Joe DiMaggio 1914 – 1999

Biography

Joe DiMaggio was an American baseball player regarded as one of the greatest centre fielders in the history of the game. Born in Martinez, California, in 1914, the son of Sicilian immigrants, he joined the New York Yankees in 1936 and spent his entire thirteen-season career with the club, winning nine World Series titles. In 1941 he set a record that still stands, hitting safely in fifty-six consecutive games. A three-time Most Valuable Player, he was famed for his graceful fielding, powerful hitting, and quiet dignity. His brief marriage to Marilyn Monroe in 1954 made him a cultural icon beyond baseball. After retiring in 1951 he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1955 and remained a revered figure until his death in Florida in 1999. His fifty-six-game hitting streak is widely considered the most unbreakable record in American sports, and his name endures in song and popular culture.