• Card series: Pioneer Portraits II: 1875-1899
• City: New York
• Team: Giants
• League: National League

Lewis W. Whistler, nee Wissler, (1868-1959) played four years in the majors beginning with the Giants in 1890-91. He played for Baltimore and Louisville in ‘92 before concluding his stint in the big leagues with the Colonels and Browns in 1893. Lew was primarily a first-baseman but saw duty at short and outfield. Over the four years he batted .244 with 133 RBI and a dozen dingers. According to Baseball-Reference, Whistler had a career .976 fielding percentage at first base, ranking him with Cap Anson, Dan Brouthers, Joe Start and Harry Stovey albeit over a much shorter term. Lew had come into the minors in 1887 with the Wichita Braves of the Western League and hit .320 in 25 games. The following year saw him with four Texas clubs where he couldn’t hit much at all. A good season with the Senators in the Atlantic Association launched him to New York.

• Whistler played sporadically for a dozen teams in six minor leagues following his time with the Browns. He ended his pro career in the Southern League playing for two teams: the Montgomery Black Sox and Memphis Egyptians from 1903-05