Sam Zoldak

Zoldak's 1949 Bowman Gum baseball card

Pitcher

Born: December 8, 1918
Brooklyn, New York

Died: August 25, 1966 (aged 47)
New Hyde Park, New York

Batted: Left

Threw: Left

MLB debut

May 13, 1944, for the St. Louis Browns

Last MLB appearance

August 26, 1952, for the Philadelphia Athletics

MLB statistics

Win–loss record

43–53

Earned run average

3.54

Strikeouts

207

Teams

Career highlights and awards

World Series champion (1948)

Samuel Walter Zoldak, nicknamed Sad Sam, (December 8, 1918 – August 25, 1966) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for nine seasons in the American League with the St. Louis Browns, Cleveland Indians, and Philadelphia Athletics. In 207 career games, Zoldak pitched 929⅓ innings and posted a win–loss record of 43–53, with 30 complete games, 5 shutouts, and a 3.54 earned run average (ERA).

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Zoldak began his professional career in the low-level minor leagues, working his way up despite being released from his first team. The St. Louis Browns acquired him in 1944 and placed him on their major league roster. He debuted on May 23, and spent the next four years as a spot starter, working both as a starting pitcher and relief pitcher. He was traded to the Cleveland Indians in 1948, and helped lead the team to the 1948 World Series. After two more years with Cleveland, he was traded to the Philadelphia Athletics, the organization he originally started with, and played two seasons there. After a short minor league stint in 1953, he retired from the game, and died in 1966.

Zoldak was born on December 8, 1918 in Brooklyn, New York. He was raised by his mother, and worked at her confectionery shop, both while he was growing up and during the baseball offseason. He attended Eastern District High School, and took up the game of baseball at McCarren Park, as his high school did not have a baseball team. He began his professional career with the Palatka Azaleas in 1938, and threw 13 innings in two games. He was released afterwards, and played college baseball for the Fordham Rams baseball team while also playing some semi-professional baseball for a team in Cedarhurst, New York. Zoldak was signed by Philadelphia Athletics owner Connie Mack before the 1941 season, ending his college baseball career and restarting his professional one.

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