Few athletes in history have ever been as loved and admired as the late Joe DiMaggio. Even though I¹m a die-hard Dodger fan (and thus a natural born "Yankee hater") I had nothing but respect and admiration for "The Yankee Clipper."
I admired DiMaggio on several different levels. He played the game as few players ever have. For example, he struck out only 5% out of all the times he came up to bat in the major leagues. He also had a 56 game hitting streak in 1941 - a major league record which still stands today. His career is even more amazing when you realize that he lost the best years of his playing life due to his enlistment into World War II. It is scary to think about what his career would have been like had he been able to play those years.
DiMaggio also walked away from the game on his own terms. His skills had begun to fade a little but he still had a few years left in him and he could have made a lot more money. He didn't want to play unless he was at his best though, so he hung 'em up. He respected himself and the fans.
DiMaggio also kept his private life private. He could have made a fortune writing a "kiss and tell" book about his brief marriage to Marilyn Monroe, but he did not. Matter of fact, he was the one who organized her private funeral service even though the couple had been divorced eight years before her death. It is a far cry from the behavior of many of the modern athletes of today.
DiMaggio will be the subject of several programs on the ESPN Classic Sports Network this week. The tribute begins at noon eastern time on Saturday March 13th. The complete schedule of shows honoring DiMaggio is as follows:
SCHAPP ONE ON ONE. Host Dick Schapp and Tommy Henrich discuss the impact of DiMaggio as a teammate and the infamous 56 game hitting streak. 12 noon - 12:30 p.m.
THE WAY IT WAS: THE 1936 WORLD SERIES. Highlights of DiMaggio¹s first World Series against their dreaded cross-town rival New York Giants. 12:30 - 1:15 p.m.
