Robert Sadowski (16 August 1914 â 2000) was a Romanian football goalkeeper, who earned five caps for Romania, and participated in the 1938 World Cup. He also played ice hockey, representing the national team in three World Championships.
Sadowski, nicknamed by the press "Frumosul Robert" (Handsome Robert), was born on 16 August 1914 in CernÃÂuÃÂi, Austria-Hungary and began playing football as a goalkeeper at local club Muncitorul. In 1935 he went to play for AMEF Arad, making his Divizia A debut on 29 September in a 2âÂÂ2 draw against Gloria Arad. After appearing regularly for AMEF three seasons, during which the team finished twice in second place, he joined Juventus BucureÃÂti. Sadowski spent two years with Juventus, then he signed for neighboring club Rapid. There, he won the 1939âÂÂ40 Cupa României, with coach ÃÂtefan Auer using him the entire match in the 2âÂÂ1 victory in the fourth game of the final against Venus BucureÃÂti, as the previous three in which he did not play were draws. In the following season he helped the club earn a second place in the league and win another Cupa României, being used the full 90 minutes by coach Iuliu Baratky in the 4âÂÂ3 victory against Unirea Tricolor BucureÃÂti in the final. In the 1941âÂÂ42 season, Sadowski helped The Railwaymen win the third consecutive Cupa României, being again used by Baratky the whole match in the final, a 7âÂÂ1 win over Universitatea Cluj-Sibiu. In 1947 he left Rapid after Valentin StÃÂnescu was brought as goalkeeper, initially going to play for Divizia B team, Astra RomânàPoiana Câmpina, but eventually he stayed in Divizia A for one more season at Ciocanul BucureÃÂti. He made his last appearance in the league on 5 May 1948 in Ciocanul's 2âÂÂ1 away victory against Jiul PetroÃÂani, totaling 161 matches in the competition. Subsequently, Sadowski ended his career by playing two seasons abroad in the French Division 2 for AS Monaco.
Sadowski played five games for Romania, making his debut on 6 September 1937 under coach Constantin RÃÂdulescu in a 2âÂÂ1 away loss to Yugoslavia in the King Carol II friendly tournament. He was selected by coaches SÃÂvulescu and RÃÂdulescu to be part of the squad that participated in the 1938 World Cup. His teammate Dumitru Pavlovici played in the first game against Cuba which ended in a 3âÂÂ3 draw, but Sadowski played in the replay that ended with a surprising 2âÂÂ1 loss. In the following years, he played in a 3âÂÂ2 victory against Slovakia and a draw against Poland in which he kept a clean sheet, both of which were friendlies. His last appearance took place on 2 May 1948 in a 1âÂÂ0 home loss to Albania in the 1948 Balkan Cup.
Sadowski started playing ice hockey in 1935 at HC Bragadiru BucureÃÂti, playing as a right winger, alongside Constantin Cantacuzino and Andrei BÃÂrbulescu, winning the Romanian Hockey League in his first season. He then went to play for a few years for his hometown team, DragoÃÂ VodÃÂ CernÃÂuÃÂi, with whom he won another Romanian league title. Afterwards, Sadowski joined for one season Rapid BucureÃÂti where he was teammates with Mihai Flamaropol, helping the club win the 1940 title. In 1940 he went alongside Flamaropol to play for Juventus BucureÃÂti for six seasons, winning four titles. He ended his career in 1947 after one year spent at HC Ciocanul BucureÃÂti.
Sadowski represented Romania's national team in three World Championships. First he played one game during the 1937 edition when the team finished in 10th place. He appeared in three games in the following World Championships when Romania finished in 13th place. During the 1947 edition, Sadowski made a personal record of six appearances in a final tournament, as the team finished in 7th place.
Sadowski died in 2000 at age 86.
Rapid BucureÃÂti
HC Bragadiru BucureÃÂti
DragoÃÂ VodÃÂ CernÃÂuÃÂi
Rapid BucureÃÂti
Juventus BucureÃÂti