A Living Legend Is Gone: Joe DiMaggio:
Joe DiMaggio left a flawless image that made him a true sports legend
West Valley College
By Michael Saltzman
Joe DiMaggio, who in 1969 was named "the greatest living ballplayer," died Tuesday, March 9, at the age of 84.
DiMaggio was "the class of the Yankees in times when the Yankees outclassed everybody else."
DiMaggio played 13 seasons for the New York Yankees, played in ten World Series and won nine.
Joltin' Joe was idolized throughout the country and throughout his life. He was remembered not only for his play, but for his off the field mystique.
Because of DiMaggio's need for privacy, he allowed the nation to create an immortilizing image of the 'Yankee Clipper.'
His marriage to screen legend Marilyn Monroe made for a fairy tale romance of two celebrities.
With Monroe even more famous than DiMaggio, having privacy was almost impossible.
But DiMaggio was larger than life. He had a presence that left fellow Hall of Famers in awe.
"I just stared at him for about a week." said Hall of Fame pitcher Whitey Ford during his rookie year of 1950.
DiMaggio was one of the greatest all around players in baseball history. He could do everything as good or better than anyone.
"In my heart, I always felt I was a better hitter than Joe. But I have to say, he was the greatest baseball player of our time. He could do it all." said Hall of Famer Ted Williams.
He could hit for average, hit for power, catch, throw, and run the bases.
"He was the best base runner I ever saw. He could have stole 50, 60 bases a year if I let him. He wasn't the fastest man alive. He just knew how to run bases better than anybody."
In 6,821 at bats, he finished his career with a .325 batting average, 361 home runs, 1,537 runs batted in, 2,214 hits, and 1,390 runs.
He struck out only 369 times. (To put that in perspective: Mickey Mantle hit 536 homers but struck out 1,710 times and Reggie Jackson knocked 563 round trippers and fanned 2,597 times)
He also had 153 defensive assists.
One of the most memorable images of DiMaggio was making plays in center field. He naver dove for a ball or climbed a wall because he never had to.
His jump on the ball was so flawless and his stride was so graceful that he always got to the ball before it landed.
"I never saw him make a mistake." said teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Yogi Berra.
The greatest baseball achievement of DiMaggio's career was his 56 game hitting streak in 1941.
He belted 91 hits including 15 home runs and batted .408 during the streak. And after finally going hitles, he hit safely in the next 16 games.
In a year that saw the last .400 hitter in Williams, DiMaggio still won the league's MVP award.
Joe D. won three MVP awards in his career, also winning in 1939 and 1947.
DiMaggio home run total of 361 is not as impressive compared to other Hall of Famers like Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, or Willie Mays.
But as a right handed hitter in Yankee Stadium, DiMaggio was at a huge disadvantage.
Known as "Death Valley," left center was 457 feet from the plate and straight away center was 461 feet away.
As a result, only 148 of his home runs were at home.
Another incredible image of DiMaggio was his batting stance and swing.
His swing was perfect. As memorable as the swing of Williams, DiMaggio looked good regardless of where the ball ended up.
DiMaggio's ability to keep his personal life personal allowed all his admirers to create a perfect off the field image.
It gave his fans tha chance to think of him as a living legend; an almost mythic figure that symbolized class and dignity.
In an era of Mike Tyson, Latrell Sprewell and Kevin Greene, Dennis Rodman, Roberto Alomar, and Albert Belle, America has truly lost a sports hero.
He did not impact the game like Ruth or Jackie Robinson, but he did play with the grace and excellence that made him immortal in the hearts of all baseball fans.
Back To Homepage