Tag: Joe Dimaggio

DEC 9 – DiMaggio autograph seeker

DECEMBER 9, 1987 | WASHINGTON, D.C. • New York Yankee great Joe DiMaggio gave thousands of autographs during and after his Hall of Fame career, but Joltin Joe was an autograph seeker on this date in 1987.

DiMaggio sent a baseball to the White House where President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev were meeting. DiMaggio had been one of 126 guests at a White House state dinner the night before. He met President Reagan who introduced him to the Soviet leader. DiMaggio made the autograph request, and both Reagan and Gorbachev sounded willing. All he needed was a baseball.

With the help of the President’s daughter, Maureen Reagan, a baseball was in the hands of President Reagan as he and Gorbachev met the next day. She later had the ball with the two world leaders’ autographs shipped to DiMaggio’s San Francisco home.

This was reportedly the only time Joe DiMaggio asked for an autograph. New York Times columnist Joseph Durso quotes DiMaggio as saying, “That day became one of the nicest days of my life, and one of the most meaningful.”

Contributing sources:
Joe Durso, New York Times, May 30, 1988

July 1 – DiMaggio drama

July 1, 1941 | NEW YORK, NEW YORK – New York Yankee outfielder Joe DiMaggio got hits in his 43rd and 44th consecutive games on this date in 1941. This tied him with Wee Willie Keeler who held the 44 consecutive game hit streak since 1897.

To add to the DiMaggio drama, some think he got a little help from the official scorer in his first hit in game one of a doubleheader that day. It was a grounder fielded by Boston Red Sox third baseman Jim Tabor who made a poor throw to first. Official scorer Dan Daniel of the New York World Telegram ruled it a hit. DiMaggio ended up getting a solid hit to center later in the game, which, according to Associated Press sportswriter Gayle Talbot, brought a “tremendous cheer from the crowd.”

Many thought Wee Willie Keeler’s 44-game record would never be broken, and it may not have been if Joe DiMaggio hadn’t come along. “Joltin Joe” set a new record of 56 consecutive games with at least one hit a couple weeks later, and he remains the only player to hit in more than 44 consecutive games.

This note: When Wee Willie Keeler set his record in 1897 foul balls were not counted as strikes.  Contributing source:
Associated Press (AP), Gayle Talbot, July 2, 1941 

JULY 17 IN BASEBALL HISTORY – DIMAGGIO’S HIT STREAK ENDS

JULY 17, 1941 | CLEVELAND, OHIO – Joe DiMaggio’s hit streak ends in Cleveland, and 56 becomes an iconic number in the world of sports. “Joltin Joe” got at least one hit in 56 consecutive games – until this night in 1941.

The streak captivated the nation for weeks. A record-breaking 67,468 fans came to Cleveland Municipal Stadium on a Thursday night to watch the Yankee slugger try to extend his streak,

The streak started quietly at Comiskey Park in Chicago on May 15th. Interest intensified as DiMaggio reached 30 consecutive games with at least one hit. It grew into an obsession when DiMaggio surpassed Wee Willie Keeler‘s 45 game hit streak record on July 2nd and kept on going. Now DiMaggio was setting a new record every game.

It was stopped at the hands of two relatively unknown Cleveland pitchers, left-hander Al Smith and right-hander Jim Bagby. All-star third baseman Ken Keltner made two dazzling plays to rob DiMaggio of hits.

DiMaggio didn’t just break Keeler’s record, he smashed it by 11 games. Had 56 not been where DiMaggio’s hit streak ends, we could very well be talking about a 73-game hitting streak. After going hitless on July 17th, DiMaggio went on hitting in 16 more consecutive games.

How remarkable is DiMaggio’s display of hitting consistency? To this day no one has surpassed Wee Willie Keeler’s mark of 45 consecutive games with at least one hit – except Joe DiMaggio.

Top 10 Consecutive game hit leaders and year accomplished:
Joe DiMaggio 56 (1941)
Wee Willie Keeler 45 (1897)
Pete Rose 44 (1978)
Bill Dahlen 42 (1894)
George Sisler 41 (1922)
Ty Cobb 40 (1911)
Paul Molitor 39 (1987)
Jimmy Rollins 38 (2006)
Tommy Holmes 37 (1945)
Gene DeMontreville 36 (1897)

Contributing sources: 
The Associated Press, July 18, 1941
Longest Hitting Streaks

MARCH 14: He Upstaged Joltin’ Joe

SOLVANG, CALIFORNIA | MARCH 14, 2003. Al Gionfriddo‘s major league career only lasted 4 years, a total of 228 games, but the 5-foot 6-inch, 165 lb outfielder ended his short career by taking the spotlight from one of the greatest of all-time, and guaranteed the Dysart, Pennsylvania native a place in baseball history.  Al Gionfriddo died on this date in 2003. He was 81.

Gionfriddo is remembered for what happened in sixth game of the 1947 World Series at Yankee Stadium. More than 74,000 fans were on hand, most hoping the Yankees would close out the Series. They had a 3 games to 2 lead.

It was the bottom of the 6th inning. The Brooklyn Dodgers had grabbed an 8-5 lead in the top of the 6th. There were two out, but the Yankees had two men on. Joe DiMaggio was up. He could tie the game.

DiMaggio hit the first pitch from Dodger reliever Joe Hatten.

It looked like it might be a new ballgame.

Gionfriddo raced toward the left field corner. He’d been put in left as a defensive replacement that inning.

He was running out of room.

Surrounded by Yankee fans.

His hat flew off.

At the last moment he reached out and grabbed DiMaggio’s shot – just feet before the 415 mark.

The inning was over.

The Yankees didn’t score.

DiMaggio kicked the dirt.

One of the rare times he showed emotion on the field.

The Dodgers went on to win that game 8-6, but the Yankees closed out the series in the next day. Al Gionfriddo didn’t get in the lineup. He would not play another game. After the 1947 season he retired, feeling pretty good about the day he upstaged DiMaggio.

Contributing sources:
MLB box scores etc.,
RetroSheet