Santa Barbara’s Great Cunningham Brothers

From an early age, Samuel and Mabel Cunningham’s four sons — Sam Jr., Anthony, Bruce, and Randall — made their mark. Whether it was on the Eastside of Santa Barbara, at the beach, on the playgrounds of Franklin Elementary, under the lights at Peabody Stadium, or in the Los Angeles Coliseum, the stage was never too big for the Cunningham brothers to shine.

Through their athletic exploits, they smashed records and broke barriers. The stories of their high school, college, and, in the case of Sam and Randall, professional careers have evolved into legends. But at the heart of all the myths and folklore is a true story of African-American excellence, and it all began in Santa Barbara.

The Rise of Sam ‘Bam’ Cunningham

All four Cunningham brothers were born and raised in Santa Barbara. And as the oldest, Sam had no choice but to make his own name and blaze his own path.