Joe DiMaggio
The Yankee Clipper who set the 56-game hitting streak and won nine World Series titles.
via Wikipedia: Joe DiMaggio · see source
Joseph Paul DiMaggio (born Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio, November 25, 1914 – March 8, 1999), nicknamed "Joltin' Joe", "the Yankee Clipper" and "Joe D.", was an American professional baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees. Born to Italian immigrants in California, he is considered to be one of the greatest baseball players of all time and set the record for the longest hitting streak (56 games from May 15 – July 16, 1941).
Quick Facts
- Position
- Center fielder
- Bats
- Right
- Born
- 25 November 1914
- Birthplace
- Martinez, California, U.S.
- Died
- 8 March 1999
- Place of death
- Hollywood, Florida, U.S.
- Debut league
- MLB
- Debut date
- May 3
Lore & Background
DiMaggio was a three-time American League (AL) Most Valuable Player Award winner and an All-Star in each of his 13 seasons. During his tenure with the Yankees, the club won ten American League pennants and nine World Series championships. His nine career World Series rings put him second only to his fellow Yankee Yogi Berra, who won 10. At the time of his retirement after the 1951 season, he ranked fifth in career home runs (361) and sixth in career slugging percentage (.579). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955 and was voted the sport's greatest living player in a poll taken during baseball's centennial year of 1969. His brothers Vince (1912–1986) and Dom (1917–2009) also were major league center fielders. DiMaggio is also widely known for his marriage and lifelong devotion to Marilyn Monroe.
Reader's Guide
DiMaggio made his Major League debut on May 3, 1936, batting ahead of Lou Gehrig in the lineup. He set a franchise record for rookies in 1936 by hitting 29 home runs in 138 games. In 1937, he led the majors with 46 home runs, 151 runs scored, 167 runs batted in and 418 total bases, all career highs. He won his first batting title and MVP award in 1939. He won his third MVP award in 1947. On February 7, 1949, he signed a contract worth $100,000, becoming the first baseball player to break $100,000 in earnings.
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