A lawyer by profession, he was an early football fan who became involved with the Ottawa Rough Riders team as its legal advisor, president, and as an owner.
[2] Active in the Ottawa community, Berger twice ran for mayor of the city, losing to Charlotte Whitton in the 1960 and 1962 elections.
Highlights of his Rough Rider career include:[2] In 1969 Sam Berger sold his shares in the Ottawa club and donated the proceeds to charitable causes.
He then purchased the troubled Montreal Alouettes franchise and in the ensuing twelve years built it into a powerhouse that made six Grey Cup appearances and won it three times.
He retired in 1976 as the active owner of Alouettes, handing over the presidency to his eldest son, David.