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Lot # 182: 1952 George Sisler Signed Letter w/Interesting Content (JSA)

Starting Bid: $100.00

Bids: 4 (Bid History)

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Presented is a fascinating 1952 George Sisler signed letter with very interesting content. Sisler, a Hall of Famer nicknamed "Gorgeous George," played 15 MLB seasons: St. Louis Browns (1915-22 & 1924-27), Washington Senators (1928), Boston Braves (1928-30). A first baseman, he was also used as a pitcher in 1915, going 4-4 with a 2.83 ERA, and on rare occasions he pitched in other years. He batted a career .340, and he twice batted over .400 for the Browns, in 1920 (.407) and '22 (.420) when he was the AL MVP. That season he also led the AL in stolen bases (51), runs (134), and hits (240). He was a 2-time AL batting champion and a 4-time AL stolen base leader. From 1924-26, he was a player-manager with the St. Louis Browns. Later, he worked as a scout and front office assistant to Branch Rickey with the Browns, Brooklyn Dodgers, and Pittsburgh Pirates. Sisler had two sons, Dave and Dick Sisler, who became Major Leaguers.

The offered letter is typed on Pittsburgh Pirates Minor League System 8.5x11" stationery and dated February 8, 1952. The letter is written in response to two questions in a letter from Lawrence O'Neill, from University City, Missouri. 1) In responding to an apparent question about managing the St. Louis Browns, in which Sisler replies, in part, "I came at a time when the fine Brown team of 1922 began to slip a little, due to age, and there were not very many capable replacements," and Sisler added, "Any manager must have material...." 2) In the second part of his letter, Sisler is apparently replying to a question about whether he considered asking for his unconditional release from the Browns during his managerial years with the team. Sisler wrote, in part, "I don't believe I thought very much about asking for an unconditional release at that time... I suppose with all my family in St. Louis, I did not care too much about going...." Sisler, listed on the stationery as 'Supervisor of Scouts," signed the letter in blue ink. The letter has folds remaining from being folded into thirds, and there is foxing around the folds and at the top and side margins of the letter. "595" is written in pencil by an unknown hand at the top of the letter, there is a very small stain, and a partial tear of approx. a half inch in length is at the right end of the lower fold line. The offered signed letter comes with a JSA Letter of Authenticity which evaluates the Sisler signature as a 7. The offering is an interesting behind-the-scenes look at George Sisler's career, answered in his own words and signed by the great Hall of Fame hitter.

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