Good question.
I wasn't sure, so I emailed Rudy's..............no reply.
I was walking around the neighborhood today taking pictures, and remembered your question as I was passing Rudy's, so I dropped in.
One of the owners only knew that they took over in 1989, so we went to the experts - the regulars at the bar. Here's what they came up with:
The name "Rudy's" began in 1971, but "Sam's" didn't immediately precede it. For a year or so prior, it was known as "The Bullpen" and before that it was "Sam's".
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