Expansion pitcher Dave Sisler dead at 79

by Phil Wood

Dave Sisler, an original expansion Washington Senator and son of Hall of Famer George Sisler, has died in St. Louis. He was 79.

Sisler, a right-handed pitcher whose seven-year career was spent mostly in relief, was selected by Washington from Detroit as its fourth pick in the expansion draft. Sisler was coming off of his finest season in the majors in 1960, when he went 7-5, with a 2.48 ERA in 41 relief appearances.

Sisler broke into the majors with Boston in 1956, and was traded to Detroit in 1959 for Billy Hoeft. Following his season with the Senators, where he went 2-8, with a 4.18 ERA and 11 saves in 45 games, Sisler was traded to Cincinnati for lefthander Claude Osteen, perhaps Washington's best trade of the 1960s. Osteen, of course, was the key figure sent to the Dodgers for Frank Howard and four others in December 1964.

Sisler was a graduate of Princeton University, and following his retirement from baseball in 1963, became a stockbroker at A.G. Edwards, where he rose to the post of vice-chairman over a 30-year career.

Sisler's brother, Dick Sisler, also played major league baseball, with the Cardinals, Phillies and Reds from 1946-53. Their father, George Sisler, was one of the game's premier hitters during his career from 1915-30, mostly with the St. Louis Browns. He was a career .340 hitter who twice topped the .400 mark. George Sisler briefly played for the Senators in 1928 before finishing his career with the Boston Braves.

Dave Sisler wound up his career with a 38-44 record, a 4.33 ERA and 29 saves in 247 games.