Alan Ball Jr.
The fiery, red-haired dynamo in England's 1966 World Cup-winning midfield, whose relentless energy and passing defined a golden era.
1945–2007 (age 62)·English footballer·Birthday: May 12·The Silent Generation
Biography
Alan Ball was the youngest and most combustible member of England's 1966 World Cup-winning team, a player whose terrier-like tenacity and pinpoint distribution made him indispensable. Standing at just 5'6", his flame-red hair and non-stop engine became iconic on the pitch. His performance in the World Cup final, at just 21 years old, was a masterclass in midfield industry, and he later moved for a British record transfer fee to Everton, where he won a league championship. Ball's career was one of immense passion; he played with a visible fury and joy that captivated fans. After hanging up his boots, he transitioned into management, taking charge of several clubs including Portsmouth, Southampton, and Manchester City, though he never quite recaptured the glory of his playing days. He remained a vivid, outspoken presence in football until his death, forever remembered as the boy who ran himself into the ground for his country on its greatest day.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Alan was born in 1945, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1945
#1 Movie
The Bells of St. Mary's
Best Picture
The Lost Weekend
Alan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1945Born
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1950Started school
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1958Became a teenager
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1961Could drive
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1963Could vote
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1966Turned 21
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1975Turned 30
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 40
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 50
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 60
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2007Died at 62
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
Key Achievements
- Won the 1966 FIFA World Cup with England, starting in the final and delivering a tireless midfield performance at age 21.
- Won the English First Division championship with Everton in the 1969-70 season.
- Transferred from Blackpool to Everton for a then British record fee of £110,000 in 1966.
- Earned 72 caps for the England national football team, scoring eight goals.
- Inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2003.
Did You Know?
He was the last surviving member of England's 1966 World Cup final starting XI until his death in 2007.
After the 1966 final, he danced with the World Cup trophy on the team bus, wearing a policeman's helmet.
His father, Alan Ball Sr., was a professional footballer and later his manager at Blackpool.
He played for three different clubs in the North American Soccer League after leaving English league football.
“You don't win anything with kids, unless they're good enough and you're brave enough.”
