David Michael Sisler (October 16, 1931 – January 9, 2011) was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1956 through 1962. Early in his career, Sisler was a starter, then later was used as a middle reliever and occasionally as a closer. He reached the majors in 1956 with the Boston Red Sox after he completed a two-year obligation in the active military. After three-and-a-half seasons with the Red Sox, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers in 1959 and served the team through the 1960 season. Before the 1961 season, he was selected by the Washington Senators in the 1960 Major League Baseball expansion draft, for whom he played the 1961 season. He was then traded to the Cincinnati Reds in 1962, playing one season at the major league level, and one in theirminor league system.

His most productive years came with Boston, where he won 24 games from 1956 to 1958, averaging 138 innings each season. After that, he appeared strictly as a reliever and saved a career-high 11 games for the Senators. In a seven-season career, Sisler posted a 38–44 record with a 4.33 ERA in 247 appearances, including 29 saves, 12 complete games, one shutout and 656? innings. Sisler retired from baseball after the 1963 season to become an investment firm executive, a career that lasted for over 30 years, retiring as a vice-chairman for A. G. Edwards.

His father, Hall of Famer George Sisler, and one of his brothers, Dick Sisler also played baseball at the major league level; while another brother, George Sisler, Jr., was a general manager for several minor league baseball teams, and later became president of the International League from 1966 to 1976.

Sisler was born on October 16, 1931 in St. Louis, Missouri to George Sisler, a Baseball Hall of Fame player, and Kathleen.[1][2][3] He played baseball in high school and when he was 16 he went to work for his father who was a coach in the Brooklyn Dodgers organization. Dave kept statistics and was occasionally allowed to pitch.[4][5] The Dodgers did not envision a future with him and did not pursue a contract due to his commitment to Princeton and future military obligation.[5][6] Sisler was signed by the Boston Red Sox of the American League (AL) after his time with Princeton, and began his professional baseball career at the age of 21 in 1953 for the Albany Senators in the class-AEastern League.[2][7] He pitched in 21 games that season, 20 as their starting pitcher; he had a 12–7 win–loss record, an ERA of 2.60 in 135 innings pitched.[7] He did not play professional baseball in either 1954 or 1955 due to his active military service.[7]

After his military commitment, he re-joined the organization, and began the season with the Red Sox.[2] He made his major league debut on April 26, 1956, a one-inning relief appearance against the New York Yankees.[2][7][8] His first MLB victory came seven days later, a three-inning relief appearance against the Yankees in Boston.[9] On August 5, in his sixth start, he pitched a seven-inning complete game 2-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians and their pitching star, future Hall of Famer Bob Lemon.[10] In total, he appeared in 39 games his first season, 14 as their starting pitcher, had a 9–8 win–loss record with three saves, 98 strikeouts, and a 4.66 ERA in 142? inning pitched.[2] He tied for the AL league with a 1.000 fielding percentage by not committing a singleerror, although he had the sixth highest total of hit batsmen with seven.[11] Following the season, Sisler was praised for his performance; he was selected by Boston area sportswriters as the "Harry Agganis Award" winner, given annually to whom they voted as the top Boston Red Sox rookie, and was named to the 1956 "Rookie All-Star Team".[3][12]

On January 17, 1957, Sisler was re-signed by the Red Sox.[13] The Red Sox expected Sisler to be a candidate for a pitching rotation slot. He impressed his coaching staff during early spring practices, manager Mike "Pinky" Higgins commented that Sisler "looks good; he's more mature and shows more confidence".[14] When the regular season began, he was initially effective, winning three games against one defeat in his first four starts, including two complete game victories against the Yankees.[15] At this point, he was 4–0 against the Yankees, earning him the moniker "Yankee Killer" from sportswriter Chester L. Smith of the Pittsburgh Press.[5] Although his ERA of 4.88 was considered high, it was due in large part to his loss against the Kansas City Athleticswho scored six earned runs in just two innings.[15] On July 4, he defeated the Yankees once again, making him 5–0 against them in his career, and 7–4 overall for the 1957 season, and had lowered his ERA to 4.02.[15][16] That was his last victory of the season, however, which he followed with two consecutive losses, pitching a total of four innings; he did not appear in another game until September 2.[15] He recorded a save against the Baltimore Orioles on September 7, but closed the season with two consecutive losses against the Yankees, though he pitched well in the second game, giving up just three hits and two earned runs in eight innings.[2][15] His season totals include a 7–8 record, and a 4.72 ERA in 122? inning pitched.[2]

Sisler began the 1958 spring training in spectacular form, pitching a total of nine hitless innings and allowed just one baserunner in 28 batters faced; the last 27 in order.[17] However, he finished the spring with two consecutive losses, including one to the Pittsburgh Pirates, with whom his father was a special assistant to their manager.[18] He opened the regular season with a complete game victory against the Yankees on April 16.[19] On May 2, he pitched his only career complete game shutout, a 6–0 victory against the Detroit Tigers and future Hall of Famer Jim Bunning, improving his record to 3–1 for the season.[19][20] Over the next two months, his average innings pitched declined during his starts, and on several occasions he entered the game in relief. He went winless from June 12 to August 9, when he defeated the Yankees.[19] He recorded just one more victory in 1958, and completed the season with an 8–9 record, a 4.94 ERA, and 71 strikeouts in a career-high 149? innings pitched.[2]

On February 8, 1959, the Red Sox announced that they had Sisler signed for the 1959 season.[21] After what was considered a "disappointing" season, he did not impress with his first outing in spring training, giving up two hits and five bases on balls in just two innings of work.[22] Lack of pitching depth was a noted weakness for the Red Sox entering the season, with unpredictable youth and with hopes that Sisler could regain his previous level of success.[23] Sisler opened the season slated as a relief pitcher with the idea that he would start in certain cases.[24] In three relief appearances through April, he had a 6.75 ERA in 6? inning pitched. Management decided that his performance along with a pitching staff that they considered inexperienced, Sisler and Ted Lepcio were traded to the Detroit Tigers on May 2 for starting pitcher Billy Hoeft