 1988. He tied a Rose Bowl record in the 1986 Rose Bowl by scoring four touchdowns for the Bruins against the Iowa Hawkeyes, and was the game's MVP. He was named to the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1996.
While at UCLA, Ball had two notable fumbles in very important games. In the November 23, 1985 USC vs UCLA game, with the Rose Bowl on the line for the Bruins, Ball lost the ball on the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter as he dived for the end zone with what would have been the winning touchdown. Marcus Cotton grabbed the fumble for USC and the Trojans would win 17–13.[1] Ball also had a crucial fumble in the UCLA vs Washington State game in 1988, when the #1 ranked Bruins were upset at home by the Cougars 34–30.[2]
NFL career
Ball played mostly as a kick returner for the Bengals, returning 115 kicks over 97 games for a total of 2,474 return yards. In 1995, he was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the 1995 NFL Expansion Draft but did not make the roster. He then signed with the Oakland Raiders and played one season with them.
References
- Dodds, Tracy - Wildcats Find the Way to Lift Bruins' Spirits. Los Angeles Times, November 24, 1985
- JAY HOVDEY. Unbeaten U.C.L.A. Is Upset. New York Times. October 30. 1988 Quote:U.C.L.A.'s best running play ended when the tailback Eric Ball fumbled at the Bruin 37 after a gain of 17 yards. The fumble occurred midway through the third quarter, when U.C.L.A. led, 27-13. Five plays later, Washington State scored the second of four successive touchdowns. The fumble was typical of the seesaw nature of the game.