Samuel Walter Zoldak, nicknamed Sad Sam, (December 8, 1918 – August 25, 1966) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for nine seasons in the American League with the St. Louis Browns, Cleveland Indians, and Philadelphia Athletics. In 250 career games, Zoldak pitched innings and posted a win–loss record of 43–53, with 30 complete games, five shutouts, and a 3.54 earned run average (ERA).
Although an average hitting pitcher in his major league career, posting a .175 batting average (50-for-286) with just 16 runs and 11 RBIs, he was a very good fielding pitcher, posting a .984 fielding percentage with only four errors in 258 total chances.
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.
Early life and career
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.
In 1941, Zoldak played for the Selma Cloverleafs and Williamsport Grays, pitching in 12 combined games. The following season, he spent the full year with Williamsport. In 32 games, he won and lost 11 each, and finished the year with an ERA of 2.54 in 177 innings pitched. The following year, he remained in the Eastern League with the Elmira Pioneers due to the Williamsport team choosing not to field a team until the conclusion of World War II. In 36 games for Elmira, Zoldak won 20 games, lost 11, and had a 2.73 ERA in 244 innings pitched.
Major league career
On February 17, 1944, Zoldak was traded along with Barney Lutz to the St. Louis Browns for Frankie Hayes, as the Athletics wanted a veteran to add to their roster, while the Browns wanted the two prospects as they were classified as 4-F, and would be available to the team for the duration of the war. He impressed the Browns coaching staff in spring training, and as a result was named to the opening day roster. Zoldak made his major league debut on May 13, and was used as a reliever during his first season, pitching in 18 games and earning an ERA of 3.72. The Browns made it to the 1944 World Series, but Zoldak did not see any action. He played in 26 games during the 1945 season, earning a 3–2 record with an ERA of 3.36. In his final appearance of the season on September 29 against the Cleveland Indians, he was given the opportunity to start a game opposite Bob Feller. In a six-inning game shortened by rain, Zoldak and the Browns won, 2–1.