Joe Dimaggio

Joe DiMaggio

DiMaggio steps up to the plate, he hits the bat off his cleats, he spits out his chewing tobacco, his dead skin shredding off from the wooden, worn out bat. The adrenalin is pumping the, and crowd is roaring, the stadium seems to be shaking from the fans excitement. The daylight staring down on Joe, as if it was a spotlight on a stage. The pitcher gets the signal, and the pitch. The pitch is zooming in there like a lightning bolt. WHAM!!! A rocket straight to left centerfield, this one could be gone, IT IS! Touching them all is Joltin’Joe. Joe DiMaggio is what some people consider a record holder, a hall of famer, or simply a great all around player. From his childhood to his final days alive, Joe led a remarkable life. Although it is not just the baseball career he is known for, it’s his life in society as well.

Joseph Paul DiMaggio jr. , was born on November 25th, 1914 in Martinez, California. Joe DiMaggio’s early life wasn’t exactly ordinary. His father was a Sicilian fisherman, who always had Joe help him out on his boat(nationalbaseballhallofame.com). Working those long hours in the burning hot sun molded Joe into amazing shape. Since Joe came from a poor family, he was not able to afford to play in little leagues. Joe’s eight other brothers and sisters played baseball, but on the street(wikipedia.com). Joe had wanted to play almost every single day. It was here where Joe discovered his baseball talent.

When DiMaggio was in his early twenties, he played in the North West Pacific League. He played for the San Francisco Seals. What’s interesting is that eight years before his Amazing 1941 season, he had an unbelievable sixty-one game hitting streak. He had already set records before his prime(nationalbaseballhalloffame.com). DiMaggio bats right handed, and throws right-handed. In 1934, The New York Yankees discovered the young prospect. The Yankees would trade three Yankee players to get Joe in a Yankee, pinstripe uniform(referencebaseball.com). A famous teammate of his when he was trade to New York, was Lou Gehrig (nationalbaseballhalloffame.com). His Major League debut was May third, 1936(baseballreference.com).

When he became part of the Yankee line up, he had already started making an impact. He had already started having miraculous hitting records, such as hitting for the cycle twice, a 637 % slugging percentage in 1937, becoming an eleven time All-Star, and a three time MVP. His primary position was center field. In the 1941 Yankee season, he set a fifty-six game hitting streak, which is considered the greatest streak in baseball history. It has not been broken to this day. Winning the MVP of the year, and a season batting average of .381 %, he was all ready on his way to the Hall of Fame. After the season he earned himself two famous nicknames: “The Yankee Clipper”,