New York Yankees: Casey Stengel Humiliated Joe DiMaggio

Joe DiMaggio was the crown jewel in New York Yankees legendary manager Joe McCarthy's career..

After being dismissed by the Chicago Cubs at the end of the 1930 season, McCarthy took over as Yankees manager the following year.

Ruth and Gehrig were the Yankees top players at the time, but the Yankees released Ruth following the 1934 season and Gehrig retired in 1939.

DiMaggio had a great rookie season in 1936, which was the first of four consecutive championship seasons for McCarthy and the Yankees. In the spring of 1946, McCarthy resigned as the Yankees manager.

When Stengel took over the New York Yankees managerial reins in 1949, Joe DiMaggio was nearing the end of his playing days. Stengel and DiMaggio couldn't have been more different.

DiMaggio didn't speak much and he never bragged about what he would do or what he had done. No one was more loquacious than Stengel. DiMaggio never brought attention to himself while Stengel, always the clown, did as much as possible to be noticed.

When Stengel took over in 1949, he treated DiMaggio with the respect he had earned, but as DiMaggio's skills started to erode, Stengel reacted. Some reporters believed that Stengel had no choice but no matter how one viewed the situation, it was difficult for both men.

DiMaggio and Stengel had a cool relationship at best but the common thread was that both would do almost anything to win. In early July, 1950 Stengel asked DiMaggio to play first base.

Tommy Henrich, a teammate of DiMaggio since 1937 and an excellent outfielder who could play first base understood how DiMaggio felt.

"He's worried all over," said Henrich. "He's afraid of making a dumb play because he's not familiar with first base. It would have killed him to make a stupid play."

In one game, DiMaggio fell while fielding a ground ball. There were pictures of the play in the newspapers the next day.

In August, Stengel benched DiMaggio, who was in a terrible slump, for a week.

DiMaggio batted fourth his entire career after Lou Gehrig retired, at least until Stengel moved him down in the order. DiMaggio, who had great pride, was angered greatly, but he kept his anger to himself.

The most humiliating moment for DiMaggio occurred on July 7, 1951 at Fenway Park.

In the second inning, Stengel asked reserve first baseman-outfielder to trot out to DiMaggio in center field. Hopp did not have a glove.

Hopp spoke to DiMaggio, who stood still for several moments before jogging off the field. Rookie Jackie Jensen took over as the center fielder.

Stengel also replaced shortstop Phil Rizzuto and second baseman Jerry Coleman, explaining after the game, "I wanted to rest 'em for tomorrow. They haven't been hitting and they haven't been playing good ball. Joe DiMaggio has a sore leg and the rest will help him."

DiMaggio was seething. When asked why he had been lifted, he answered heatedly, "You'd better talk to Stengel about that."

Before the game, DiMaggio had told reporters that he was in excellent condition and his only concern was his timing at the plate.

But there was a conflict. When DiMaggio cooled off, he admitted that he had pulled a leg muscle. He told reporters "I didn't want to take a chance on hurting it any more, so I got out."

Trainer Gus Mauch confirmed the injury. "It may be three days, or it may be two weeks. You can't tell right away about such injuries."

Stengel and DiMaggio had a long talk in front of DiMaggio's locker. The manager was conciliatory.

"He'll go to the All-Star game, and maybe I can use him as a pinch-hitter. Did you see the way he tore into second base? Whoosh."

DiMaggio really was injured and missed the next two weeks of the season, but there is no doubt that by sending Johnny Hopp out to center field to tell DiMaggio that he was being removed from the game was a terrible move.



References:

Joe DiMaggio at PBS

Kaese, H. (1951, Jul 09). Yankees are a shadow of DiMag's former self. Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960), pp. 1. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/839551778?accountid=46260

MACK, G. (1951, Jul 08). DiMag incensed, fans puzzled as stengel LiftsStars. Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960), pp. C43. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/839587471?accountid=46260

No doubting DiMag's sense of injury. (1951, Jul 09). Daily Boston Globe (1928-1960), pp. 5. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/839553020?accountid=46260