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Sisler, George, 1893-1973

Biographical/Historical Info
Sisler, George, 1893-1973

Inducted to the Hall of Fame in: 1939

Primary team: St. Louis Browns

Primary position: 1st Baseman

A five-tool player before the term came into vogue, George Sisler began his career as a pitcher before becoming one of the game's greatest hitters.

After graduating with a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Michigan in 1915, Sisler moved right onto the roster of the St. Louis Browns. Starting his career as a pitcher, he eventually became a first baseman in order to get his powerful left-handed bat in the lineup every day.

Peerless defensively at first, Sisler also excelled with his 42-ounce bat in hand. In a big league career that lasted 15 seasons, Sisler batted better than .300 13 times, including league-leading averages of .407 in 1920 and .420 in 1922. His 257 hits during the 1920 campaign remained a modern major league record until Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki broke it in 2004. A skilled base runner as well, Sisler led the league in stolen bases four times.

Ty Cobb, an American League rival for many years, once called Sisler “the nearest thing to a perfect ballplayer” he had ever seen.

Sisler claimed that the fact he was once a pitcher helped make him a better hitter. “I used to stand on the mound myself, study the batter and wonder how I could fool him,” he said. “Now when I am at the plate, I can the more easily place myself in the pitcher’s position and figure what is passing through his mind.”

At the height of his success as a player, Sisler missed the entire 1923 season due to a sinus infection that produced double vision. He would come back to play another seven seasons, hitting .320 during that span, but he would acknowledge that he was never quite the same hitter.

Ending his career with 2,812 hits and a .340 batting average, Sisler was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.

Sisler passed away on March 26, 1973.

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Connie Mack All-Star Team photograph, 1944 August 04
Object number: BL-1968-01174-001
Mack, Connie, 1862-1956
1944 August 04
George Sisler and Rogers Hornsby photograph, probably 1928
Object number: B-1963-2541-005
Sisler, George, 1893-1973
probably 1928
George Sisler and Taylor Grant photograph, 1952 October 14
Object number: BL-1968-01451-0799
New York World-Telegram
1952 October 14
George Sisler Base Running photograph, probably 1928
Object number: BL-1968-00196-050
New York Journal-American
probably 1928
George Sisler Batting photograph, between 1915 and 1926
Object number: BL-1968-04131-0110
New York Herald Tribune (Firm)
between 1915 and 1926
George Sisler Batting photograph, between 1915 and 1926
Object number: BL-1968-01451-0800
P. & A. Photo
between 1915 and 1926
George Sisler Batting photograph, 1922 September
Object number: B-1958-0263-002
Sisler, George, 1893-1973
1922 September
George Sisler Batting photograph, between 1915 and 1926
Object number: BL-1946-00550-012
Conlon, Charles Martin, 1868-1945
between 1915 and 1926
George Sisler Batting photograph, between 1915 and 1926
Object number: BL-1998-00109-001
Sisler, George, 1893-1973
between 1915 and 1926
George Sisler, Dick Groat, and Possibly Vern Law photograph, probably 1959
Object number: BL-1968-04131-0115
New York Herald Tribune (Firm)
probably 1959
George Sisler, Dick Sisler and Dave Sisler photograph, probably 1962
Object number: BL-1968-04131-0116
New York Herald Tribune (Firm)
probably 1962
George Sisler, Honus Wagner and Pie Traynor photograph, undated
Object number: BL-1995-01459-008
Wagner, Honus, 1874-1955
undated