A 'proud' moment for Sisler's family [Ichiro breaks single-season hits record]

mlb.com ^ | Oct 1, 2004 | Jim Street

[Mike Fieschko]

SEATTLE -- Three generations of the George Sisler family came to Safeco Field on Friday to witness -- and applaud -- the end of an 84-year-old Major League record dear to their hearts.

The family patriarch set the all-time single-season hit record in 1920 when he had 257 hits for the St. Louis Browns. Bill Terry challenged the record in 1929 with 254 hits and Lefty O'Doul made a run the following year, also ending up with 254 hits.

But Sisler's record has rested comfortably ever since -- until this season.

Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki used speed, bat control, a strong mind and healthy body to challenge, and eventually catch, one of the oldest records in the book.

Ichiro entered Friday night's series opener against the Rangers with 256 hits and promptly bounced a single over the head of Rangers third baseman Hank Blalock. Two innings later, Ichiro hit a hard grounder up the middle for his record-breaking 258th hit.

The Sisler family, flown in by the Mariners for the three-game series, watched from the Commissioner's box near the first base dugout when Ichiro tied and then broke the record.

Two hours earlier, they were sitting at a table in the Safeco Field interview room.

"We are here to celebrate baseball and my grandfather," said Ric Sisler. "There are mixed feelings. I'm very proud of my grandfather's accomplishments in baseball, but records are made to be broken."

Along with Ric were his mom and George Sisler's only daughter, Frances, grandsons Peter Drochelman and William "Bo" Drochelman, and great-grandson Brian Drochelman.

"My grandfather really respected the game of baseball," Bo Drochelman said. "He cherished it and he played every minute to the hilt. He was dedicated to the game, dedicated to hard work and it would make him proud that the same kind of person is moving toward his record."

Sisler once held the AL record for the longest consecutive-game hitting streak -- 41 games in 1922. He was still alive when Joe DiMaggio shattered the record with a 56-game streak in 1941.

"When Joe DiMaggio broke the record someone asked my grandfather how he felt about it," Peter Drochelman said. "He said, 'I think it's great and couldn't happen to a nicer guy.' In this instance, he would be saying the same kind of thing about Ichiro."

Now 81 years old, Frances has fond memories of her father, considered by some as the greatest first baseman to ever play the game, and certainly one of the nicest to play it.

"I am delighted to be here," she said. "I had it wonderful growing up. I had three brothers and was the only girl in the family, so I ignored baseball pretty much. My father was a gentleman and I love the fact they called him 'Gentleman George,' because he was such a gentleman. From what I have been told, Ichiro also is a gentleman."

As they reminisced inside a room full of national and international media, the Sisler offspring talked of George being so modest that he refused to talk about his own career.

"My brother and I would try to get stories out of him about his own exploits and he wouldn't budge," Bo said. "He would just never tell stories about himself. He might tell stories about other great players he played against, but he wouldn't talk about himself."

And there was so much to talk about. George Sisler played against Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb. He was the American League Most Valuable Player in 1922, when he batted .420 -- still the highest average ever in the AL.

As the oldest grandson, there were times when Bo received special privileges.

One of those times was when his retired grandfather and Branch Rickey were in the living room talking about which players they thought were potential Major League hitters and those that weren't.

"If I had a tape recorder at that point, I probably could have sold that tape for a lot of money," Bo said. Brian Drochelman, 30, Bo's son and George's great grandson, said, "My great-grandfather passed away the year before I was born so I didn't have a chance to know him. But I recently have been able to read some of the stories that have been written on him and to learn what a great person he was."

So great was Sisler that Cobb -- one of the roughest players in the game when he played -- went out of his way to be a gentleman around him.

"Maybe it was because of who my grandfather was on the field and as a person," Bo said, "but whenever they played against each other in St. Louis, [Cobb] would always come over to my grandfather and ask if my grandmother was in the stands.

"He respected her so much he was the ultimate gentleman when he talked to them."

Cobb reportedly once said that Sisler might have been the only player better than him and Sisler's one weakness was, "He was too much of a gentleman. When I went into a base, my spikes were up and if the guy was in the way, he was in trouble. If George was going into a base and it looked like he might hurt [the defender], he would back off.

"You have to admire a man like that."

[Freepdonia]

While they aare good players and apparently a good guys, you have never been able to say that about either Grace nor Ichiro.

I think Ichiro is closer to Sisler at his peak (in terms of overall value) as a great player when you factor in his base-running and he plays a very good right field. I think Suzuki has a good shot at the Hall, especially when you factor in his Japan stats (with the appropriate deduction).

OTOH, I think Mark Grace has a good shot at continuing to be Mark Grace. :-)

[Alberta's Child]

Great info there.

Thanks for clarifying that!

[Alberta's Child]

Maris also has the unusual distinction of being one of three former Cardinals with a plaque in his honor in the memorial area behind the left field wall at Yankee Stadium.

The other two are Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II -- in commemoration of the outdoor Masses they held at Yankee Stadium during their visits to the U.S.

How's that for some trivia, eh? :-)

[Alberta's Child]

Another unusual bit of trivia: How many times was Roger Maris intentionally walked when he hit 61 home runs in the 1961 season?

Answer: Zero.

He hit third in the Yankee lineup -- ahead of Mickey Mantle. Mantle finished that season with 54 home runs, and probably would have matched or exceeded Maris' home run total that year if he hadn't gotten injured in September and faded down the stretch.

[ditto h]

Yeah, you bowl a 300 game after 20 frames... that makes sense.

[xp38]

There are a couple of baseball records I think we can safely say we will not see broken in our lifetimes. The managerial record of Connie Mack...wins or losses. It was hard to get fired when you owned the team. Cy Young and his career wins. When you reach the 300 wins plateau you still have another career of 211 more wins to go to reach Cy.