San Francisco – The SF State community lost one of its longtime members on Tuesday with the passing of former Sports Information Director and SF State Gator Hall of Fame inductee Samuel Goldman.

Goldman served as the Gators athletics sports information director from 1957-70 and returned for a second tour of duty from 1985-90.  He was inducted into the SF State Gator Hall of Fame in 1993.  Goldman was an SF State alumnus who earned his M.A. in history and education in 1960.

The long list of his achievements is far outweighed by the number of lives he touched through an impressive career.   He was named to the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America (CoSida) Hall of Fame in 1994 and received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1991. 

On top of being the longtime Sports Information Director at SF State, Goldman was the first-ever sports information director for the West Coast Conference and publicized the league during its infancy, which coincided with a golden age for men's basketball, featuring deep NCAA tournament runs by multiple conference members, highlighted by a San Francisco Final Four appearance in 1957.

Although he officially retired in 1989, Goldman, along with his wife Adele, volunteered at hundreds of games and major national and Bay Area events including Super Bowls, World Series, Final Fours, major bowl games and U.S. Opens. Goldman served as the publicity director for the East-West Shrine Game and the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame (BASHOF), as well as the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. 

For his tireless efforts in promoting the institutions and student-athletes and coaches representing the West Coast Conference, the WCC established the Sam Goldman Award, presented to a media member who provides outstanding coverage while embodying service and journalistic excellence.

Article by Barry Zepel

Youtube video on Sam Goldman

Article in San Jose Mercury News

Article in San Francisco Chronicle

Link to West Coast Conference Article on Goldman

Link to Article by CoSida