Why the New York Yankees Are the Greatest: Part Four

Joe D.
Joltin’ Joe
The Yankee Clipper

Joseph Paul DiMaggio joined the New York Yankees in 1936. He was 21 years old and came to the Bombers fully developed from his time spent in the Pacific Coast League.

In 1936, there was no major league team west of Chicago. But the PCL had major-league caliber players, many of whom made it to the bigs. Without question, the best of all these players was DiMaggio.

DiMaggio joined a great Yankee team whose unquestioned leader on the field was Lou Gehrig. Babe Ruth had played his last game in New York in the 1934 season, but Gehrig was in his prime. Despite the incredible numbers DiMaggio had put up playing for the San Francisco Seals, no one expected him to be so good, so soon, in New York.

In his rookie season, DiMaggio hit .323 with 29 home runs and 125 runs batted in. Despite being a rookie, DiMaggio garnered votes for most valuable player in ’36. After that season, DiMaggio never looked back. 

DiMaggio would play 13 seasons in the major leagues, all with the Yankees. His career stats were: Batting Average - .325; Home Runs -361; RBI - 1537. But one must consider two factors when looking at those statistics.

First of all, DiMaggio missed three full seasons during World War II when he was in the military. In 1943, 1944, and 1945, he was in his prime and at the height of his strength. Prior to going into the service, DiMaggio’s career average had been .341.

The other factor is that DiMaggio hit in the old Yankee Stadium with dimensions so vast it had to be compared to some of the parks of the west, parks that is such as Yellowstone and Yosemite. Left-center field and center field were so far from home plate that they were known as “Death Valley,” where home runs went to die in outfielders’ gloves.

DiMaggio had one of the quietest swings in the history of the game. Starting with a very wide stance, Joe hardly stepped into the ball at all. And there was absolutely no hitch in his swing. It was level and smooth and resulted in line drives sprayed all over the field.

Many baseball aficionados believe that one record set by DiMaggio in the summer of 1941 will never be broken. On May 15, Dimaggio began a hitting streak that would not end until July 17. For 56 straight games, Joe hit safely. During the streak, he had 91 hits, including 15 home runs and 55 RBI.

DiMaggio was a man of streaks.  In 1933, playing for San Francisco in the PCL, and only 19 years old, Joe hit in 61 straight games. And in ’41, when he set the major-league record, he hit in 16 straight games beginning the day after his streak was broken. So, Joe had gotten a hit in 72 of 73 games, truly remarkable.

During the streak, some amazing things happened. For one, Joe’s favorite bat was stolen by a fan and was later recovered and returned to him. More remarkably, a song was written about Joe. 

Alan Courtney and Ben Homer composed the song – “Joe, Joe Dimaggio, We Want You on Our Side.”  The Andrews Sisters, then signing with the famous Les Brown Orchestra, made the song famous across the country.

As the streak continued it was daily news and the common topic of discussion across the land. Without any further prelude, someone would say, “Well, did he get one yesterday?” and everyone would know what the question was about. It was told that cowboys in Wyoming would ride into town each day to see if he had gotten a hit.

1941 was also the last year that any major leaguer finished the season hitting over .400. Ted Williams hit .406 for the season and yet, in many ways, and in the minds of many fans, his great accomplishment was overshadowed by DiMaggio.

DiMaggio was also much more than a great hitter. He was known as a great baserunner and was one of the best outfielders ever to play. He seemed to glide across the center-field grass in Yankee stadium. He seemed always to be perfectly positioned and never had to dive for a ball or run into a wall to make a catch.

In his last years with the Yankees, DiMaggio was often hurt and unable to play to his own expectations. He retired when only 36 years old. One of the reasons for his early exit was also the Yankee manager, Casey Stengel.

Stengel had come to the Yankees in 1949 when Joe was the face of the Yankees.  Stengel had to be the center of attention and he and DiMag never really got along. 

At one point, Stengel took Joe out in the middle of an inning for a defensive replacement. Joe was embarrassed and never forgave Stengel for this insult. DiMaggio had always been a man of great pride and could not abide this humiliation.

DiMaggio became a pop icon and has continued in the national conversation long after his career ended in 1951. He was once voted the Greatest Living Ballplayer and insisted on being introduced that way at all events in which he participated.

DiMaggio would marry Marilyn Monroe but could never get used to his wife’s celebrity and the fact that she could not give up the limelight just to be his wife. He was ashamed of scenes she shot in the movie, Seven Year Itch, in which the New York subway grate blew her dress above her waist.

It was reported that on their honeymoon to Japan, Monroe agreed to go to Korea to entertain American troops serving there. She returned to Joe and reported on the troops adulation.  She said, “Joe, you’ve never heard such cheering.”  Subdued, Joe said, “Oh, yes, I have.” 

Joe apparently loved Marilyn Monroe until he died, even after her tragic death. And his love became a part of his continuing legend.  His legend became larger through the years and even for fans born after he quit playing, his iconic image grew and grew. 

Joe DiMaggio became a unifying personality to many people across this country, bigger than baseball, bigger than show biz.  He came to epitomize what being an American hero was all about.  As Paul Simon would write in his pop hit, "Mrs. Robinson", “Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio, our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.”

We still turn our eyes to Joe DiMaggio, one of the greatest to ever play the game and one of the reasons the Yankees are the greatest.