DiMaggio, Joe

Joe DiMaggio, byname of Joseph Paul DiMaggio, also called Joltin’ Joe or the Yankee Clipper, (born November 25, 1914, Martinez, California, U.S.—died March 8, 1999, Hollywood, Florida), American professional baseball player who was an outstanding hitter and fielder and one of the best all-around players in the history of the game.

DiMaggio was the son of Italian immigrants who made their living by fishing. He quit school at 14 and at 17 joined his brother Vincent and began playing baseball with the minor league San Francisco Seals. (In addition to Vincent, who would go on to play for several major league teams, including the Pittsburgh Pirates, a younger DiMaggio brother, Dominic, played for the Boston Red Sox.) Joe’s contract with San Francisco was purchased by the New York Yankees, and he was brought up to the major leagues in 1936. In his rookie season with the Yankees he batted .323 during the regular season and .346 against the New York Giants during the World Series.

In 1937 DiMaggio led the American League in home runs and runs scored, and in 1939 and 1940 he led the American League in batting, with averages of .381 and .352. DiMaggio was a very consistent hitter; early in his career, during his 1933 season with the Seals, he had a hitting streak of 61 consecutive games. His consistency led to one of the most remarkable records of major league baseball—DiMaggio’s feat of hitting safely in 56 consecutive games (May 15–July 16, 1941). The prior record for the longest hitting streak of 44 games was set in 1897 (and, at that time, foul balls did not count as strikes). With the exception of DiMaggio’s streak, no player has hit in more than 44 consecutive games since. In addition to his fine hitting ability, DiMaggio had outstanding skill as a fielder, tying the American League fielding record in 1947 with only one error in 141 games. Indeed, he played his position in center field with such languid expertise that some ill-informed fans thought he was lazy—he rarely had to jump against the outfield wall to make a catch or dive for balls, he was simply there to catch them.

Between 1936 and 1951 DiMaggio helped the Yankees to nine World Series titles—in 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1947, 1949, 1950, and 1951. During the same period the Yankees won 10 American League championships (the Yankees won the pennant but not the World Series in 1942.) DiMaggio missed three seasons (1943 through 1945) serving in the military during World War II.

DiMaggio received the Most Valuable Player award for the American League in 1939, 1941, and 1947. He retired at the end of the 1951 season. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955.

In 1954 DiMaggio married film star Marilyn Monroe; this only added to his iconic status in American culture. Though this marriage lasted less than a year, the couple remained close until her death in 1962. In his retirement he acted as a spokesman for commercial concerns and worked for charitable causes. The lustre of his career remained undimmed at his death; he was loved by fans as much for his integrity and dignity as for his phenomenal playing skills.