Displayed is a 1966 George Sisler signed letter in response to a fan's letter to him, and Sisler's response contains very interesting Branch Rickey content. Enclosed is a May 3, 1966, letter from a fan to Sisler, who had worked for Rickey as a scout and informal but important instructor for two Rickey teams: The Brooklyn Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Before becoming one of Branch Rickey's most trusted loyalists, Sisler was a Hall of Fame first baseman who played for the St. Louis Browns, the Washington Senators, and the Boston Braves, batting a lifetime .340. Sisler was a 2-time AL batting champion who twice batted over .400: hitting .407 in 1920 and .420 in 1922. He also managed the St. Louis Browns (1924-26). The fan's letter to Sisler inquired about Branch Rickey stating that he had a rule in which he evaluated a player more on the player's on-base percentage and runs scored than on the player's batting average. In Sisler's handwritten response to the fan's letter, he stated that "If Mr. Rickey had such a rule, he did not tell me." The second key question asked by the fan in his letter to Sisler asked if this [the rule about evaluating on-base percentage and runs scored as more important than batting average] was applied by Branch Rickey in deciding whether to keep Enos Slaughter or Johnny Rizzo for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1938 after both minor league outfielders had terrific seasons with the Columbus Cardinals in 1937. Sisler replied that Rickey had his reasons for keeping Slaughter instead of Johhny Rizzo,... "but I do not know what his reasons were." George Sisler, using blue ballpoint ink, wrote his return letter to the fan on the back of the fan's typed 8x10.5" letter and inscribed and signed the letter as "Sincerely/George Sisler." Affixed to Sisler's response, by an unknown hand, is a 1x1.25" black & white photo "stamp" of Sisler. The signed Sisler letter comes with a JSA Letter of Authenticity and this JSA LOA states, "George Sisler ALS are scarce, especially with good content." The letter is in EXCELLENT condition.

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