March 21, 2002 – Sebastian “Sibby” Sisti was signed in 1938 by the Boston Braves (then known as the Bees) during his senior year in high school and made his major league debut the following year at the age of 18. He was a starter at third and short over the next three seasons before losing three years while serving in the Coast Guard during World War II.

In 1946 he was named Minor League Player of the Year by The Sporting News after hitting .343 for the Indianapolis Indians. He returned to the Braves in 1947 but was hampered by a series of injuries and played in more than 100 games in only two of his last nine years. Yet even though he was a lifetime .244 hitter, he was so valuable as a utility man that he was one of the first four players inducted into the Boston Braves Hall of Fame. He played a key role for the 1948 pennant winners as a late-season replacement for injured second baseman Eddie Stanky. His versatility and relentless work ethic earned him the respect of his peers and the adoration of fans.

Following his release in 1954, Sisti managed in the minors between 1955 and 1959, then returned for one more season in 1969. He would later revive his managerial career, this time on film. Serving as a technical advisor for The Natural, Barry Levinson’s 1984 adaptation of Bernard Malamud’s novel, much of which was shot in his hometown of Buffalo, New York, Sisti appears briefly onscreen in the role of the Pittsburgh Pirates manager.