Samuel Walter Zoldak, nicknamed Sad Sam, (December 8, 1918 – August 25, 1966) was an American professional baseball pitcher.

[1] 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.

[5] Zoldak was signed by Philadelphia Athletics owner Connie Mack before the 1941 season, ending his college baseball career and restarting his professional one.

[1] 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.

[10] Entering the 1946 season, manager Luke Sewell was reluctant to turn Zoldak into a starter, but eventually gave him the nod.

His first two starts were both victories, one of which was a complete game shutout against the Chicago White Sox, which gave him credit for three of the Browns' first eight wins of the season.

[1] During the offseason, Cleveland Indians owner Bill Veeck offered $100,000 for Zoldak, but were turned down, and he remained on the Browns to begin the 1948 season.

[2] Zoldak was moved to a relief role full-time for the 1949 season due to a lack of depth with the departures of Ed Klieman and Russ Christopher.

Manager Jimmy Dykes brought Zoldak onto the Athletics with the intention of putting him in the starting rotation in place of Lou Brissie, who had been sent to the Indians in the same trade.

[1] On February 2, 1953, the Athletics released Zoldak unconditionally, considering him expandable due to the team having 20 pitchers on their spring training roster.

[26] He was given a tryout with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but after salary negotiations fell through he signed with the Seattle Rainiers of the Pacific Coast League.

[28] Zoldak, who never married, died of lung cancer on August 25, 1966, leaving behind his mother and three siblings, and is buried in the Cemetery of the Holy Rood in Westbury, New York.