1952 Topps #231 Sam Zoldak
About Sam Zoldak
Sam Zoldak was a left-handed pitcher from Brooklyn, New York (born December 8, 1918), who reached the majors with the St. Louis Browns in 1944 and pitched nine big-league seasons for the Browns, Cleveland Indians, and Philadelphia Athletics. Over 250 games he went 43-53 with a 3.54 ERA and 207 strikeouts in more than 929 innings, and though his record was under .500 his ERA+ of 113 shows he pitched better than the won-loss line suggests. His signature moment came in 1948, when Cleveland acquired him from St. Louis at the June 15 trade deadline for pitcher Bill Kennedy and $100,000 (Bill Veeck likened the pursuit to "begging for him on our knees"); Zoldak responded by going 9-6 with a 2.81 ERA down the stretch to help the Indians reach a pennant playoff and their first World Series title in 28 years. Nicknamed "Sad Sam," he warmed up in the bullpen for all six Series games but was never called into a game. After his 1952 season with the Athletics he was released in early 1953, later worked for the New York State Racing Commission, and died in 1966. This is his card in the fourth series of the landmark 1952 Topps set, the design that launched the Topps flagship line and later produced the famous high-number series (#311-407) headlined by the iconic Mickey Mantle card.
Sources: Wikipedia · Baseball-Reference · SABR
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 643 | 0 | 6 | 43 | 112 | 138 | 163 | 176 | 5 |
| SGC | 89 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 33 | 41 | 2 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Snapshot 2026-06-22. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted. Totals are summed across each grader's listed variations.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1952 Topps Sam Zoldak card?
It is card #231 of 407 in the 1952 Topps set - Topps' first flagship issue and the cornerstone of the postwar hobby. It pictures the Philadelphia Athletics player.
Is the 1952 Topps Sam Zoldak valuable?
Value depends on grade and (where it applies) the back variation. Use the links above to check current T206 Cards inventory and live eBay listings.
Sources: the Trading Card Database, Baseball-Reference, and PSA & SGC population reports. Card data & population compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-05.