|
“Joltin” Joe Dimaggio and the New York Yankees
After the reign of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in the 1920s and the first half of the 1930s, “Joltin” Joe Dimaggio came to prominence as the New York Yankees’ leading star. Dimaggio joined the team in 1936, a year when Lou Gehrig was the Yankee’s top player. Although he didn’t quite surpass Gehrig’s performance that year, Dimaggio had a phenomenally strong first season, by any measure. His rookie year stats include a batting average of .323, 125 runs batted in, and 29 homeruns. He immediately earned himself a place among the Yankees dominant lineup of power hitters. Dimaggio’s legendary career began with a bang.
Dimaggio was the son of Italian immigrants. His parents moved from Sicily to Martinez, California in 1898. The eighth of nine children, Joe (born Giuseppe) was expected to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a fisherman. From an early age, however, he found fishing dull and unpleasant work. As a boy, he spent whatever free time he had playing baseball. His father considered it a waste of time and Joe was discouraged from playing. He didn’t quit, though, and even his reluctant father changed his mind when Joe signed a professional contract.
Joe started out playing pro ball for the San Francisco Seals, a Pacific Coast League team that his brother, Vince, was already a member of. He excelled immediately, racking up a league record of hitting in 61 consecutive games during his rookie season in 1933. He would stay with the Seals for two more seasons. In his final year with the team, 1935, he achieved a batting average of .398 with 154 RBIs and 34 homeruns. In addition, the Seals won the Pacific Coast League title that year and Dimaggio was named MVP. Clearly, he was ready to move up to the big leagues. The following year he signed with the New York Yankees.
|
|
