This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/28/2013
Beautiful 1947 Brooklyn Dodger National League Championship ring given to St. Louis Brown Hall of Fame first baseman George Sisler, who was involved with scouting and player development for the Dodgers at that time. Although losing to the crosstown rival New York Yankees in the World Series, 1947 will always be remembered in Dodger and Baseball History as the year Jackie Robinson shattered the color barrier. Robinson's record setting season in 1947 led him be named the inaugural Major League Rookie of the Year. At that time the award was given to only one player for both leagues. As a player, Sisler topped the .400 mark twice, in 1920 and 1922, and finished with a lifetime .340 record over 15 seasons. After the 1922 season he was given the first American League trophy as the league Most Valuable Player. However the following year he missed the entire season with a severe sinus infection. This condition greatly impaired his optic nerve, giving him both headaches and double vision. After 1923 he would never be the same player the rest of his career. In 1942, Sisler was hired by Branch Rickey, the man who was his college coach back in 1912 and had originally obtained him for the St. Louis Browns in 1915, to scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He would remain with the team until after the 1950 season, when he followed Branch Rickey again to the Pittsburgh Pirates. While with the Dodgers, possibly his greatest contribution was preparing Jackie Robinson to break baseball's color barrier. Before Robinson signed with the Dodgers, Sisler scouted him in the Negro Leagues. Once Robinson came up to the Dodgers, Sisler helped him with the transition of moving from 2nd base to first base during his rookie season of 1947. Beautiful 14K white gold ring has real diamond on top of a Dodger blue dark stone surrounded by "Brooklyn Baseball Club". Both sides of the ring have an embossed "Dodgers" logo in dark blue. "George H. Sisler", in script engraved along the inside of the ring along with the maker, "Murchison, Newark", and "14K". Size 8 1/2.
LOA from the Sisler family.