Sam Bartholomew

Sam Bartholomew

Sam Bartholomew, Jr. was a driving force in several sports on all levels and especially football in Nashville over six decades. After being an All-State running back and the state’s rushing leader at Dobyns-Bennett High School, Bartholomew went on to play at Army for coach Paul Dietzel. Bartholomew was the team captain as a senior in 1965 and then became a decorated Airborne Ranger Officer in the Armored Cavalry Squadron in Vietnam. After graduating from Vanderbilt Law School, Bartholomew remained in Nashville and founded the law firm Stokes Bartholomew in the 1970s, which later became Stokes Bartholomew Evans and Petree and in 2005 Stokes, Bartholomew, Evans and Petree.

His involvement in sports included serving as a founding member of the Nashville Sports Council, the Music City Bowl and on several boards including the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame/Middle Tennessee Chapter, Tennessee NFL Committee, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, YMCA and Tennessee Police Athletic League.

He chaired the 1996 Tennessee U.S. Olympic Committee, was a founding member of the Golf Club of Tennessee and formed the Nashville Rugby Club. Bartholomew also served as chairman of the “Just Build It” committee, which raised more than $100 million in suite sales essential in bringing the Houston Oilers to Nashville.

Bartholomew remained active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes throughout his life and in 2004 was named “Father of the Year” by the National Diabetes Association. He passed away Jan. 18, 2019 and is survived by his wife Vicki; daughter Anne Dickey (husband R.A.), sons, Bo Bartholomew (wife Sarah), Will Bartholomew (wife Shelly) and Ben Bartholomew (wife Sarah Elisabeth) and 14 grandchildren. The Middle Tennessee Chapter of the NFF proudly recognizes Bartholomew as co-honoree of the 2019 “Roy Kramer Contribution to Football Award!”