fbpx
Wikipedia

George Sisler

January 31, 2023

For other people named George Sisler, see George Sisler (disambiguation).

George Harold Sisler (March 24, 1893 – March 26, 1973), nicknamed "Gorgeous George", was an American professional baseball first baseman and player-manager. From 1915 through 1930, he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators, and Boston Braves. He managed the Browns from 1924 through 1926.

George Sisler
Sisler in 1924
First baseman / Manager
Born: (1893-03-24)March 24, 1893
Manchester, Ohio, U.S.
Died: March 26, 1973(1973-03-26) (aged 80)
Richmond Heights, Missouri, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
MLB debut
June 28, 1915, for the St. Louis Browns
Last MLB appearance
September 22, 1930, for the Boston Braves
MLB statistics
Batting average.340
Hits2,812
Home runs102
Runs batted in1,175
Managerial record218–241
Winning %.475
Teams
As player

As manager

Career highlights and awards
Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction1939
Vote85.8% (fourth ballot)

Sisler played college baseball for the University of Michigan and was signed by the St. Louis Browns in 1915. He won the American League (AL) batting title in 1920 and 1922. In 1920, he batted .407 and recorded 257 hits, the record until Ichiro Suzuki had 262 in 2004. Sisler won the AL Most Valuable Player Award in 1922, finishing with a batting average of .420, the third-highest batting average by AL or NL players after 1900. An attack of sinusitis caused vision troubles that jeopardized Sisler's career, but he returned to playing in 1924, remaining in the major leagues through the 1930 season. After Sisler retired as a player, he worked as a major league scout and aide.

A two-time batting champion and career .340 hitter, Sisler led the league in hits twice, triples twice, and stolen bases four times. He collected 200 or more hits six times in his career and had a batting average of over .300 a total of 13 times throughout his career. Sisler was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.

Early life

George Harold Sisler was born on March 24, 1893, in the unincorporated hamlet of Manchester (now part of the city of New Franklin, a suburb of Akron), Ohio.[1][2] His parents, Cassius Clay and Mary (née Whipple) Sisler, had been married after meeting at Hiram College, which they both graduated from. Both worked as schoolteachers at one point, though by the time George was born, Cassius was supervising a nearby coal mine.[3] Manchester did not have a high school; thus, when George turned 14, he moved to Akron to live with his older brother Efbert so that he could attend school there.[4] Sisler played baseball, basketball, and football in high school, but baseball was his main focus.[5] Because of his good looks, the local newspapers began referring to him as "Gorgeous George".[6] During George's senior year, Efbert died of tuberculosis, but George was able to move in with a local family and finish school.[7][8]

College career

 
Sisler with the University of Michigan Wolverines

In 1910, Sisler signed a professional contract with the Akron Champs of the Ohio–Pennsylvania League, but he never played in the league or earned any money.[9][10] Instead, he followed his parents' wishes and attended the University of Michigan, where he majored in mechanical engineering and played college baseball.[11] Freshmen were not allowed to play on Michigan's varsity teams, so Sisler pitched for an intra-campus team representing the school's engineering students in 1912, striking out 20 batters in seven innings during one game.[12][13] After the season, he pitched for an industrial team in Akron. Barney Dreyfuss, owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates, was impressed when he observed Sisler in a game. He purchased Sisler's contract and tried to force the player to join his ballclub in 1912.[14] Refusing to report, Sisler was placed on the Pirates' suspended list, which threatened his professional eligibility.[15]

Recognizing he was in trouble, Sisler consulted Branch Rickey, Michigan's baseball coach. A former lawyer, Rickey determined that the contract should not bind Sisler, since the ballplayer signed it as a minor without the consent of his parents. Rickey and Detroit Judge George P. Codd contacted the National Commission, baseball's governing body, asking for the contract to be declared illegal.[16] The Commission failed to come to a decision in 1912 because one of its members, August Herrmann, thought Sisler should give the Pirates the first right to sign him, while Codd wanted the contract declared completely void.[17] After Sisler's junior year, with the time when he would play professional ball nearing, Codd pressed Herrmann for a decision, threatening to sue for triple damages. Herrmann obtained a legal opinion that agreed with Sisler's position, and the Commission finally ruled the contract void in 1914.[18]

Meanwhile, Sisler joined Michigan's varsity team as a sophomore in 1913.[19] He excelled on the mound for the Wolverines until a sore arm limited him late in the season.[20] Offensively, he led the team with a .445 batting average, playing the outfield on days he was not pitching so his bat could remain in the lineup.[21] Sporting Life proclaimed him "the greatest college pitcher",[22] and Vanity Fair named him an All-American for the first of three consecutive years.[23]

Over the summer of 1913, Sisler consulted Youngstown physician John D. "Bonesetter" Reese about his sore arm.[24] The Wolverines were now coached by Carl Lundgren, hired as Rickey's successor after the former coach took a job with the St. Louis Browns.[25] Sisler was feeling back in form by the time the season started, and his teammates voted him captain of the Wolverines.[26] He helped the Wolverines hold opponents scoreless for 44 straight innings, personally striking out 10 batters in a row before reinjuring his arm in a game against Syracuse.[27] At the end of the season, he had two hits, three runs scored, and two stolen bases in the first of two victories over the Penn Quakers that gave the Wolverines the 1914 college baseball national championship.[28]

Sisler did not remain the captain in 1915, as Edmon McQueen was selected this time.[29] Coach Lundgren planned to use him less as a pitcher early on in hopes that his arm would not be sore by the end of the year.[29] The plan worked.[30] Though pitching statistics for the year were not kept, Sisler had one game where he limited the Cornell Big Red to one hit, and in another game he struck out 14 Notre Dame players.[30] He recorded five stolen bases in his final game for Michigan, even stealing home once during the game.[30] Sisler batted .451 and committed no errors.[31] He graduated in the summer of 1915 with his degree in mechanical engineering.[31]

Professional career

St. Louis Browns

Early years (1915–1919)

 
1916 baseball card of Sisler listing him as a pitcher

Both Pittsburgh and the Browns were interested in signing Sisler to play professional baseball for them following his graduation. The Pirates offered $700 a month with a $1,000 bonus, but the Browns offered a $5,000 bonus with a $200-per-month salary. Sisler chose St. Louis because he was comfortable playing for Rickey, now the Browns' manager.[32]

On June 28, 1915, Sisler made his major league debut, entering as a pitcher in relief against the Chicago White Sox.[33] He pitched three scoreless innings and struck out two batters,[34] while at the plate he collected his first major league hit, which came against Jim Scott.[33] Five days later, he pitched a complete game victory in his first major league start, in which he struck out nine batters but also walked nine.[34]

Rickey, however, thought Sisler was too good at baseball to confine himself to pitching every few days. First baseman John Leary was struggling at the position, and Rickey decided to try Sisler there.[35] Initially, the stress of learning a new position sent Sisler into a batting slump, but after Rickey let him pitch another game, his confidence began to grow. Sisler still pitched and played the outfield as well in 1915; on August 29, he defeated Walter Johnson in a complete game, 2–1 victory.[36][37] Offensively, he batted .285 with three home runs, while as a pitcher, he had a 4–4 record and what biographer Rick Huhn termed a "very respectable" 2.83 earned run average (ERA).[38]

In 1916, Sisler became the Browns' full-time first baseman, playing the position for 141 of the team's 158 games.[39][40] His .305 batting average led the team, as did his hits (177) and slugging percentage (.400).[40] Though Sisler's 24 errors that year led American League (AL) first basemen,[39] Huhn wrote that he demonstrated "significant improvement and frequent brilliance" at the position.[41] He made only three appearances on the mound that year, but in his most notable, on September 17, he threw a shutout, defeating Johnson and the Senators 1–0.[42][43]

On August 11, 1917, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Athletics, Sisler recorded three hits in four at bats.[44] The performance began a 26-game hitting streak, during which Sisler batted .422.[45][46] For the season, he led the team in most offensive categories,[47] and his .353 batting average was second in the AL, behind Ty Cobb's .383.[39][48]

Following the American entry into World War I, the draft was enacted in the 1917-18 offseason. Browns Urban Shocker and Ken Williams were both drafted during the 1918 season, but Sisler's Class 4 status kept him playing baseball for the whole year.[49] Due to the war, the season ended on September 1, making it a month shorter than usual.[50] Playing 114 games, Sisler led the AL with 45 stolen bases and placed third in the AL with a .341 batting average.[39] A government-issued "work or fight" order required baseball players to assume essential wartime employment or become more eligible for the draft after the season.[51] Sisler enlisted in the army, joining several major league players as a second lieutenant in a Chemical Warfare Service unit commanded by Rickey.[52] Undergoing training at Camp Humphreys in Virginia, Sisler was preparing to go overseas until the war ended that November, relieving him from his military obligation.[53]

Returning to the Browns in 1919, Sisler struggled offensively at the beginning of the year, batting .207 through May 11.[54][55] His hitting improved thereafter, and Sisler led the AL in batting average and stolen bases by mid-August, while the Browns, at 47–40, were still in the race for the AL pennant.[56] On August 22, the normally quiet-natured Sisler nearly exchanged blows with Carl Mays. Thinking that the Yankee pitcher was throwing at him and suspecting Mays of using an illegal substance, Sisler convinced umpire George Moriarty to search Mays, which Moriarty took 10 minutes to do. Nothing was found, and Mays and Sisler yelled at each other, squaring off to fight before Moriarty stepped between them and separated them.[57] The Browns struggled late in the season, finishing fifth in the AL with a 62–72–1 record, but Sisler finished the year leading the team in all offensive categories except games played.[58][59] His .352 average ranked third in the AL, and his 10 home runs were topped in the league only by Babe Ruth's 29.[39][58] Defensively, he had a .991 fielding percentage and led AL first basemen with 120 assists.[58]

.400 hitter and MVP (1920–1922)

 
1921 baseball card of Sisler

In 1920, baseballs began to be manufactured with a tighter-wound yarn, and a greater emphasis was placed on keeping the balls clean, which made them easier for the hitters to spot. These changes ushered in the live-ball era, in which many batters began to hit more home runs. Not possessing the arm strength of sluggers like Ruth, Sisler did not try for as many home runs, but his numbers rose in other offensive categories.[60]

That season, Sisler played every inning of each game.[61] He collected an MLB-record 257 hits, batting .407 and ending the season with averages of .442 in August and .448 in September.[62][63] The total broke Cobb's 1911 record of 247 hits in a single season. After tying the old record on September 27, Sisler set the new one on a day that was coincidentally dedicated to him, in which he was presented with a $1,000 check, a $1,500 silver service, and flowers before the game at Sportsman's Park.[64] His record lasted until 2004, when Ichiro Suzuki had 262 hits.[a][65] Sisler also finished second in the AL in eight offensive categories, including home runs (19, behind Ruth's 54), RBI (122, tied with teammate Baby Doll Jacobson behind Ruth's 135), and stolen bases (42, behind Sam Rice's 63).[62][66] Despite finishing second to Ruth in home runs, Sisler did not attempt them as often, as he was able to maintain a higher batting average by merely focusing on making contact with the ball.[67]

The Browns fired manager Jimmy Burke over the 1920–21 offseason, offering the position to Sisler. He declined, fearing that the added responsibilities would interfere with his hitting.[68] Sisler received the only suspension of his career on July 24. After umpire George Hildebrand ruled him out in a close play at first base to end the fourth inning, Sisler shoved the umpire. Told by Hildebrand not to take his position in the fifth inning, Sisler then punched the umpire. Though the suspension was listed as indefinite, rainouts helped Sisler miss only three games before getting reinstated.[69] Against the Detroit Tigers from August 13 through 15, Sisler recorded 10 straight hits, one short of Tris Speaker's 1920 record for most consecutive hits.[70] Though not quite as successful offensively in 1921 as he had been the year before, Sisler led the AL with 18 triples (tied with Howie Shanks and teammate Jack Tobin) and 35 stolen bases, also finishing fourth in the league with a .371 batting average. Defensively, he had a .993 fielding percentage over 138 games.[71][72]

Sisler battled Cobb for the batting title in 1922. Cobb moved into the lead in late July, but Sisler tied him on August 7, at which point both players were batting .409.[73] The Browns were in a tight pennant race with the New York Yankees, whom they trailed by 1+1⁄2 games as late as September 10.[74] Against the Tigers on September 11, Sisler fell on his arm while stretching to his right to catch a wide throw from Wally Gerber.[75] He suffered a strained deltoid muscle.[74] Newspapers suggested that he would miss the remainder of the season, but Sisler underwent electric treatments and returned five days later for a series against the Yankees.[76] At the time, he had a 39-game hitting streak going, one shy of Cobb's 1911 AL record and five shy of Willie Keeler's 1897 MLB record.[77] He had hits in his first two games returning from the injury before going hitless on September 18.[78] Sisler's 41 game hitting streak remained an AL record until Joe DiMaggio set the MLB record with his 56-game hitting streak in 1941.[79][80]

Sisler later recounted the struggles of rushing his return. "The arm was so badly crippled that I had to lift my gloved hand with my left hand in order to catch balls at first base. At bat, I was swinging with one hand."[81] He batted .316 after returning from the injury.[78] He had three hits, two runs scored, and two stolen bases on September 24 in a 7–4 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics.[b][84] The Browns remained in the race until September 30, the second-to-last day of the season, when a Yankee win over the Red Sox clinched the pennant for New York.[85] Sisler's .420 batting average remains the third-highest of American and National League (NL) players in the 20th century, surpassed only by Nap Lajoie's .426 in 1901 and Rogers Hornsby's .424 in 1924.[86] Sisler also led the AL in hits (246), runs (134), stolen bases (51), and triples (18).[39] He was chosen as the AL's Most Valuable Player in the first year that an official league award was given.[6] In 2011, Kostya Kennedy of Sports Illustrated wrote that many baseball historians consider Sisler's season among the best individual all-around single-season performances in baseball history.[87] Jim Barrero of the Los Angeles Times asserted in 2000 that Sisler's 257-hits record was largely overshadowed by Ruth's 54 home runs that same year. "Of course, Ruth's obliteration of the home run record drew all the attention from fans and newspapermen, while Sisler's mark was pushed to the side and perhaps left unappreciated during what was a golden age of pure hitters", Barrero wrote.[61]

Vision troubles (1923)

A severe attack of sinusitis caused Sisler double vision in 1923.[88] He had surgery to treat the condition on April 13, and received treatment from an eye specialist afterwards.[89] By May, it was clear that the vision trouble was long-term, jeopardizing Sisler's chances of ever playing again.[90] As a result, the Browns acquired Dutch Schliebner to play first base for them that season.[90] Sisler began attending games again in April, regularly sitting in the upper deck at Sportsman's Park.[91] During the year, he and many of his Browns teammates signed a petition to AL president Ban Johnson seeking to get Dave Danforth reinstated, after Johnson suspended Danforth 10 games for allegedly tampering with baseballs. Manager Lee Fohl refused to sign it and was fired days later.[92] Sisler's eye treatments concluded by the end of the year, and the Browns hoped he would be able to play again in 1924. Sisler ensured he would remain with them by accepting the managerial position after the 1923 season, his worries about its effect on his hitting now counterbalanced by the uncertainty surrounding his playing career.[93] Most people were in favor of the move, and sportswriter Joe Vila wrote, "Sisler, in the opinion of the sharps, is a born leader."[94]

Player-manager (1924–1926)

Returning to play with the Browns at the beginning of 1924 spring training, Sisler batted .324 in the exhibition contests and was St. Louis's starting first baseman on Opening Day.[95] Sisler later recalled, "I planned to get back in uniform for 1924. I just had to meet a ball with a good swing again, and then run. The doctors all said I'd never play again, but when you're fighting for something that actually keeps you alive – well, the human will is all you need."[9] Observers noticed that he had to squint to see the ball, and Sisler said in an interview that he was now more concerned with making contact with the ball, instead of hitting it between fielders.[96] He batted .305 in 1924, nearly 100 points below his combined batting average for 1920–22.[97] He also led AL first basemen with 23 errors.[39] Though not as good as he had been before the vision trouble, Sisler had "proven he could still play the game" according to Huhn.[98]

 
Time cover, March 30, 1925

As the ballclub's manager, Sisler asked his players for advice. "He's one of the fellows, but he's the leader", said Ken Williams.[99] He did not have a set bedtime or wake-up time for the ballclub, unlike several other MLB managers.[100] Despite his "player's manager" reputation, Sisler would still discipline his squad when necessary, as he proved in May when he fined Shocker for skipping and showing up late to several Browns games with no explanation.[101][94] After a fifth-place finish in the eight-team AL in 1923, the Browns posted an identical 74–78 record in 1924, this time good for fourth in the league.[98][102]

Sisler started the 1925 season by setting an MLB record with hits in his first 34 games of the year.[103] Later in the season, he would have a 22-game hitting streak.[104] Ruth said on May 10 that the Browns player was "staging the greatest come-back ever known to baseball ... the league ought to strike a medal for iron nerve and give it to George. He has whipped the worst odds any ball player ever played against."[105] Sisler had his fourth and final 100-RBI season, with 105 runs driven in, and he batted .345.[39] Though these statistics were more impressive than ones that many Hall of Fame hitters would approach in their careers, Sisler later said, "Oh, I know I hit .345 and got 228 hits [really 224] in 1925 but that never gave me much satisfaction. That isn't what I call real good hitting."[106] With a record under .500 on July 30, the Browns were never in close contention for the AL pennant, but they finished the year with an 82–71 record, good for third place in the league.[107]

In 1926, the injury-plagued Browns lost their first five games along with 16 out of 19 in a May road trip.[108] There were reports as early as May that Sisler's managerial job was in jeopardy,[109] and on June 1, St. Louis sportswriter J. Roy Stockton blamed the team's struggles on Sisler's easygoing attitude, saying that the Browns "have taken advantage of his kindness".[110] With the team struggling, Sisler saw his RBI production diminish.[111] He struggled in August, batting .038 in his first seven games and going hitless in 17 consecutive at bats during that time.[112] In 150 games, he had seven home runs and 71 RBIs. His .290 batting average was his lowest since he batted .285 as a rookie in 1915.[111] The Browns struggled to a 62–92 seventh-place finish in 1926, and their .403 winning percentage was the franchise's lowest since its 1916 season.[113] Sisler was relieved of his managerial duties after the season, though he was retained as the Browns' first baseman.[114]

Last season with Browns (1927)

Sisler batted .400 early in the 1927 season. On May 3, he had three hits and stole home in a 13–3 victory over the Cleveland Indians.[115] In August, St. Louis sportswriter John E. Wray wrote that "were it not for the surprising flash of Lou Gehrig, Sisler [batting .340] would have the first base championship of the American League wrapped up and tucked away."[116] Defensively, he led AL first basemen in errors once again, with 24.[117] However, he batted .327 with 201 hits, five home runs, and 97 RBIs, leading the AL in stolen bases for a fourth time with 27.[39]

The Browns endured another losing season in 1927, and as early as July 26, owner Phil Ball announced that with the team losing money, it would be trading many of its star players.[118] On December 14, Sisler was traded to the Senators for cash, reported as $15,000 in Washington and $25,000 in St. Louis.[117]

Washington Senators

Washington's first base job was not automatically Sisler's, as the Senators also had Joe Judge, a popular player who had hit over .300 the previous year.[119] Though he outhit Judge .363 to .205 in spring training, Sisler's mobility was diminished, and Judge won the starting job.[120] He made only two starts through Washington's first 28 games before starting seven games in a row at first base or in left field from May 19 through 25, though this was to get other teams interested in acquiring him.[121][122] On May 27, the Senators sold his contract to the Boston Braves for $7,500.[121] In 20 games, Sisler had batted .245 with a mere two RBI and no stolen bases.[39]

Boston Braves

Hornsby, who had starred for the NL's Cardinals in Sportsman's Park for many years, now managed the Braves, and after spearheading the Sisler acquisition, he installed the veteran as Boston's everyday first baseman.[123] Receiving a standing ovation from the Boston fans in his first game at Braves Field on May 29, he showed enough speed for an infield hit. Two days later, he hit a home run that bounced through the window of a bus passing the ballpark.[124] Returning to Sportsman's Park for a series against the Cardinals in July, he was honored with a flower basket, a silver tea service, and a letter from St. Louis mayor Victor J. Miller in a pregame presentation on July 7.[125] In 118 games for Boston, Sisler had four home runs and 68 RBIs, also posting a .988 fielding percentage at first base.[126] His .340 batting average put him percentage points ahead of Babe Herman for fourth in the NL.[127]

After batting .222 through May 5, 1929, in one of his slowest-ever starts to a season, Sisler batted .400 in May. He had three-hit games against Pittsburgh and Chicago in August. Playing all 154 games, he batted .326, topping 200 hits (with 205) for the sixth time in his career and leading the Braves in nine offensive categories.[128]

For the second time in three years, Sisler found his first base job threatened, as the Braves were interested in giving the position to Johnny Neun, a speedy player eight years younger than Sisler. The veteran did not start any of Boston's first 19 games, but after the Braves suffered a seven-game losing streak, Sisler resumed his role as the everyday first baseman on May 11.[129][130] He batted over .300 for the Braves but lost the role to Neun in September, partly because of a leg injury.[131] On September 22, he played his last game for the Braves, going hitless in a pinch hit appearance during a 6–2 loss to the Cubs.[132][130] In 116 games, he had a .309 batting average, 133 hits, three home runs, and 67 RBIs. However, he stole only seven bases, a sign that his speed was no longer the advantage it once had been.[133] On December 13, the Braves released him.[133]

Minor leagues

Unsigned by any MLB team in 1931, Sisler joined the minor league Rochester Red Wings of the International League.[134] In the second game of a September 10 doubleheader, Sisler hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, clinching the International League pennant for Rochester.[135] In 159 games, he batted .303 and struck out just 17 times out of 613 at bats.[135]

In 1932, Sisler joined the Shreveport Sports of the Texas League as their player-manager. The team moved to Tyler, Texas, after a May 4 fire destroyed their ballpark. In 78 games, Sisler batted .287, going 38 consecutive games without striking out at one point. The team, however, struggled. After failing to catch an easy pop fly in midseason, Sisler resigned as manager and retired as an active player.[136]

Career statistics

Sisler accumulated a .340 lifetime batting average over his 16 years in the major leagues and stole 375 bases during his career. He had 200 or more hits in six seasons. He hit over .300 thirteen times, including two seasons in which he hit over .400; 1926 was his only full season in which his average was less than .300. He stole over 25 bases in every year from 1916 through 1922, peaking with 51 the last year and leading the AL three times, plus a fourth in 1927.[39] Sisler recorded 1 six-hit game, 4 five-hit games, and 60 four-hit games in his 15-year MLB career. He also had a 41-game hitting streak in 1922 and a 34-game hitting streak in 1925.[137] The Browns moved to Baltimore in 1954 and became the Orioles;[138] Sisler holds the franchise career records with 145 career triples and 351 stolen bases.[139] He holds the franchise single season records for batting average (.420, 1922), on-base percentage (.467, 1922), hits (257, 1920), on-base plus slugging (1.082, 1920), and total bases (399, 1920).[140] He also posted a career pitching record of 5–6 with a 2.35 earned run average in 24 career appearances.[39]

Managerial record

Team Year Regular season Postseason
Games Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
SLB 1924 152 74 78 .487 4th in AL – – – –
SLB 1925 153 82 71 .536 3rd in AL – – – –
SLB 1926 154 62 92 .403 7th in AL – – – –
Total 459 218 241 .475 0 0 –

[141]

Legacy

 
Sisler (left) with Ruth (center) and Cobb (right)

Sisler became one of the first entrants elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.[39] Though voting had first been held in 1936, Sisler was part of the first group inducted when the Hall of Fame opened in June 1939.[142] "I think it's the greatest honor the game can offer a retired player and it's a satisfaction to know that your career is still remembered, years after you have hung up your glove", he said.[143]

In his prime, Sisler would always try to control where his hits ended up. He batted flat-footed, using a stance that would enable him to hit either to left or to right field. Among baseball's fastest runners, he stole 30 or more bases six times in his career, leading his league in stolen bases in four seasons.[6][39] Though not a power hitter like Ruth, Sisler possessed a high batting average. He finished his career with a .340 mark, and he was the only AL player besides Cobb to twice hit over .400.[39][60] In the peak of his career, his fielding earned him comparisons with Hal Chase, a former star blacklisted from baseball because of his gambling habits but considered one of baseball's best fielders.[144] Though he led his league in errors multiple times after his vision troubles, he was an excellent fielder before the ailment, and Lamberty refers to him as "[a]rguably the first great first baseman of the twentieth century".[6] A successful pitcher in college, he was seldom used in this position during his playing days, but he did post a 2.35 career ERA in 111 innings pitched and twice defeated Hall of Fame Senators pitcher Walter Johnson in complete game outings.[39][145] Rickey said that Sisler "was the smartest hitter who ever lived. He was a professional with the bat in his hands. He never stopped thinking ... In the field, he was the acme of grace and fluency."[67]

During his career, Sisler drew comparisons to the leading players of his day, such as Cobb, Ruth, and Tris Speaker.[146] According to Bill Lamberty of the Society for American Baseball Research, a contemporary writer claimed that Sisler possessed "dazzling ability of the Cobbesque type. He is just as fast, showy, and sensational, very nearly if not quite as good as a natural hitter, as fast in speed of foot, an even better fielder, and gifted with a versatility Cobb himself might envy."[6] Wray compared Sisler with Ruth before the two met for a series in 1920. "Ruth stands out before the world as the more striking figure because of the spectacular nature of his blows [home runs]", Wray wrote, but he concluded that "the cumulative effect of his [Sisler's] efforts would probably surpass those of his rival."[147] Hall of Fame pitcher Christy Mathewson wrote in 1922 that Sisler was "every bit as valuable as Ruth, some people think more valuable", noticing also that Sisler was much humbler than his New York counterpart.[148] Two years before, writer Floyd Bell had also described Sisler as "modest, almost to a point of bashfulness, as far from egotism as a blushing debutante ... Shift the conversation to Sisler himself and he becomes a clam."[149]

In 1999 editors at The Sporting News ranked Sisler 33rd on their list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players".[150] Outside of St. Louis' Busch Stadium, there is a statue of Sisler.[151] He is also honored with a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame.[152] While in St. Louis for the 2009 All-Star game, Ichiro Suzuki, who had broken Sisler's hit record, visited the former Browns' grave site.[153] Tarpon Springs, Florida honored George by naming the former spring training home of the St. Louis Browns "Sisler Field". The playing surface is still in use by various local teams.[154]

Later life

In 1933, Sisler partnered with Charles Nelson to open the Sisler-Nelson Sporting Goods Company in St. Louis. That same year, they formed the American Softball Association, building several softball fields with lights for night games around St. Louis to help stimulate interest in the game and the business.[155] He also joined Hornsby for three winters as an instructor at the Ray Doan Baseball School in Hot Springs, Arkansas.[156] In 1936 and 1937, Sisler served as a color commentator for Browns and Cardinals home games broadcast on KWK.[156] Replacing Honus Wagner in 1938 as the commissioner of the National Baseball Congress, Sisler held the role for many years.[142][157] He sold his interest in the sporting goods store in 1940 at a profit.[143]

Sisler returned to working with MLB teams in December 1942, when Rickey, now the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, hired Sisler as a special assignment scout for the team. He would attend spring training with the parent club, then scout players at the high school, college, and semi-pro levels, mostly in Missouri and neighboring states, though he would sometimes be sent elsewhere to evaluate a particular player.[158] Sisler was part of a scouting corps that Rickey assigned to evaluate black players, though the scouts thought they were looking for players to fill an all-black baseball team separate from MLB. After seeing the Kansas City Monarchs play in 1945, Sisler thought Jackie Robinson had the potential to be a star second baseman, though he was concerned about whether Robinson had enough arm strength to play shortstop. Rickey signed Robinson on October 23, and the ballplayer broke the MLB color barrier two years later on his way to a Hall of Fame career.[159] In 1947, Sisler was reassigned to Brooklyn, where his duties expanded to evaluating Dodger prospects, meeting with the manager and coaches prior to and following each game, and watching games to help Dodger catchers learn what opposing hitters were likely to do.[160] In 1949, Robinson spent hours working with Sisler in spring training, hoping to improve his performance at the plate. "Sisler showed me how to stop lunging, how to check my swing until the last fraction of a second, [and] how to shift my feet and hit to right. I'll never stop being grateful to him," Robinson recalled.[161] Sisler and Rickey worked with future Hall of Famer Duke Snider to teach the young Dodgers hitter to accurately judge the strike zone.[162] Other hitters Sisler instructed and helped improve included Carl Furillo and Gil Hodges.[163] In 1951, he signed future star pitcher Johnny Podres for the Dodgers.[164]

After the Dodgers were edged out by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1950 NL pennant race, Rickey was dismissed by the team. Taking a job as the Pirates' general manager, he hired Sisler as his Scouting Supervisor, responsible for evaluating prospects within 100 miles of Pittsburgh.[165] He held the position until 1955, when new GM Joe L. Brown relieved him from the role but retained him as a scout.[166] Following the regular season, Sisler and other coaches would tutor top prospects at a post-season minor-league school.[167] Acting on a tip from Clyde Sukeforth, Sisler journeyed to Montreal to see Roberto Clemente play, recommending that Rickey sign the future Hall of Famer.[168] As he had in Brooklyn, Sisler helped his team's players with their hitting.[169] "He ... told me I was taking my eye off the ball. He moved me back in the box so I could watch the ball better. He told me to hit the ball where it was pitched. Warned me not to pull it", recalled Frank Thomas, who would play for 16 seasons and hit 286 career home runs.[169][170] "Sisler teaches us to be ready for the fast ball and adjust our swing for the curve. If you're looking for a curve and get a fast ball, you never hit it. But you can cut down on the speed of your swing to hit the curve", said 1960 NL MVP Dick Groat.[171] In 1961, Sisler had Clemente switch to a heavier bat. Clemente won the league batting title that season.[172]

Sisler's duties with the Pirates changed again in 1963, when the ballclub assigned him to be a scout for the St. Louis area responsible for evaluating NL players. Sisler also instructed players in spring training and coached a fall instructional league team in Chandler, Arizona. Willie Stargell was one of the Chandler team's alumni.[173]

After spending eight days at St. Louis's St. Mary's Hospital, Sisler died in Richmond Heights, Missouri, on March 26, 1973, of kidney failure exacerbated by heart trouble. His death came two days after his 80th birthday. His funeral occurred in St. Louis a few days later, and his cremated remains were laid to rest at the Des Peres Presbyterian Church Cemetery.[153][174]

Personal life

In 1913, Sisler met his future wife, Kathleen Charlotte Holznagle. Both were involved in Greek life at the University of Michigan.[175] They were married on October 21, 1916.[176] Sisler did not consume alcohol or tobacco, and he refrained from swearing.[24] In the first years of his career, he attended a Presbyterian church.[177] As he battled eye trouble in 1923, Browns part-owner Walter Fritsch suggested he "look into" Christian Science.[178] Soon a strong believer in its power, Sisler had spiritual adviser Dr. John Randall Dunn accompany him to Browns spring training in 1924, when he made his comeback.[179] Sisler discussed hitting in a 1934 pamphlet entitled The Knack of Batting and in a 1954 book entitled Sisler on Baseball: A Manual for Players and Coaches.[180] Sportscaster Red Barber said in 1969 that the book was "still the definitive book on hitting".[181]

Sisler's sons Dick and Dave were also major league players in the 1950s.[182] George was a Dodgers scout in 1950 when Dick hit a game-winning home run against Brooklyn to clinch the pennant for the Phillies and eliminate the second-place Dodgers. Asked after the pennant-winning game how he felt when his son hit the home run, George replied, "I felt awful and terrific at the same time."[183] Another son, George Jr., served as a minor league executive and as the president of the International League.[184] The Sislers had one other child, daughter Frances.[185]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Suzuki, however, collected his hits over 161 games during the modern 162-game season as opposed to 154 in Sisler's era. Suzuki had 704 at bats to Sisler's 631.[65]
  2. ^ Huhn says he scored three runs that day, but Retrosheet and Baseball-Reference both credit him for just two.[82][83]

References

Citations

  1. ^ DeLorme. Ohio Atlas & Gazetteer. 7th ed. Yarmouth: DeLorme, 2004, p. 51. ISBN 0-89933-281-1.
  2. ^ "George Sisler | American baseball player | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  3. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 6
  4. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 8
  5. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 9
  6. ^ a b c d e Lamberty, Bill. "George Sisler". SABR. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  7. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 11
  8. ^ Lowenfish, Lee, pp. 53–55
  9. ^ a b Warburton, Paul, pp. 68–79
  10. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 21-23
  11. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 16
  12. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 19-20
  13. ^ Cook, William, pp. 190
  14. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 23
  15. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 24
  16. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 24-25
  17. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 26
  18. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 40-41
  19. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 27-28
  20. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 30-33
  21. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 30, 33
  22. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 30
  23. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 33, 44
  24. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, p. 35
  25. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 31, 36-37
  26. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 36-37
  27. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 38
  28. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 38-39
  29. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, p. 41
  30. ^ a b c Huhn, Rick, p. 43
  31. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, p. 44
  32. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 46
  33. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, pp. 49
  34. ^ a b "George Sisler 1915 Pitching Gamelogs Logs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  35. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 50
  36. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 51-54
  37. ^ "Washington Senators at St. Louis Browns Box Score, August 29, 1915". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  38. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 56
  39. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "George Sisler Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
  40. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, p. 58
  41. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 58-59
  42. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 59
  43. ^ "Washington Senators at St. Louis Browns Box Score, September 17, 1916". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  44. ^ "St. Louis Browns at Philadelphia Athletics Box Score, August 11, 1917". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  45. ^ "George Sisler 1917 Batting Game Logs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  46. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 65
  47. ^ "1917 St. Louis Browns Statistics". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  48. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 66
  49. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 68-70, 73
  50. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 71
  51. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 69-70
  52. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 73
  53. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 73–74
  54. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 78-79
  55. ^ "George Sisler 1919 Batting Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  56. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 79, 81
  57. ^ Steinberg, Steve, p. 65
  58. ^ a b c Huhn, Rick, p. 83
  59. ^ "1919 St. Louis Browns Statistics". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  60. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, pp. 85-87
  61. ^ a b Barrero, Jim (September 15, 2000). "Out of sight". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  62. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, p. 96
  63. ^ "George Sisler 1920 Batting Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  64. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 94
  65. ^ a b Kramer, Daniel; Simon, Andrew (March 21, 2019). "20 incredible facts about Ichiro's career". MLB.com. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  66. ^ "1920 American League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  67. ^ a b Steinberg, Steve, p. 76
  68. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 116
  69. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 121-22
  70. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 122
  71. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 123-24
  72. ^ "1921 American League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  73. ^ Steinberg, Steve, p. 109
  74. ^ a b Steinberg, Steve, p. 110
  75. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 139
  76. ^ Steinberg, Steve, pp. 110-11
  77. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 140
  78. ^ a b "George Sisler 1922 Batting Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  79. ^ Talbot, Gayle (June 30, 1941). "Yankees Keep Pace with Joe in Homer Derby". The Miami News.
  80. ^ "DiMaggio's hit streak still appears unbreakable". sports.yahoo.com. May 11, 2011. from the original on June 23, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
  81. ^ Steinberg, Steve, p. 115
  82. ^ "St. Louis Browns 7, Philadelphia Athletics 4". Retrosheet. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  83. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 148
  84. ^ "Philadelphia Athletics at St. Louis Browns Box Score, September 24, 1922". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  85. ^ Steinberg, Steve, p. 116
  86. ^ "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Batting Average". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  87. ^ Kennedy, Kostya (March 14, 2011). "The Streak". Sports Illustrated, Volume 14, No.ll, p. 64.
  88. ^ Steinberg, Steve, p. 119
  89. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 159-60
  90. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, p. 161
  91. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 160-61
  92. ^ Steinberg, Steve, pp. 122-23
  93. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 168
  94. ^ a b Steinberg, Steve, p. 140
  95. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 187, 190
  96. ^ Steinberg, Steve, p. 141
  97. ^ Steinberg, Steve, p. 147
  98. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, p. 196
  99. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 189
  100. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 207
  101. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 192-93
  102. ^ "Baltimore Orioles Team History & Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  103. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 199-200
  104. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 201
  105. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 200
  106. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 204
  107. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 202-03
  108. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 209-210
  109. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 209
  110. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 211
  111. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, p. 213
  112. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 212
  113. ^ Steinberg, Steve, p. 182
  114. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 213-14
  115. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 218
  116. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 220
  117. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, p. 221
  118. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 219
  119. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 224-25
  120. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 225-26
  121. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, p. 227
  122. ^ "George Sisler 1928 Batting Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  123. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 227-28
  124. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 230
  125. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 231
  126. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 232
  127. ^ "1928 National League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  128. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 237
  129. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 239
  130. ^ a b "George Sisler 1930 Batting Gamelogs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  131. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 240-41
  132. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 240
  133. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, p. 241
  134. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 242
  135. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, p. 244
  136. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 245
  137. ^ "George Sisler top performances at retrosheet.org". retrosheet.org. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  138. ^ Russo, Frank (2014). The Cooperstown Chronicles: Baseball's Colorful Characters, Unusual Lives, and Strange Demises. New York: Rowman & Littlefield. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-4422-3639-4.
  139. ^ "Baltimore Orioles Top 10 Career Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  140. ^ "Baltimore Orioles Top 10 Single-Season Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  141. ^ "George Sisler Managerial Record". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  142. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, p. 251
  143. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, p. 252
  144. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 153-54
  145. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 54-59
  146. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 114
  147. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 90-91
  148. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 135
  149. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 114
  150. ^ "100 Greatest Baseball Players by The Sporting News : A Legendary List by Baseball Almanac". Baseball Almanac. from the original on August 29, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
  151. ^ Doolittle, Bradford (April 14, 2018). "In superteam era, Cardinal Way still the only way in St. Louis". ESPN. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  152. ^ St. Louis Walk of Fame. . stlouiswalkoffame.org. Archived from the original on October 31, 2012. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
  153. ^ a b "Ichiro visits Sisler's grave". ESPN. July 15, 2009. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  154. ^ "Paint me out to the ball game!" (PDF). Tarpon Arts. January 1, 2021. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  155. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 248
  156. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, p. 249
  157. ^ Stein, Fred (2002). And the Skipper Bats Cleanup: A History of the Baseball Player-manager, with 42 Biographies of Men who Filled the Dual Role. McFarland. pp. 162–166. ISBN 0786462671.
  158. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 254-55
  159. ^ Tygiel, Jules (1997). Baseball's Great Experiment: Jackie Robinson and His Legacy. Oxford University Press. pp. 56–59. ISBN 0195106202.
  160. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 259
  161. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 260
  162. ^ McDonald, William (2011). The Obits: The New York Times Annual 2012. Workman Publishing Company. p. 315. ISBN 978-0761169420.
  163. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 261-62
  164. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 262-63
  165. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 263-64
  166. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 270
  167. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 265
  168. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 266-67
  169. ^ a b Huhn, Rick, p. 267
  170. ^ "Frank Thomas Stats". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
  171. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 267-68
  172. ^ Cushing, Rick (2010). 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates: Day by Day: A Special Season, an Extraordinary World Series. Dorrance Publishing Co. p. 380. ISBN 978-1434904980.
  173. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 271
  174. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 283
  175. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 35-36
  176. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 62
  177. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 115
  178. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 162
  179. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 186
  180. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 268-69
  181. ^ Huhn, Rick, p. 269
  182. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 276-82
  183. ^ "Sisler vs. Sisler". Toledo Blade. October 2, 1950. p. 24.
  184. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 274-76
  185. ^ Huhn, Rick, pp. 279-80

Works cited

  • Cook, William (2007). August "Garry" Herrmann: A Baseball Biography. McFarland. ISBN 978-0786430734.
  • Huhn, Rick (2013). The Sizzler: George Sisler, Baseball's Forgotten Great. University of Missouri Press. ISBN 978-0826264213.
  • Lowenfish, Lee (2009). Branch Rickey: Baseball's Ferocious Gentleman. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 9780826264213.
  • Steinberg, Steve (2017). Urban Shocker: Silent Hero of Baseball's Golden Age. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 9780803295995.
  • Warburton, Paul (2010). Signature Seasons: Fifteen Baseball Legends at Their Most Memorable, 1908–1949. McFarland. ISBN 978-0786457731.

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to George Sisler.
  • George Sisler at the Baseball Hall of Fame
  • Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
  • George Sisler at Find a Grave  
Preceded by Single season base hit record holders
1920–2004 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Hitting for the cycle
August 8, 1920
August 13, 1921 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Cover of Time magazine
March 30, 1925 		Succeeded by

January 31, 2023
george, sisler, other, people, named, disambiguation, george, harold, sisler, march, 1893, march, 1973, nicknamed, gorgeous, george, american, professional, baseball, first, baseman, player, manager, from, 1915, through, 1930, played, major, league, baseball, . For other people named George Sisler see George Sisler disambiguation George Harold Sisler March 24 1893 March 26 1973 nicknamed Gorgeous George was an American professional baseball first baseman and player manager From 1915 through 1930 he played in Major League Baseball MLB for the St Louis Browns Washington Senators and Boston Braves He managed the Browns from 1924 through 1926 George SislerSisler in 1924First baseman ManagerBorn 1893 03 24 March 24 1893Manchester Ohio U S Died March 26 1973 1973 03 26 aged 80 Richmond Heights Missouri U S Batted LeftThrew LeftMLB debutJune 28 1915 for the St Louis BrownsLast MLB appearanceSeptember 22 1930 for the Boston BravesMLB statisticsBatting average 340Hits2 812Home runs102Runs batted in1 175Managerial record218 241Winning 475TeamsAs player St Louis Browns 1915 1922 1924 1927 Washington Senators 1928 Boston Braves 1928 1930 As manager St Louis Browns 1924 1926 Career highlights and awardsAL MVP 1922 2 AL batting champion 1920 1922 4 AL stolen base leader 1918 1921 1922 1927 Member of the NationalBaseball Hall of FameInduction1939Vote85 8 fourth ballot Sisler played college baseball for the University of Michigan and was signed by the St Louis Browns in 1915 He won the American League AL batting title in 1920 and 1922 In 1920 he batted 407 and recorded 257 hits the record until Ichiro Suzuki had 262 in 2004 Sisler won the AL Most Valuable Player Award in 1922 finishing with a batting average of 420 the third highest batting average by AL or NL players after 1900 An attack of sinusitis caused vision troubles that jeopardized Sisler s career but he returned to playing in 1924 remaining in the major leagues through the 1930 season After Sisler retired as a player he worked as a major league scout and aide A two time batting champion and career 340 hitter Sisler led the league in hits twice triples twice and stolen bases four times He collected 200 or more hits six times in his career and had a batting average of over 300 a total of 13 times throughout his career Sisler was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939 Contents 1 Early life 2 College career 3 Professional career 3 1 St Louis Browns 3 1 1 Early years 1915 1919 3 1 2 400 hitter and MVP 1920 1922 3 1 3 Vision troubles 1923 3 1 4 Player manager 1924 1926 3 1 5 Last season with Browns 1927 3 2 Washington Senators 3 3 Boston Braves 3 4 Minor leagues 4 Career statistics 5 Managerial record 6 Legacy 7 Later life 8 Personal life 9 See also 10 Notes 11 References 11 1 Citations 11 2 Works cited 12 External linksEarly life EditGeorge Harold Sisler was born on March 24 1893 in the unincorporated hamlet of Manchester now part of the city of New Franklin a suburb of Akron Ohio 1 2 His parents Cassius Clay and Mary nee Whipple Sisler had been married after meeting at Hiram College which they both graduated from Both worked as schoolteachers at one point though by the time George was born Cassius was supervising a nearby coal mine 3 Manchester did not have a high school thus when George turned 14 he moved to Akron to live with his older brother Efbert so that he could attend school there 4 Sisler played baseball basketball and football in high school but baseball was his main focus 5 Because of his good looks the local newspapers began referring to him as Gorgeous George 6 During George s senior year Efbert died of tuberculosis but George was able to move in with a local family and finish school 7 8 College career Edit Sisler with the University of Michigan Wolverines In 1910 Sisler signed a professional contract with the Akron Champs of the Ohio Pennsylvania League but he never played in the league or earned any money 9 10 Instead he followed his parents wishes and attended the University of Michigan where he majored in mechanical engineering and played college baseball 11 Freshmen were not allowed to play on Michigan s varsity teams so Sisler pitched for an intra campus team representing the school s engineering students in 1912 striking out 20 batters in seven innings during one game 12 13 After the season he pitched for an industrial team in Akron Barney Dreyfuss owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates was impressed when he observed Sisler in a game He purchased Sisler s contract and tried to force the player to join his ballclub in 1912 14 Refusing to report Sisler was placed on the Pirates suspended list which threatened his professional eligibility 15 Recognizing he was in trouble Sisler consulted Branch Rickey Michigan s baseball coach A former lawyer Rickey determined that the contract should not bind Sisler since the ballplayer signed it as a minor without the consent of his parents Rickey and Detroit Judge George P Codd contacted the National Commission baseball s governing body asking for the contract to be declared illegal 16 The Commission failed to come to a decision in 1912 because one of its members August Herrmann thought Sisler should give the Pirates the first right to sign him while Codd wanted the contract declared completely void 17 After Sisler s junior year with the time when he would play professional ball nearing Codd pressed Herrmann for a decision threatening to sue for triple damages Herrmann obtained a legal opinion that agreed with Sisler s position and the Commission finally ruled the contract void in 1914 18 Meanwhile Sisler joined Michigan s varsity team as a sophomore in 1913 19 He excelled on the mound for the Wolverines until a sore arm limited him late in the season 20 Offensively he led the team with a 445 batting average playing the outfield on days he was not pitching so his bat could remain in the lineup 21 Sporting Life proclaimed him the greatest college pitcher 22 and Vanity Fair named him an All American for the first of three consecutive years 23 Over the summer of 1913 Sisler consulted Youngstown physician John D Bonesetter Reese about his sore arm 24 The Wolverines were now coached by Carl Lundgren hired as Rickey s successor after the former coach took a job with the St Louis Browns 25 Sisler was feeling back in form by the time the season started and his teammates voted him captain of the Wolverines 26 He helped the Wolverines hold opponents scoreless for 44 straight innings personally striking out 10 batters in a row before reinjuring his arm in a game against Syracuse 27 At the end of the season he had two hits three runs scored and two stolen bases in the first of two victories over the Penn Quakers that gave the Wolverines the 1914 college baseball national championship 28 Sisler did not remain the captain in 1915 as Edmon McQueen was selected this time 29 Coach Lundgren planned to use him less as a pitcher early on in hopes that his arm would not be sore by the end of the year 29 The plan worked 30 Though pitching statistics for the year were not kept Sisler had one game where he limited the Cornell Big Red to one hit and in another game he struck out 14 Notre Dame players 30 He recorded five stolen bases in his final game for Michigan even stealing home once during the game 30 Sisler batted 451 and committed no errors 31 He graduated in the summer of 1915 with his degree in mechanical engineering 31 Professional career EditSt Louis Browns Edit Early years 1915 1919 Edit 1916 baseball card of Sisler listing him as a pitcher Both Pittsburgh and the Browns were interested in signing Sisler to play professional baseball for them following his graduation The Pirates offered 700 a month with a 1 000 bonus but the Browns offered a 5 000 bonus with a 200 per month salary Sisler chose St Louis because he was comfortable playing for Rickey now the Browns manager 32 On June 28 1915 Sisler made his major league debut entering as a pitcher in relief against the Chicago White Sox 33 He pitched three scoreless innings and struck out two batters 34 while at the plate he collected his first major league hit which came against Jim Scott 33 Five days later he pitched a complete game victory in his first major league start in which he struck out nine batters but also walked nine 34 Rickey however thought Sisler was too good at baseball to confine himself to pitching every few days First baseman John Leary was struggling at the position and Rickey decided to try Sisler there 35 Initially the stress of learning a new position sent Sisler into a batting slump but after Rickey let him pitch another game his confidence began to grow Sisler still pitched and played the outfield as well in 1915 on August 29 he defeated Walter Johnson in a complete game 2 1 victory 36 37 Offensively he batted 285 with three home runs while as a pitcher he had a 4 4 record and what biographer Rick Huhn termed a very respectable 2 83 earned run average ERA 38 In 1916 Sisler became the Browns full time first baseman playing the position for 141 of the team s 158 games 39 40 His 305 batting average led the team as did his hits 177 and slugging percentage 400 40 Though Sisler s 24 errors that year led American League AL first basemen 39 Huhn wrote that he demonstrated significant improvement and frequent brilliance at the position 41 He made only three appearances on the mound that year but in his most notable on September 17 he threw a shutout defeating Johnson and the Senators 1 0 42 43 On August 11 1917 in the second game of a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Athletics Sisler recorded three hits in four at bats 44 The performance began a 26 game hitting streak during which Sisler batted 422 45 46 For the season he led the team in most offensive categories 47 and his 353 batting average was second in the AL behind Ty Cobb s 383 39 48 Following the American entry into World War I the draft was enacted in the 1917 18 offseason Browns Urban Shocker and Ken Williams were both drafted during the 1918 season but Sisler s Class 4 status kept him playing baseball for the whole year 49 Due to the war the season ended on September 1 making it a month shorter than usual 50 Playing 114 games Sisler led the AL with 45 stolen bases and placed third in the AL with a 341 batting average 39 A government issued work or fight order required baseball players to assume essential wartime employment or become more eligible for the draft after the season 51 Sisler enlisted in the army joining several major league players as a second lieutenant in a Chemical Warfare Service unit commanded by Rickey 52 Undergoing training at Camp Humphreys in Virginia Sisler was preparing to go overseas until the war ended that November relieving him from his military obligation 53 Returning to the Browns in 1919 Sisler struggled offensively at the beginning of the year batting 207 through May 11 54 55 His hitting improved thereafter and Sisler led the AL in batting average and stolen bases by mid August while the Browns at 47 40 were still in the race for the AL pennant 56 On August 22 the normally quiet natured Sisler nearly exchanged blows with Carl Mays Thinking that the Yankee pitcher was throwing at him and suspecting Mays of using an illegal substance Sisler convinced umpire George Moriarty to search Mays which Moriarty took 10 minutes to do Nothing was found and Mays and Sisler yelled at each other squaring off to fight before Moriarty stepped between them and separated them 57 The Browns struggled late in the season finishing fifth in the AL with a 62 72 1 record but Sisler finished the year leading the team in all offensive categories except games played 58 59 His 352 average ranked third in the AL and his 10 home runs were topped in the league only by Babe Ruth s 29 39 58 Defensively he had a 991 fielding percentage and led AL first basemen with 120 assists 58 400 hitter and MVP 1920 1922 Edit 1921 baseball card of Sisler In 1920 baseballs began to be manufactured with a tighter wound yarn and a greater emphasis was placed on keeping the balls clean which made them easier for the hitters to spot These changes ushered in the live ball era in which many batters began to hit more home runs Not possessing the arm strength of sluggers like Ruth Sisler did not try for as many home runs but his numbers rose in other offensive categories 60 That season Sisler played every inning of each game 61 He collected an MLB record 257 hits batting 407 and ending the season with averages of 442 in August and 448 in September 62 63 The total broke Cobb s 1911 record of 247 hits in a single season After tying the old record on September 27 Sisler set the new one on a day that was coincidentally dedicated to him in which he was presented with a 1 000 check a 1 500 silver service and flowers before the game at Sportsman s Park 64 His record lasted until 2004 when Ichiro Suzuki had 262 hits a 65 Sisler also finished second in the AL in eight offensive categories including home runs 19 behind Ruth s 54 RBI 122 tied with teammate Baby Doll Jacobson behind Ruth s 135 and stolen bases 42 behind Sam Rice s 63 62 66 Despite finishing second to Ruth in home runs Sisler did not attempt them as often as he was able to maintain a higher batting average by merely focusing on making contact with the ball 67 The Browns fired manager Jimmy Burke over the 1920 21 offseason offering the position to Sisler He declined fearing that the added responsibilities would interfere with his hitting 68 Sisler received the only suspension of his career on July 24 After umpire George Hildebrand ruled him out in a close play at first base to end the fourth inning Sisler shoved the umpire Told by Hildebrand not to take his position in the fifth inning Sisler then punched the umpire Though the suspension was listed as indefinite rainouts helped Sisler miss only three games before getting reinstated 69 Against the Detroit Tigers from August 13 through 15 Sisler recorded 10 straight hits one short of Tris Speaker s 1920 record for most consecutive hits 70 Though not quite as successful offensively in 1921 as he had been the year before Sisler led the AL with 18 triples tied with Howie Shanks and teammate Jack Tobin and 35 stolen bases also finishing fourth in the league with a 371 batting average Defensively he had a 993 fielding percentage over 138 games 71 72 Sisler battled Cobb for the batting title in 1922 Cobb moved into the lead in late July but Sisler tied him on August 7 at which point both players were batting 409 73 The Browns were in a tight pennant race with the New York Yankees whom they trailed by 1 1 2 games as late as September 10 74 Against the Tigers on September 11 Sisler fell on his arm while stretching to his right to catch a wide throw from Wally Gerber 75 He suffered a strained deltoid muscle 74 Newspapers suggested that he would miss the remainder of the season but Sisler underwent electric treatments and returned five days later for a series against the Yankees 76 At the time he had a 39 game hitting streak going one shy of Cobb s 1911 AL record and five shy of Willie Keeler s 1897 MLB record 77 He had hits in his first two games returning from the injury before going hitless on September 18 78 Sisler s 41 game hitting streak remained an AL record until Joe DiMaggio set the MLB record with his 56 game hitting streak in 1941 79 80 Sisler later recounted the struggles of rushing his return The arm was so badly crippled that I had to lift my gloved hand with my left hand in order to catch balls at first base At bat I was swinging with one hand 81 He batted 316 after returning from the injury 78 He had three hits two runs scored and two stolen bases on September 24 in a 7 4 victory over the Philadelphia Athletics b 84 The Browns remained in the race until September 30 the second to last day of the season when a Yankee win over the Red Sox clinched the pennant for New York 85 Sisler s 420 batting average remains the third highest of American and National League NL players in the 20th century surpassed only by Nap Lajoie s 426 in 1901 and Rogers Hornsby s 424 in 1924 86 Sisler also led the AL in hits 246 runs 134 stolen bases 51 and triples 18 39 He was chosen as the AL s Most Valuable Player in the first year that an official league award was given 6 In 2011 Kostya Kennedy of Sports Illustrated wrote that many baseball historians consider Sisler s season among the best individual all around single season performances in baseball history 87 Jim Barrero of the Los Angeles Times asserted in 2000 that Sisler s 257 hits record was largely overshadowed by Ruth s 54 home runs that same year Of course Ruth s obliteration of the home run record drew all the attention from fans and newspapermen while Sisler s mark was pushed to the side and perhaps left unappreciated during what was a golden age of pure hitters Barrero wrote 61 Vision troubles 1923 Edit A severe attack of sinusitis caused Sisler double vision in 1923 88 He had surgery to treat the condition on April 13 and received treatment from an eye specialist afterwards 89 By May it was clear that the vision trouble was long term jeopardizing Sisler s chances of ever playing again 90 As a result the Browns acquired Dutch Schliebner to play first base for them that season 90 Sisler began attending games again in April regularly sitting in the upper deck at Sportsman s Park 91 During the year he and many of his Browns teammates signed a petition to AL president Ban Johnson seeking to get Dave Danforth reinstated after Johnson suspended Danforth 10 games for allegedly tampering with baseballs Manager Lee Fohl refused to sign it and was fired days later 92 Sisler s eye treatments concluded by the end of the year and the Browns hoped he would be able to play again in 1924 Sisler ensured he would remain with them by accepting the managerial position after the 1923 season his worries about its effect on his hitting now counterbalanced by the uncertainty surrounding his playing career 93 Most people were in favor of the move and sportswriter Joe Vila wrote Sisler in the opinion of the sharps is a born leader 94 Player manager 1924 1926 Edit Returning to play with the Browns at the beginning of 1924 spring training Sisler batted 324 in the exhibition contests and was St Louis s starting first baseman on Opening Day 95 Sisler later recalled I planned to get back in uniform for 1924 I just had to meet a ball with a good swing again and then run The doctors all said I d never play again but when you re fighting for something that actually keeps you alive well the human will is all you need 9 Observers noticed that he had to squint to see the ball and Sisler said in an interview that he was now more concerned with making contact with the ball instead of hitting it between fielders 96 He batted 305 in 1924 nearly 100 points below his combined batting average for 1920 22 97 He also led AL first basemen with 23 errors 39 Though not as good as he had been before the vision trouble Sisler had proven he could still play the game according to Huhn 98 Time cover March 30 1925 As the ballclub s manager Sisler asked his players for advice He s one of the fellows but he s the leader said Ken Williams 99 He did not have a set bedtime or wake up time for the ballclub unlike several other MLB managers 100 Despite his player s manager reputation Sisler would still discipline his squad when necessary as he proved in May when he fined Shocker for skipping and showing up late to several Browns games with no explanation 101 94 After a fifth place finish in the eight team AL in 1923 the Browns posted an identical 74 78 record in 1924 this time good for fourth in the league 98 102 Sisler started the 1925 season by setting an MLB record with hits in his first 34 games of the year 103 Later in the season he would have a 22 game hitting streak 104 Ruth said on May 10 that the Browns player was staging the greatest come back ever known to baseball the league ought to strike a medal for iron nerve and give it to George He has whipped the worst odds any ball player ever played against 105 Sisler had his fourth and final 100 RBI season with 105 runs driven in and he batted 345 39 Though these statistics were more impressive than ones that many Hall of Fame hitters would approach in their careers Sisler later said Oh I know I hit 345 and got 228 hits really 224 in 1925 but that never gave me much satisfaction That isn t what I call real good hitting 106 With a record under 500 on July 30 the Browns were never in close contention for the AL pennant but they finished the year with an 82 71 record good for third place in the league 107 In 1926 the injury plagued Browns lost their first five games along with 16 out of 19 in a May road trip 108 There were reports as early as May that Sisler s managerial job was in jeopardy 109 and on June 1 St Louis sportswriter J Roy Stockton blamed the team s struggles on Sisler s easygoing attitude saying that the Browns have taken advantage of his kindness 110 With the team struggling Sisler saw his RBI production diminish 111 He struggled in August batting 038 in his first seven games and going hitless in 17 consecutive at bats during that time 112 In 150 games he had seven home runs and 71 RBIs His 290 batting average was his lowest since he batted 285 as a rookie in 1915 111 The Browns struggled to a 62 92 seventh place finish in 1926 and their 403 winning percentage was the franchise s lowest since its 1916 season 113 Sisler was relieved of his managerial duties after the season though he was retained as the Browns first baseman 114 Last season with Browns 1927 Edit Sisler batted 400 early in the 1927 season On May 3 he had three hits and stole home in a 13 3 victory over the Cleveland Indians 115 In August St Louis sportswriter John E Wray wrote that were it not for the surprising flash of Lou Gehrig Sisler batting 340 would have the first base championship of the American League wrapped up and tucked away 116 Defensively he led AL first basemen in errors once again with 24 117 However he batted 327 with 201 hits five home runs and 97 RBIs leading the AL in stolen bases for a fourth time with 27 39 The Browns endured another losing season in 1927 and as early as July 26 owner Phil Ball announced that with the team losing money it would be trading many of its star players 118 On December 14 Sisler was traded to the Senators for cash reported as 15 000 in Washington and 25 000 in St Louis 117 Washington Senators Edit Washington s first base job was not automatically Sisler s as the Senators also had Joe Judge a popular player who had hit over 300 the previous year 119 Though he outhit Judge 363 to 205 in spring training Sisler s mobility was diminished and Judge won the starting job 120 He made only two starts through Washington s first 28 games before starting seven games in a row at first base or in left field from May 19 through 25 though this was to get other teams interested in acquiring him 121 122 On May 27 the Senators sold his contract to the Boston Braves for 7 500 121 In 20 games Sisler had batted 245 with a mere two RBI and no stolen bases 39 Boston Braves Edit Hornsby who had starred for the NL s Cardinals in Sportsman s Park for many years now managed the Braves and after spearheading the Sisler acquisition he installed the veteran as Boston s everyday first baseman 123 Receiving a standing ovation from the Boston fans in his first game at Braves Field on May 29 he showed enough speed for an infield hit Two days later he hit a home run that bounced through the window of a bus passing the ballpark 124 Returning to Sportsman s Park for a series against the Cardinals in July he was honored with a flower basket a silver tea service and a letter from St Louis mayor Victor J Miller in a pregame presentation on July 7 125 In 118 games for Boston Sisler had four home runs and 68 RBIs also posting a 988 fielding percentage at first base 126 His 340 batting average put him percentage points ahead of Babe Herman for fourth in the NL 127 After batting 222 through May 5 1929 in one of his slowest ever starts to a season Sisler batted 400 in May He had three hit games against Pittsburgh and Chicago in August Playing all 154 games he batted 326 topping 200 hits with 205 for the sixth time in his career and leading the Braves in nine offensive categories 128 For the second time in three years Sisler found his first base job threatened as the Braves were interested in giving the position to Johnny Neun a speedy player eight years younger than Sisler The veteran did not start any of Boston s first 19 games but after the Braves suffered a seven game losing streak Sisler resumed his role as the everyday first baseman on May 11 129 130 He batted over 300 for the Braves but lost the role to Neun in September partly because of a leg injury 131 On September 22 he played his last game for the Braves going hitless in a pinch hit appearance during a 6 2 loss to the Cubs 132 130 In 116 games he had a 309 batting average 133 hits three home runs and 67 RBIs However he stole only seven bases a sign that his speed was no longer the advantage it once had been 133 On December 13 the Braves released him 133 Minor leagues Edit Unsigned by any MLB team in 1931 Sisler joined the minor league Rochester Red Wings of the International League 134 In the second game of a September 10 doubleheader Sisler hit a walk off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning clinching the International League pennant for Rochester 135 In 159 games he batted 303 and struck out just 17 times out of 613 at bats 135 In 1932 Sisler joined the Shreveport Sports of the Texas League as their player manager The team moved to Tyler Texas after a May 4 fire destroyed their ballpark In 78 games Sisler batted 287 going 38 consecutive games without striking out at one point The team however struggled After failing to catch an easy pop fly in midseason Sisler resigned as manager and retired as an active player 136 Career statistics EditSisler accumulated a 340 lifetime batting average over his 16 years in the major leagues and stole 375 bases during his career He had 200 or more hits in six seasons He hit over 300 thirteen times including two seasons in which he hit over 400 1926 was his only full season in which his average was less than 300 He stole over 25 bases in every year from 1916 through 1922 peaking with 51 the last year and leading the AL three times plus a fourth in 1927 39 Sisler recorded 1 six hit game 4 five hit games and 60 four hit games in his 15 year MLB career He also had a 41 game hitting streak in 1922 and a 34 game hitting streak in 1925 137 The Browns moved to Baltimore in 1954 and became the Orioles 138 Sisler holds the franchise career records with 145 career triples and 351 stolen bases 139 He holds the franchise single season records for batting average 420 1922 on base percentage 467 1922 hits 257 1920 on base plus slugging 1 082 1920 and total bases 399 1920 140 He also posted a career pitching record of 5 6 with a 2 35 earned run average in 24 career appearances 39 Managerial record EditTeam Year Regular season PostseasonGames Won Lost Win Finish Won Lost Win ResultSLB 1924 152 74 78 487 4th in AL SLB 1925 153 82 71 536 3rd in AL SLB 1926 154 62 92 403 7th in AL Total 459 218 241 475 0 0 141 Legacy Edit Sisler left with Ruth center and Cobb right Sisler became one of the first entrants elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939 39 Though voting had first been held in 1936 Sisler was part of the first group inducted when the Hall of Fame opened in June 1939 142 I think it s the greatest honor the game can offer a retired player and it s a satisfaction to know that your career is still remembered years after you have hung up your glove he said 143 In his prime Sisler would always try to control where his hits ended up He batted flat footed using a stance that would enable him to hit either to left or to right field Among baseball s fastest runners he stole 30 or more bases six times in his career leading his league in stolen bases in four seasons 6 39 Though not a power hitter like Ruth Sisler possessed a high batting average He finished his career with a 340 mark and he was the only AL player besides Cobb to twice hit over 400 39 60 In the peak of his career his fielding earned him comparisons with Hal Chase a former star blacklisted from baseball because of his gambling habits but considered one of baseball s best fielders 144 Though he led his league in errors multiple times after his vision troubles he was an excellent fielder before the ailment and Lamberty refers to him as a rguably the first great first baseman of the twentieth century 6 A successful pitcher in college he was seldom used in this position during his playing days but he did post a 2 35 career ERA in 111 innings pitched and twice defeated Hall of Fame Senators pitcher Walter Johnson in complete game outings 39 145 Rickey said that Sisler was the smartest hitter who ever lived He was a professional with the bat in his hands He never stopped thinking In the field he was the acme of grace and fluency 67 During his career Sisler drew comparisons to the leading players of his day such as Cobb Ruth and Tris Speaker 146 According to Bill Lamberty of the Society for American Baseball Research a contemporary writer claimed that Sisler possessed dazzling ability of the Cobbesque type He is just as fast showy and sensational very nearly if not quite as good as a natural hitter as fast in speed of foot an even better fielder and gifted with a versatility Cobb himself might envy 6 Wray compared Sisler with Ruth before the two met for a series in 1920 Ruth stands out before the world as the more striking figure because of the spectacular nature of his blows home runs Wray wrote but he concluded that the cumulative effect of his Sisler s efforts would probably surpass those of his rival 147 Hall of Fame pitcher Christy Mathewson wrote in 1922 that Sisler was every bit as valuable as Ruth some people think more valuable noticing also that Sisler was much humbler than his New York counterpart 148 Two years before writer Floyd Bell had also described Sisler as modest almost to a point of bashfulness as far from egotism as a blushing debutante Shift the conversation to Sisler himself and he becomes a clam 149 In 1999 editors at The Sporting News ranked Sisler 33rd on their list of Baseball s 100 Greatest Players 150 Outside of St Louis Busch Stadium there is a statue of Sisler 151 He is also honored with a star on the St Louis Walk of Fame 152 While in St Louis for the 2009 All Star game Ichiro Suzuki who had broken Sisler s hit record visited the former Browns grave site 153 Tarpon Springs Florida honored George by naming the former spring training home of the St Louis Browns Sisler Field The playing surface is still in use by various local teams 154 Later life EditIn 1933 Sisler partnered with Charles Nelson to open the Sisler Nelson Sporting Goods Company in St Louis That same year they formed the American Softball Association building several softball fields with lights for night games around St Louis to help stimulate interest in the game and the business 155 He also joined Hornsby for three winters as an instructor at the Ray Doan Baseball School in Hot Springs Arkansas 156 In 1936 and 1937 Sisler served as a color commentator for Browns and Cardinals home games broadcast on KWK 156 Replacing Honus Wagner in 1938 as the commissioner of the National Baseball Congress Sisler held the role for many years 142 157 He sold his interest in the sporting goods store in 1940 at a profit 143 Sisler returned to working with MLB teams in December 1942 when Rickey now the general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers hired Sisler as a special assignment scout for the team He would attend spring training with the parent club then scout players at the high school college and semi pro levels mostly in Missouri and neighboring states though he would sometimes be sent elsewhere to evaluate a particular player 158 Sisler was part of a scouting corps that Rickey assigned to evaluate black players though the scouts thought they were looking for players to fill an all black baseball team separate from MLB After seeing the Kansas City Monarchs play in 1945 Sisler thought Jackie Robinson had the potential to be a star second baseman though he was concerned about whether Robinson had enough arm strength to play shortstop Rickey signed Robinson on October 23 and the ballplayer broke the MLB color barrier two years later on his way to a Hall of Fame career 159 In 1947 Sisler was reassigned to Brooklyn where his duties expanded to evaluating Dodger prospects meeting with the manager and coaches prior to and following each game and watching games to help Dodger catchers learn what opposing hitters were likely to do 160 In 1949 Robinson spent hours working with Sisler in spring training hoping to improve his performance at the plate Sisler showed me how to stop lunging how to check my swing until the last fraction of a second and how to shift my feet and hit to right I ll never stop being grateful to him Robinson recalled 161 Sisler and Rickey worked with future Hall of Famer Duke Snider to teach the young Dodgers hitter to accurately judge the strike zone 162 Other hitters Sisler instructed and helped improve included Carl Furillo and Gil Hodges 163 In 1951 he signed future star pitcher Johnny Podres for the Dodgers 164 After the Dodgers were edged out by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1950 NL pennant race Rickey was dismissed by the team Taking a job as the Pirates general manager he hired Sisler as his Scouting Supervisor responsible for evaluating prospects within 100 miles of Pittsburgh 165 He held the position until 1955 when new GM Joe L Brown relieved him from the role but retained him as a scout 166 Following the regular season Sisler and other coaches would tutor top prospects at a post season minor league school 167 Acting on a tip from Clyde Sukeforth Sisler journeyed to Montreal to see Roberto Clemente play recommending that Rickey sign the future Hall of Famer 168 As he had in Brooklyn Sisler helped his team s players with their hitting 169 He told me I was taking my eye off the ball He moved me back in the box so I could watch the ball better He told me to hit the ball where it was pitched Warned me not to pull it recalled Frank Thomas who would play for 16 seasons and hit 286 career home runs 169 170 Sisler teaches us to be ready for the fast ball and adjust our swing for the curve If you re looking for a curve and get a fast ball you never hit it But you can cut down on the speed of your swing to hit the curve said 1960 NL MVP Dick Groat 171 In 1961 Sisler had Clemente switch to a heavier bat Clemente won the league batting title that season 172 Sisler s duties with the Pirates changed again in 1963 when the ballclub assigned him to be a scout for the St Louis area responsible for evaluating NL players Sisler also instructed players in spring training and coached a fall instructional league team in Chandler Arizona Willie Stargell was one of the Chandler team s alumni 173 After spending eight days at St Louis s St Mary s Hospital Sisler died in Richmond Heights Missouri on March 26 1973 of kidney failure exacerbated by heart trouble His death came two days after his 80th birthday His funeral occurred in St Louis a few days later and his cremated remains were laid to rest at the Des Peres Presbyterian Church Cemetery 153 174 Personal life EditIn 1913 Sisler met his future wife Kathleen Charlotte Holznagle Both were involved in Greek life at the University of Michigan 175 They were married on October 21 1916 176 Sisler did not consume alcohol or tobacco and he refrained from swearing 24 In the first years of his career he attended a Presbyterian church 177 As he battled eye trouble in 1923 Browns part owner Walter Fritsch suggested he look into Christian Science 178 Soon a strong believer in its power Sisler had spiritual adviser Dr John Randall Dunn accompany him to Browns spring training in 1924 when he made his comeback 179 Sisler discussed hitting in a 1934 pamphlet entitled The Knack of Batting and in a 1954 book entitled Sisler on Baseball A Manual for Players and Coaches 180 Sportscaster Red Barber said in 1969 that the book was still the definitive book on hitting 181 Sisler s sons Dick and Dave were also major league players in the 1950s 182 George was a Dodgers scout in 1950 when Dick hit a game winning home run against Brooklyn to clinch the pennant for the Phillies and eliminate the second place Dodgers Asked after the pennant winning game how he felt when his son hit the home run George replied I felt awful and terrific at the same time 183 Another son George Jr served as a minor league executive and as the president of the International League 184 The Sislers had one other child daughter Frances 185 See also Edit Biography portal Baseball portalMajor League Baseball titles leaders List of Major League Baseball hit records List of Major League Baseball career batting average leaders List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders List of Major League Baseball batting champions List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders List of Major League Baseball annual stolen base leaders List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders List of Major League Baseball players with a 400 batting average in a season List of Major League Baseball single game hits leaders List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle List of Major League Baseball player managers List of baseball players who went directly to Major League Baseball University of Michigan Athletic Hall of HonorNotes Edit Suzuki however collected his hits over 161 games during the modern 162 game season as opposed to 154 in Sisler s era Suzuki had 704 at bats to Sisler s 631 65 Huhn says he scored three runs that day but Retrosheet and Baseball Reference both credit him for just two 82 83 References EditCitations Edit DeLorme Ohio Atlas amp Gazetteer 7th ed Yarmouth DeLorme 2004 p 51 ISBN 0 89933 281 1 George Sisler American baseball player Britannica www britannica com Retrieved December 26 2021 Huhn Rick p 6 Huhn Rick pp 8 Huhn Rick pp 9 a b c d e Lamberty Bill George Sisler SABR Retrieved October 22 2017 Huhn Rick pp 11 Lowenfish Lee pp 53 55 a b Warburton Paul pp 68 79 Huhn Rick pp 21 23 Huhn Rick p 16 Huhn Rick pp 19 20 Cook William pp 190 Huhn Rick p 23 Huhn Rick p 24 Huhn Rick pp 24 25 Huhn Rick p 26 Huhn Rick pp 40 41 Huhn Rick pp 27 28 Huhn Rick pp 30 33 Huhn Rick pp 30 33 Huhn Rick p 30 Huhn Rick pp 33 44 a b Huhn Rick p 35 Huhn Rick pp 31 36 37 Huhn Rick pp 36 37 Huhn Rick p 38 Huhn Rick pp 38 39 a b Huhn Rick p 41 a b c Huhn Rick p 43 a b Huhn Rick p 44 Huhn Rick p 46 a b Huhn Rick pp 49 a b George Sisler 1915 Pitching Gamelogs Logs Baseball Reference Retrieved October 30 2019 Huhn Rick pp 50 Huhn Rick pp 51 54 Washington Senators at St Louis Browns Box Score August 29 1915 Baseball Reference Retrieved October 30 2019 Huhn Rick pp 56 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p George Sisler Statistics and History Baseball Reference Retrieved January 3 2014 a b Huhn Rick p 58 Huhn Rick pp 58 59 Huhn Rick p 59 Washington Senators at St Louis Browns Box Score September 17 1916 Baseball Reference Retrieved September 20 2021 St Louis Browns at Philadelphia Athletics Box Score August 11 1917 Baseball Reference Retrieved September 13 2021 George Sisler 1917 Batting Game Logs Baseball Reference Retrieved October 30 2019 Huhn Rick p 65 1917 St Louis Browns Statistics Baseball Reference Retrieved October 30 2019 Huhn Rick p 66 Huhn Rick pp 68 70 73 Huhn Rick p 71 Huhn Rick pp 69 70 Huhn Rick p 73 Huhn Rick pp 73 74 Huhn Rick pp 78 79 George Sisler 1919 Batting Gamelogs Baseball Reference Retrieved September 13 2021 Huhn Rick pp 79 81 Steinberg Steve p 65 a b c Huhn Rick p 83 1919 St Louis Browns Statistics Baseball Reference Retrieved September 13 2021 a b Huhn Rick pp 85 87 a b Barrero Jim September 15 2000 Out of sight Los Angeles Times Retrieved April 30 2014 a b Huhn Rick p 96 George Sisler 1920 Batting Gamelogs Baseball Reference Retrieved September 14 2021 Huhn Rick p 94 a b Kramer Daniel Simon Andrew March 21 2019 20 incredible facts about Ichiro s career MLB com Retrieved September 14 2021 1920 American League Batting Leaders Baseball Reference Retrieved January 3 2022 a b Steinberg Steve p 76 Huhn Rick p 116 Huhn Rick pp 121 22 Huhn Rick p 122 Huhn Rick pp 123 24 1921 American League Batting Leaders Baseball Reference Retrieved September 14 2021 Steinberg Steve p 109 a b Steinberg Steve p 110 Huhn Rick p 139 Steinberg Steve pp 110 11 Huhn Rick p 140 a b George Sisler 1922 Batting Gamelogs Baseball Reference Retrieved August 28 2021 Talbot Gayle June 30 1941 Yankees Keep Pace with Joe in Homer Derby The Miami News DiMaggio s hit streak still appears unbreakable sports yahoo com May 11 2011 Archived from the original on June 23 2011 Retrieved August 14 2011 Steinberg Steve p 115 St Louis Browns 7 Philadelphia Athletics 4 Retrosheet Retrieved August 28 2021 Huhn Rick p 148 Philadelphia Athletics at St Louis Browns Box Score September 24 1922 Baseball Reference Retrieved August 28 2021 Steinberg Steve p 116 Single Season Leaders amp Records for Batting Average Baseball Reference Retrieved September 15 2021 Kennedy Kostya March 14 2011 The Streak Sports Illustrated Volume 14 No ll p 64 Steinberg Steve p 119 Huhn Rick pp 159 60 a b Huhn Rick p 161 Huhn Rick pp 160 61 Steinberg Steve pp 122 23 Huhn Rick p 168 a b Steinberg Steve p 140 Huhn Rick pp 187 190 Steinberg Steve p 141 Steinberg Steve p 147 a b Huhn Rick p 196 Huhn Rick p 189 Huhn Rick p 207 Huhn Rick pp 192 93 Baltimore Orioles Team History amp Encyclopedia Baseball Reference Retrieved September 20 2021 Huhn Rick pp 199 200 Huhn Rick p 201 Huhn Rick p 200 Huhn Rick p 204 Huhn Rick pp 202 03 Huhn Rick pp 209 210 Huhn Rick p 209 Huhn Rick p 211 a b Huhn Rick p 213 Huhn Rick p 212 Steinberg Steve p 182 Huhn Rick pp 213 14 Huhn Rick p 218 Huhn Rick p 220 a b Huhn Rick p 221 Huhn Rick p 219 Huhn Rick pp 224 25 Huhn Rick pp 225 26 a b Huhn Rick p 227 George Sisler 1928 Batting Gamelogs Baseball Reference Retrieved September 20 2021 Huhn Rick pp 227 28 Huhn Rick p 230 Huhn Rick p 231 Huhn Rick p 232 1928 National League Batting Leaders Baseball Reference Retrieved September 20 2021 Huhn Rick p 237 Huhn Rick p 239 a b George Sisler 1930 Batting Gamelogs Baseball Reference Retrieved September 21 2021 Huhn Rick pp 240 41 Huhn Rick p 240 a b Huhn Rick p 241 Huhn Rick p 242 a b Huhn Rick p 244 Huhn Rick p 245 George Sisler top performances at retrosheet org retrosheet org Retrieved September 30 2022 Russo Frank 2014 The Cooperstown Chronicles Baseball s Colorful Characters Unusual Lives and Strange Demises New York Rowman amp Littlefield p 27 ISBN 978 1 4422 3639 4 Baltimore Orioles Top 10 Career Batting Leaders Baseball Reference Retrieved September 21 2021 Baltimore Orioles Top 10 Single Season Batting Leaders Baseball Reference Retrieved September 21 2021 George Sisler Managerial Record Baseball Reference Retrieved September 21 2021 a b Huhn Rick p 251 a b Huhn Rick p 252 Huhn Rick pp 153 54 Huhn Rick pp 54 59 Huhn Rick p 114 Huhn Rick pp 90 91 Huhn Rick p 135 Huhn Rick pp 114 100 Greatest Baseball Players by The Sporting News A Legendary List by Baseball Almanac Baseball Almanac Archived from the original on August 29 2019 Retrieved March 27 2013 Doolittle Bradford April 14 2018 In superteam era Cardinal Way still the only way in St Louis ESPN Retrieved September 21 2021 St Louis Walk of Fame St Louis Walk of Fame Inductees stlouiswalkoffame org Archived from the original on October 31 2012 Retrieved April 25 2013 a b Ichiro visits Sisler s grave ESPN July 15 2009 Retrieved September 21 2021 Paint me out to the ball game PDF Tarpon Arts January 1 2021 Retrieved September 21 2021 Huhn Rick p 248 a b Huhn Rick p 249 Stein Fred 2002 And the Skipper Bats Cleanup A History of the Baseball Player manager with 42 Biographies of Men who Filled the Dual Role McFarland pp 162 166 ISBN 0786462671 Huhn Rick pp 254 55 Tygiel Jules 1997 Baseball s Great Experiment Jackie Robinson and His Legacy Oxford University Press pp 56 59 ISBN 0195106202 Huhn Rick p 259 Huhn Rick p 260 McDonald William 2011 The Obits The New York Times Annual 2012 Workman Publishing Company p 315 ISBN 978 0761169420 Huhn Rick pp 261 62 Huhn Rick pp 262 63 Huhn Rick pp 263 64 Huhn Rick p 270 Huhn Rick p 265 Huhn Rick pp 266 67 a b Huhn Rick p 267 Frank Thomas Stats Baseball Reference Retrieved September 21 2021 Huhn Rick pp 267 68 Cushing Rick 2010 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates Day by Day A Special Season an Extraordinary World Series Dorrance Publishing Co p 380 ISBN 978 1434904980 Huhn Rick p 271 Huhn Rick p 283 Huhn Rick pp 35 36 Huhn Rick p 62 Huhn Rick p 115 Huhn Rick p 162 Huhn Rick p 186 Huhn Rick pp 268 69 Huhn Rick p 269 Huhn Rick pp 276 82 Sisler vs Sisler Toledo Blade October 2 1950 p 24 Huhn Rick pp 274 76 Huhn Rick pp 279 80 Works cited Edit Cook William 2007 August Garry Herrmann A Baseball Biography McFarland ISBN 978 0786430734 Huhn Rick 2013 The Sizzler George Sisler Baseball s Forgotten Great University of Missouri Press ISBN 978 0826264213 Lowenfish Lee 2009 Branch Rickey Baseball s Ferocious Gentleman University of Nebraska Press ISBN 9780826264213 Steinberg Steve 2017 Urban Shocker Silent Hero of Baseball s Golden Age University of Nebraska Press ISBN 9780803295995 Warburton Paul 2010 Signature Seasons Fifteen Baseball Legends at Their Most Memorable 1908 1949 McFarland ISBN 978 0786457731 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to George Sisler George Sisler at the Baseball Hall of Fame Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference or Fangraphs or Baseball Reference Minors or Retrosheet The Deadball Era George Sisler at Find a Grave Preceded byTy Cobb Single season base hit record holders1920 2004 Succeeded byIchiro SuzukiPreceded byCliff HeathcoteDave Bancroft Hitting for the cycleAugust 8 1920August 13 1921 Succeeded byGeorge BurnsDave RobertsonPreceded byEduard Benes Cover of Time magazineMarch 30 1925 Succeeded byJohn Ringling Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George Sisler amp oldid 1132912201, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.