Only five players in the history of Major League Baseball have hit .400 twice in a season. “Gentleman George” Sisler did so by hitting ..407 in 1920 and .420 in 1922. With a lifetime average of .340, Sisler is joined by Ed Delehanty, Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, and Jesse Burkett in the multi-season .400 club. Here he pens a handwritten letter in which he writes of not knowing the details of a certain deal. Sisler’s sons Dave and Dick also played in the big leagues.

George Sisler hit .407 in the 1920 season in which he set the Major League record with 257 hits. Gorgeous George lived the rest of his days as the record holder before passing away in March of 1973. Seven months later Ichiro Suzuki was born in Japan. Suzuki would grow up to cross the ocean, play in the big leagues and eventually eclipse Sisler’s mark in 2004. In the collection is this 3×5 card signed by both Sisler and Ichiro. The Japanese import recorded ten consecutive 200-hit seasons.

A veteran of seven big league seasons himself, pitcher Dave Sisler writes about his father Hall of Famer George Sisler in this handwritten letter. “I talked to my father many times about his career…I think he felt that if he had not had that eye trouble, he could have surpassed Ty Cobb’s lifetime batting average.” George Sisler struggled was an eye affliction his entire career yet hit over .400 twice and finished with a lifetime mark of .340.

When a fan wrote to Hall of Fame outfielder Harry Hooper and asked him to identify his all-time team, Hooper gladly responded. His choices are dominated by former teammates.

Red Sox catcher-manager Bill Carrigan was Hooper’s choice for both spots. So too were Boston outfield teammates Tris Speaker and Duffy Lewis. Hooper’s left-handed pitcher for the team was Dutch Leonard who spent six years with the Red Sox, all with Hooper patrolling the outfield.

The notable exceptions to Hooper’s teammate bias are Walter Johnson as the right-handed pitcher and fellow Cooperstown man George Sisler as the choice as the best hitting first baseman.

From 1915 through 1925 when Hooper and him were in the league together, Sisler averaged 196 hits, and only 23 strikeouts per season while hitting .352. He also topped the .400 mark twice, first in 1920 at .407 when he set an MLB record with 257 hits, and again two years later when he hit .420.

This image shows Hooper’s response to just two of eight questions he answered. The other replies were about how Hooper wants to be remembered, what it means to be in the Hall of Fame, and thoughts about the Black Sox scandal. Those answers can be read by clicking on this link to Hooper’s page.

The previous letter in which Harry Hooper identified George Sisler as his choice for the best-hitting first baseman on his all-time team arrived in this envelope. Notice Hooper’s signature in the return address portion. The question of his all time team was one of only 8 queries that Hooper wrote about. His insightful reflections about the Black Sox scandal, the feeling of being a Hall of Famer, as well as how he wants to be remembered can be seen on Hooper’s page by clicking here.

Handwritten letters from men who played more than 100 years ago remain highly valued by collectors and fans alike.

After Hall of Fame first baseman George Sisler passed away on March 23, 1973, the family received an outpouring of condolences from people across America. One such person was Jack Marcus of Virginia. Shown here is a thank-you note from the Sisler family to Marcus along with the original mailing envelope. Postmarked just 17 days after the slugger’s death, the envelope held the note below it. “Your kindness and sympathy will always be held in grateful remembrance” is printed on the note; handwritten below that is, “The Sisler Family”.

Nearly two years after the death of .400 hitter George Sisler his son still received requests for pictures and autographs of the Hall of Famer. In the collection is this letter from George Sisler Jr. who at that time was president of the International League. Sisler Jr. writes to collector Jack Marcus in this correspondence formatted on IL letterhead and dated January 17, 1975. The president of the IL from 1966-1976, Sisler Jr. tells Marucs that he does not have any photographs of his father but has included a Hall of Fame plaque of the two-time batting champ adorned with Sisler Jr.’s signature on the back. An image of the plaque is shown below.

The letter is a significant piece of International League history written on league letterhead from the “Office of the President” signed by Sisler in his penultimate season as the IL chief.

He stepped down in from the presidency in 1977 and became the general manager of the Columbus Clipper. As the Clippers GM, he was named Minor League Executive of the Year again in 1977 and 1979, becoming the second three-time winner the only man to accomplish that feat with the higher-classifications of Double-A and Triple-A. He was previously the MiLB Executive of the Year for his work with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings in 1962.

In the collection is this Hall of Fame plaque postcard of George Sisler who twice had batting averages over .400. Sisler’s son, George Jr. has signed the back of the card. The younger Sisler made quite a name for himself in baseball. A GM for three Minor League clubs, Sisler won the International League Executive of the Year award three times. In 1989 he received the “King of Baseball” award, a top honor given by Minor League Baseball. Though he never played in the big leagues like his father and two brothers Dave and Dick, George Sisler Jr. did get named to the International League Hall of Fame in 2007, a year after his death. The league’s Hall hadn’t inducted a new member since 1963. This plaque is mentioned by Sisler Jr. in the letter shown previously.