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Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient Joe DiMaggio
JOE DIMAGGIO
Awarded by
President Gerald R. Ford
January 10, 1977
Superb athlete, coach, author and businessman, Joe DiMaggio stands tall among the ranks of genuine American heroes. Known and revered around the world as the "Yankee Clipper," he contributed many years of style and splendid ability to the sport which has come to be know as our national pastime. His character and grace both on and off the playing field have been a continuing source of inspiration to Americans of all ages.
Farewell, Joe Baseball mourns the passing of Yankees great Joe DiMaggio By Bill Koenig In an ideal world, Joe DiMaggio would have ruled over Yankee Stadium one more time. He had a standing invitation to throw out the first ball on Opening Day, an event that would have afforded us not only one more glimpse of a favorite son, but another chance to connect the dots of our cultural history. For DiMaggio was so much more than a mere Hall of Fame ballplayer. He was an icon of an era when America's greatest heroes took on mythical status. And no one dwelled higher on sports' Olympus. Now, our memories -- and the recollections of our fathers and grandfathers -- must suffice. DiMaggio, who combined elegance and excellence, grace and mystique, lost his battle with lung cancer. He died early Monday morning at his home in Hollywood, Fla. He was 84. At his bedside were his brother, Dom, a former major league outfielder; two grandchildren; Morris Engelberg, his longtime friend and attorney; and Joe Nacchio, another friend of nearly 60 years. "Today, America lost one of the century's most beloved heroes, Joe DiMaggio," President Clinton said. "This son of Italian immigrants gave every American something to believe in. He became the very symbol of American grace, power and skill. "I have no doubt that when future generations look back at the best of America in the 20th century, they will think of the Yankee Clipper and all that he achieved." DiMaggio entered Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood on Oct. 12 and had a cancerous tumor removed from his right lung two days later. He remained hospitalized for 99 days through a succession of serious setbacks and stunning improvements. At one point in November, a Roman Catholic priest was summoned to administer last rites, but just as quickly, he emerged from a coma and blurted out, "I want to get the hell out of here and go home." DiMaggio was able to do just that Jan. 19. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was one of the last to visit him. "Like his many fans across America, and indeed around the world, the Yankees are deeply saddened by the passing of Joe DiMaggio, one of our own and one of the greatest of all time," Steinbrenner said. "It was the class and dignity with which he led his life that made him part of all of us. I will forever treasure the close friendship we shared over the years." Added baseball commissioner Bud Selig: "All of baseball is deeply saddened by the passing of the Yankee Clipper, Joe DiMaggio. For several generations of baseball fans, Joe was the personification of grace, class and dignity on the baseball diamond.. .. As an immigrant's son, he represented the hopes and ideals of our great country. Joe DiMaggio was a hero in the truest sense of the word." DiMAGGIO'S signature was a regal countenance that belied the difficulty of his achievements. He came along in 1936 at a time when America desperately needed something or someone to take its mind off its troubles. He responded with valor on the field and virtue off it. He nursed baseball through the Great Depression, then helped it celebrate postwar prosperity. He connected the Yankee dynasties of Joe McCarthy and Casey Stengel. He witnessed the twilight of Lou Gehrig and the dawn of Mickey Mantle. DiMaggio led his team to the World Series with an uncommon regularity and his 1941 hitting streak left a number -- 56 -- indelibly forged in our national conscience. Late in his career, DiMaggio was asked by sportswriter Jimmy Cannon why he always gave 100%. His didactic answer should be posted in every major league clubhouse and high-school locker room today: "I always try my hardest, because there might be some kid in the stands who is watching me play for the first time." Despite missing three years during World War II, he finished his 13-year career with a .325 batting average, 361 home runs and 1,537 RBI. He totaled 2,214 hits and his .579 slugging percentage ranks sixth all-time. An 11-time All-Star, DiMaggio won American League Most Valuable Player awards in 1939, 1941 and 1947. He won two batting titles, hitting a career-high .381 in 1939 and .352 the following year. He led the league with 46 home runs in 1937 (still a Yankees record for a right-handed hitter) and with 39 in 1948. Legendary sportswriter Red Smith once told DiMaggio how easy he made things look. "People say that and I'm grateful," DiMaggio replied. "But let me tell you the truth. It isn't easy. It isn't easy at all. It's hard as hell to do the things I do out there." None was more difficult than hitting in 56 consecutive games during the 1941 season. Author David Halberstam described how Nobel physicist Edward Mills Purcell ran all of baseball's great records through his computer. The computer responded that only one achievement -- DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak -- defied mathematical probability. DiMaggio might have been defined by the streak, but he owns another statistic that is even more mind-boggling: just 369 career strikeouts to go with those 361 home runs. According to Elias Sports Bureau, no player in history who played at least one full season finished his career with more homers than strikeouts. DiMaggio was on pace to do it until his last season in 1951, when the strikeouts finally caught up. "His greatness was that he hit the ball," former teammate Jerry Coleman said. "He made something happen. He was in a class by himself." Aside from making contact, what DiMaggio did best was get his team into the World Series. He appeared in 10, with the Yankees winning nine (losing only to St. Louis in 1942). DiMaggio was a legend of the fall, hitting .271 with eight home runs and 30 RBI in 51 World Series games and the Yanks were an astonishing 37-14 in those games. But it wasn't just about the playing field. DiMaggio transcended his splendor in the grass to become a cultural figure as well. In The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway's fictional character, Santiago, dreams of taking "the great DiMaggio fishing." Bandleader Les Brown and singer Betty Bonney recorded a 1941 song saluting DiMaggio's hitting streak. A generation later, Simon and Garfunkel looked back wistfully to lost innocence, assuring DiMaggio that "a nation turns its lonely eyes to you." DiMaggio cemented his stature with his 1954 marriage to actress Marilyn Monroe. The ultimate union of sports god and screen goddess lasted only 274 days, but the couple has been linked for eternity in our minds -- and in his heart. When Monroe died in 1962 at age 36, he took control of her funeral arrangements, keeping it private and precluding it from becoming a media circus. Then for the next 20 years, he had a single rose placed on her grave twice a week. He never remarried. DiMaggio had been wed previously, from 1939-43, to a lesser-known actress named Dorothy Arnold. She bore his only son, Joe Jr., on Oct. 23, 1941, but father and son became estranged and rarely spoke over the past 25 years. A frequent guest at the White House, DiMaggio was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1976 by Gerald Ford. In 1991, he flew to the All-Star Game in Toronto aboard Air Force One, the guest of former Yale first baseman George Bush. DiMAGGIO was born Nov. 25, 1914, the second-youngest of eight children, in Martinez, Calif. His family soon moved to the North Beach section of San Francisco. He dropped out of that city's Galileo High School and followed the path of an older brother, Vince, who went into professional baseball with the minor league San Francisco Seals. In 1933, as a precursor of things to come, DiMaggio put together a 61-game hitting streak for the Seals as an 18-year-old rookie. After the 1934 season, the Yankees purchased his contract in exchange for five players and $25,000 cash. DiMaggio's rookie debut in 1936 was delayed until May 3 after he burned his left foot getting a heat treatment in spring training. That began an odd trend that saw DiMaggio in the Opening Day lineup just five times during his career. While DiMaggio was an October fixture, injuries and holdouts usually rendered him a spectator in April. By 1941, he was gaining a reputation as the best all-around player in baseball. On May 15, 1941, he began his amazing hitting streak with a single against Chicago pitcher Ed Smith. It ended July 17 in Cleveland when he went 0-for-3 against Al Smith and Jim Bagby, due in large part to third baseman Ken Keltner's two backhanded stops. DiMaggio hit .408 (91-for-223) during his streak, with 16 doubles, four triples, 15 home runs and 55 RBI. He walked 21 times and struck out just five. He hit .575 (23-for-40) the last 10 games of the streak. He was so unfazed when his streak ended, he began a 16-gamer the next day. On Feb. 17, 1943, DiMaggio enlisted in the Army, without giving advance notice to the Yankees. He traded in his $43,500 salary for a standard $50-a-month stipend. DiMaggio never saw active combat. DiMaggio came back in 1946. Two years later, despite painful heel spurs, he put together a great season. He hit .320 with 39 home runs and 155 RBI -- his best numbers in 11 years. He also had a career-high 441 putouts in the outfield. He was rewarded with baseball's first $100,000 contract, surpassing the previous Yankees high of $80,000 given to Babe Ruth in 1930. The torch seemed to pass in 1951, when rookie Mickey Mantle joined the Yankees and DiMaggio played his final season. Although their lockers were adjacent, Mantle revealed in his autobiography that they rarely spoke. DiMaggio's final at-bat on Oct. 6, 1951 produced a double to right-center in Game Six of the World Series. Two months later, he announced his retirement. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1955 on his third try. On Jan. 14, 1954, DiMaggio wed Monroe, proving that diamonds -- or, at least those who played on them -- are a girl's best friend. DiMaggio met Monroe through a press agent named Dave Marsh. According to DiMaggio: An Illustrated Life by Glenn Stout and Dick Johnson, the former ballplayer called her every night for a week asking for a date before she finally accepted. Their marriage produced no offspring, but did spawn a classic exchange. After Monroe returned from entertaining U.S. troops in Korea, she exclaimed: "Darling, you never heard such cheering." He merely nodded and said, "Yes, I have." The marriage was destined to fail -- he was too possessive; she was too public. A recent HBO documentary Where Have You Gone, Joe DiMaggio? claims that DiMaggio was incensed by the famous scene from the film The Seven Year Itch in which Monroe stands over a subway grate, only to have her dress blown about by the breeze from a train below. Too revealing, he thought. Too racy. They divorced Oct. 27, 1954, but remained close and occasionally saw each other socially. DiMaggio returned to the field briefly in 1968-69 as hitting instructor for the Oakland A's. He also did promotional work for Mr. Coffee -- his primary identity to a younger generation -- as well as Brylcream and the Bowery Savings Bank in New York. In 1969, he was awarded a plaque in Yankee Stadium's Monument Park. That same year, he was voted the "Greatest Living Ballplayer" in conjunction with the game's 100th anniversary. He clung to that distinction to his dying days, demanding always to be introduced last and by that title at public functions. In retirement, DiMaggio was the keeper of his own flame. He spent the almost five decades playing himself, refusing to allow anything to tarnish his self-image. Yet he was an enigma to many. While he gave large sums to charities -- such as the pediatric wing at the hospital where he spent three months this winter -- he charged up to $150,000 to appear at card shows and other events. He always knew the value of his name. In 1991, he signed a $10 million deal with Score Board Inc. to hawk merchandise on the QVC Shopping Network (autographed balls went for $349 apiece). DiMaggio earned about $6 million of it before the association fell apart. Two years later, he made $3 million for signing 1,941 bats. Always moody, DiMaggio could be alternately charming and cantankerous. Four years ago, he appeared at the home of sports collector Barry Halper, entertaining a dozen winners of a contest sponsored by the Pinnacle card company. Part of the agreement was that a Baseball Weekly reporter would chronicle the event. DiMaggio was regaling guests with stories, but stopped abruptly when he noticed someone in attendance taking notes. "You a reporter?" he growled, spinning on his heels. Told yes, he threatened to leave until Halper convinced him to stay. The event was salvaged, but Halper admitted later that DiMaggio didn't speak to him for the next two years. That's just how he was. At the time of his death, DiMaggio was living alone in the exclusive community of Harbour Island, Fla. According to a September interview in The New York Times, he owned a Mercedes, but preferred to drive a gray Toyota Corolla. He pumped his own gas and doted constantly on his two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, the last loves of his life. He will be buried in San Francisco. The (Westchester, N.Y.) Journal News contributed to this report.
Joe DiMaggio
The son of a fisherman, Joe DiMaggio is considered one of the most memorable baseball players of all time. For many of the fans who saw him play, he epitomizes grace and excellence. His play, his demeanor and his short marriage to Marilyn Monroe helped make him one of the icons of American pop culture.
DiMaggio played for the New York Yankees from 1936 until 1951. Babe Ruth started the tradition of winning, but DiMaggio, with his high standards and leadership, took his New York Yankees team to the World Series ten times, leading them to nine championships.
While America was on the brink of World War II, DiMaggio set a record that gripped the entire nation: he got at least one hit in 56 straight games. That 1941 record captured the attention of ordinary Americans, as fans all over the nation checked their radios and asked each other, "Did he get a hit?" The record is one of the most hallowed achievements in baseball history.
DiMaggio’s skills were much-lauded in his day, and he was voted the American League’s most valuable player three times. Fans and writers called him "Joltin’ Joe" because of his hard hitting. He was also dubbed "the Yankee Clipper" because of his graceful fielding in Yankee Stadium’s vast center field.
His lifetime batting average was .325 and he hit 361 home runs in his career. He also hit 131 triples, 389 doubles, and was involved in 4,529 put-outs in the outfield. In 1954 DiMaggio was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
In one of his little-known achievements on the baseball diamond, DiMaggio only struck out 369 times in 6,821 at-bats, a remarkably low number for any hard-hitting slugger. His ratio of strike outs to home runs was about one to one, a ratio that is far better than most other home run hitters of his day or ours.
However, his reputation as a player far surpassed his statistical achievements. Part of his reputation had to do with his grace on the field. "He made it look so easy," said Ernie Sisto, a "New York Times" photographer of the day. "It was uncanny, the naturalness. It seemed like he was made for the game. I don’t know how to explain it, maybe it was the other way around, like the game was made for him." DiMaggio was renowned for never slacking on the ball field. When asked why he played so hard, he replied: "Because there is always some kid who may be seeing me for the first time. I owe him my best."
DiMaggio didn't have the same success off the baseball diamond. In his private life, he was often shy, awkward, and guarded. While still a player, he was married to Universal Pictures’ "Oomph Girl" Dorothy Arnold, with whom he fathered a son, Joe Jr. But his marriage would crumble after three short years.
Following his retirement after the 1951 season, DiMaggio worked briefly as a commentator for Yankee games, but looked and sounded awkward. He later coached and served as vice president with the Oakland Athletics, although his contributions to that team were minor.
DiMaggio's name was catapulted back into the headlines in 1954 when he married Hollywood actress and sex symbol Marilyn Monroe. Nine months later the two were divorced, yet had an on-again, off-again relationship afterwards. DiMaggio told friends that the two were going to be married shortly before Monroe died eight years later.
DiMaggio orchestrated the starlet’s funeral. He kept it private and dignified, forbidding many Hollywood stars to attend the ceremonies. In the years that followed, DiMaggio rarely spoke of her. He had roses delivered to her grave site twice a week for the next twenty years. DiMaggio never married again.
In the 1970s, DiMaggio made considerable money as a celebrity in TV commercials for Mr. Coffee, a coffee-making machine, and as spokesman for New York City’s Bowery Savings Bank. DiMaggio spent many of his last years making appearances at baseball and celebrity functions. He was paid well for attending. He also earned income by endorsing, signing, and selling baseball paraphernalia made valuable by his signature.
Despite those commercial endorsements, DiMaggio’s reputation seemed to rise over time. Rock and roll lyricist Paul Simon helped immortalize the baseball star with his song, "Mrs. Robinson," which included the lament, "Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio? Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you."
DiMaggio, protective of his reputation, always wanted to be introduced at functions as "Baseball’s Greatest Living Player," a title he earned in 1969 in a poll of sports writers. He hoped to live long enough to throw out the first ball on opening day at Yankee Stadium in April, 1999. However, this last hurrah never took place.
Joe DiMaggio died on March 8, 1999. He was survived by his son Joe, who died shortly thereafter.
written by Dennis Gaffney
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi
On the Passing of Joe DiMaggio
March 8, 1999
It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of Joe DiMaggio today. The City of San Francisco and the people of this nation join together in mourning and in reflection of a great San Franciscan who captured our imagination and pride with his grace and poise on and off the baseball diamond.
Many fans and sports writers considered DiMaggio to be one of the best all-around players of all time. But that is not the only reason why this son of Italian immigrants, who grew up in the San Francisco fishing community could, to this day, force millions around the world to pause at the mere mention of his name.
Yes, it's the 56-game hitting streak and the speed on the base paths and the quick dash through center field that made Joe DiMaggio an American hero. It is also because through all of his success, through all of the acclamation and praise, DiMaggio was a modest man, devoted to family, friends and fans. He was a hero we could all look up to without reservation or hesitation.
As an Italian-American, I also feel a special kinship with a man who made us all proud. Today, on the day of his passing we all feel the loss, but also the pride of knowing that he gave to us a special gift that will stand the test of time. As we mourn his death, we can be comforted in knowing where Joe DiMaggio has gone.
New York Yankee legend Joe DiMaggio waves his cap to the crowd after being introduced during an Old Timers' game at Yankee Stadium in July 1985. DiMaggio, who died in 1999, was one of the century's true sports legends.
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Medal History
