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Top 8 all time, not the greatest living ballplayer
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Twitter: AJMckenzie94847
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Twitter: AJMckenzie94847
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00:03ah
00:06Sotomayor had an imperial presence on the field
00:09the winning began with his arrival
00:12he excelled
00:13what kind of statement is that
00:18the winning began with his arrival
00:20ok the winning began his arrival
00:31so the winning began for a team that had Lou Gehrig already
00:35with his arrival
00:40get him off the show
00:44they have no records
00:47facet of the game and he made things look so easy
00:51he looked like he was flying out there all day
00:54everything he did was missed a perfection
00:56Einstein baseball intelligence
00:59there's something about the way he carried himself
01:02as well as the way he played the game
01:03Joe DiMaggio
01:04may your legacy continue
01:13apparently he didn't know where he was
01:14he had very very real problems with his feet
01:19it was a real question whether Joe D. would ever play again
01:22now we go to like June the 25th
01:25DiMaggio has not played a game
01:28not a single game
01:29there was something like 60 some odd games that I had missed
01:33without their leader
01:34the Yankees were in need of inspiration
01:37the team was playing fairly listless baseball without him
01:41I mean he was the star
01:44the all-around player that I saw when I played
01:47what it boiled down to in those days
01:49if you had Joe you won
01:50and if you didn't have Joe you lost
01:52and the Yankees were losing
01:54by June they were struggling to stay in the pennant race
01:58in 49 Cleveland and Boston were considered the power teams
02:04there wasn't a real feeling that the Yankees were a powerhouse
02:08and there was a new boss in the Bronx
02:11you have a new manager someone named Casey Stengel
02:14a rookie manager has failed almost everywhere else
02:16Stengel had never seen DiMaggio play for the Yankees
02:20and Joe was still battling an injured heel
02:23every morning he would get up
02:25and he'd put his weight on it
02:26and it would pain him terribly and back in bed he'd go
02:29one day he wakes up and his feet don't hurt
02:31the pain was gone
02:33just like that
02:33I lived two or three blocks in a hotel from Joe DiMaggio
02:37and he called me that morning
02:39he says Kurt
02:39I can't believe it
02:41I got out of bed for the first time in months
02:43I put my heel on the floor and it didn't hurt
02:46why don't you come on out with me to Yankee Stadium
02:48it was an open date
02:49and he went out and took some batting practice
02:51he took so much he came in
02:52considering you only played two more seasons
02:55that didn't last long
02:58and his hands were bleeding
02:59I'll never forget it
03:00he hasn't kept his hands in shape
03:02but his feet feel good
03:04when I thought that my heel was going to be okay
03:06and I'd had only three days of working out
03:09and I said well this is going to be one of the last appearances
03:12that they're going to make in Boston
03:13I'm certainly not going to miss that friendly fence up there
03:16with that fence beckoning
03:17would Joe return to the lineup?
03:20the key thing was
03:21whether DiMaggio would really contribute anything
03:24there was a lot of controversy at the time
03:27whether or not he still had anything left
03:30Joe would answer that question
03:32by flying to Boston
03:33and heading straight for Fenway Park
03:35he took batting practice
03:37and he finally told Stengel he thought he could play
03:40no expert
03:42no person who followed the club
03:44could expect a batter
03:46who hadn't played all year
03:48to hit big league fastball pitching
03:51and the Red Sox thought
03:53that if they could embarrass DiMaggio
03:56by really handling him in a series
03:58that would be the end of the Yankees
04:00but Boston skipper Joe McCarthy
04:02who managed DiMaggio as a Yankee for eight seasons
04:05knew better than to underestimate
04:07the best all-around player he'd ever seen
04:12the team knew that he could carry them
04:14everybody was happy to see him back
04:17my gosh
04:17he just lifted
04:18you just looked at him
04:19you know
04:20it makes you feel good
04:22it was a tremendous
04:24upbeat feeling for the team
04:25to know that you were going into
04:27the last half of the season
04:28with Joe playing center field
04:29there just wasn't any substitute for him
04:31in his first game back
04:33sure enough
04:34he hit a home run
04:34Joe connects with a solid blow
04:36and pouts a mighty two-run homer
04:39Joe came back with a bang
04:41after blasting a home run
04:43in his first game
04:44he would hit two in the second
04:46and it's a home run for Joe DiMaggio
04:49in vintage DiMaggio style
04:52his finishing touch was another home run
04:54capping an astonishing return
04:56that exceeded everyone's expectations
04:59man
05:00I think even Joe was surprised
05:03well I kind of went wild for those three days
05:05not expecting that from myself
05:07but I got very lucky
05:08I hit the four home runs in three days
05:11we went on to sweep that series
05:12it was one of the most dramatic comebacks
05:15that I've ever seen
05:16and the Red Sox fans were cheering him
05:18as much as the Yankee fans
05:19he comes in after the end of the last game
05:22he turns to Jerry Colby
05:23he says
05:23hey kid
05:24some days you just can't beat the life
05:26if you're a kid watching a guy like this
05:28man
05:28it pulls you up like this
05:30because there's your guy
05:30that was felt
05:32by all the other players
05:34and gave them
05:34I think additional confidence
05:36the Yankees started winning
05:37and it really was the impetus
05:39for the Yankees to win
05:40that 1949 pennant
05:42winning pennants
05:43was nothing
05:43yeah yeah
05:45downside is
05:46he hit three in the next 30
05:47and ten in the next 73
05:49why'd he stop hitting the home runs
05:52yeah you can beat up
05:53on the Red Sox pitchers
05:56I don't know who their pitchers are
05:58and I know
06:00baseball going back to
06:01the 19th century
06:05where was that against Cleveland
06:07and Bob Feller
06:10that's all I want to know
06:13he'd made a career
06:14of leading the Yankees
06:15to victory
06:16he figured the Yankees
06:18had to win
06:18he was going to be
06:19one of the big parts of it
06:20he assumed
06:21that it was the general
06:23course of events
06:24that we're supposed to win
06:25in other words
06:26it's a matter of how
06:27not as to whether we were
06:29he just was a person
06:31who performed better
06:34under pressure
06:35he could hit good pitching
06:37in big games
06:38he did that over and over again
06:39the Yankees won
06:41ten of his thirteen seasons
06:44nine world series
06:46he was simply about winning
06:50yep
06:58born in 1914
07:00in Martinez California
07:01Joe DiMaggio
07:03would grow up
07:04in the North Beach section
07:05of San Francisco
07:06like many immigrant families
07:08the DiMaggio's
07:10faced hard times
07:11the family background
07:12was rather typical
07:13poor
07:14they were fishermen
07:15they came to the United States
07:17from southern Sicily
07:18he grew up in a
07:21house
07:23where Italian was spoken
07:24his father was a fisherman
07:26I mean it was really
07:28somewhat unassimilated
07:32as the depression loomed
07:33the DiMaggio's feared
07:35for their family
07:36fishing business
07:37though he helped out
07:38his father Giuseppe
07:39Joe knew at an early age
07:41that becoming a fisherman
07:44was not his destiny
07:47he was just a kid
07:50who was sort of
07:50walking through
07:51his school years
07:52he hated boats
07:53he hated water
07:54and hated fishing
07:55well that meant
07:56what else could he do
07:59the answer
08:00play baseball
08:02but that didn't sit well
08:03with Giuseppe
08:04especially with a family
08:06business needing a boost
08:07but Giuseppe's
08:08they obviously didn't know
08:10how much money
08:11was to be made
08:12in baseball
08:15obviously
08:20view would soon change
08:22thanks to Joe's
08:23ball playing brother
08:24Vince
08:26the big impression
08:27was the day
08:28when Vince came home
08:28and poured out
08:29onto the kitchen table
08:30all the money
08:31that he made
08:32from baseball
08:33the father recognizing
08:34that these
08:36lunatics
08:37who run teams
08:38actually gave
08:40these kids money
08:41to go out there
08:42in the sunshine
08:42and hit a ball
08:45with the extra money
08:46coming in
08:47Giuseppe quickly
08:48took a liking
08:49to Joe's interest
08:50in baseball
08:57with Major League Baseball
08:59centered in the east
09:01DiMaggio would
09:02refine his game
09:03playing for the local team
09:05in the Pacific Coast League
09:06his aim was
09:08simply
09:09to play
09:10for the San Francisco
09:11Seals
09:12the big leagues
09:13had such
09:14a fantasy
09:15image
09:16that not too many
09:17kids ever thought
09:18they could
09:18actually play
09:19in those far away
09:20major leagues
09:23armed with a ton
09:24of talent
09:25and modest aspirations
09:27Joe joined
09:28the enormously
09:29popular Seals
09:30in 33
09:30and became
09:31an instant hit
09:32that is
09:33funny thing
09:34about Joe
09:35and his brother
09:36Vince
09:36his brother
09:37Vince
09:37was older
09:38than he was
09:39and
09:41Joe made
09:42the big leagues
09:43before his brother
09:43did
09:46after he got a break
09:47from his older brother
09:50Joe DiMaggio
09:50came to the Seals
09:51at his brother's
09:53behest
09:53and his brother
09:54got hurt
09:55and he got into
09:57the lineup
09:57it was his big break
09:58Joe raised eyebrows
10:00his rookie year
10:01by hitting 340
10:02but even more
10:04impressive
10:04was the way
10:05he began
10:06reaching milestones
10:07at such a young age
10:08in 1933
10:10he hit
10:12in a really amazing
10:1461 consecutive games
10:17with DiMaggio
10:18stock on the rise
10:19the Yankees
10:20signed him
10:20for $25,000
10:22in 1934
10:23but Joe
10:24agreed to play
10:25one final year
10:26for the Seals
10:27after that 35 season
10:29Joe shined
10:30in an exhibition game
10:31against the Yankees
10:32star pitcher
10:33and his future friend
10:35Lefty Gomez
10:36faced this
10:3819 year old kid
10:39Joe DiMaggio
10:40they got three
10:41extra base hits
10:43against this
10:43future Hall of Famer
10:45a shock
10:46Gomez
10:46quickly realized
10:48the raw talent
10:49that Joe possessed
10:50Lefty Gomez
10:51said it was
10:52unbelievable
10:52that a kid like that
10:54could hit me
10:55as good as I was
10:57so just like that
10:58the son of a
10:59San Francisco
11:00fisherman
11:00was donning
11:01Yankees
11:02pinstripes
11:03and heading east
11:04to another
11:04waterfront city
11:05where he'd find
11:06the sky
11:07was the limit
11:10next
11:11on Yankee
11:12did you ever see
11:13Joe hit
11:16he could throw
11:17he could run
11:18he could hit
11:18and hit
11:19with power
11:24it was big news
11:26in Joe's
11:27hometown
11:27of San Francisco
11:28when the star
11:29of the Pacific
11:30Coast League
11:31signed a contract
11:31with the most
11:33famous baseball
11:34franchise
11:34of all time
11:35the Yankees
11:37had been a
11:37wonderful team
11:39Babe Ruth
11:40was now gone
11:41Lou Gehrig
11:4236
11:42was certainly
11:43the essence
11:44of the team
11:46Lou Gehrig
11:47was still
11:47the Yankees
11:48leader
11:48but they were
11:50looking for a
11:50player to
11:51compliment the
11:52iron horse
11:53there was a lot
11:54of speculation
11:55when DiMaggio
11:56first came to
11:56the Yankees
11:57that you would
11:58have something
11:59about passing
12:00of the torch
12:00a generational
12:01shift
12:02between Gehrig
12:04and DiMaggio
12:06Joe's arrival
12:07helped lift
12:08the entire
12:09Yankees team
12:10in his rookie
12:11year
12:12Joe hit
12:12323
12:13led the
12:14American League
12:15with 15
12:15triples
12:16while temporarily
12:17wearing uniform
12:18number 9
12:19DiMaggio
12:20also made
12:21the all-star
12:21team
12:22a feat
12:22he would
12:23duplicate
12:23in every
12:24season
12:25of his
12:25amazing career
12:26Joe DiMaggio
12:28quickly establishes
12:29himself
12:30as the best
12:31young player
12:32to come along
12:32in years
12:33Lou Gehrig
12:34said that
12:34one of the
12:34great wonders
12:35his last
12:36three years
12:37with the
12:37Yankees
12:38was watching
12:39DiMaggio
12:39play
12:41DiMaggio
12:42quickly put
12:43the Yankees
12:43back atop
12:44the American
12:45League
12:45after three
12:46straight years
12:46in second
12:47place
12:47the winning
12:48began
12:49with his
12:50arrival
12:50after something
12:51of a drought
12:52before then
12:52the Yankees
12:53reeled off
12:54an unprecedented
12:55four straight
12:55world championships
12:56and Joe
12:58built a
12:58reputation
12:59as nothing
13:00short of a
13:01baseball genius
13:02Joe McCarthy
13:03recognized
13:04not only
13:06great physical
13:07skills in
13:07Joe DiMaggio
13:08but he
13:09recognized
13:09what could
13:10be described
13:11as the
13:13Albert Einstein
13:16baseball
13:16intelligence
13:18I think that
13:19you should tell
13:19some of these
13:20boys that may
13:21be listening
13:22what you
13:23had to do
13:25to reach the
13:25major league
13:26as a player
13:26I would say
13:27for a young
13:28ball player
13:29to do
13:29is take
13:30quite a bit
13:31of advice
13:31from the
13:32older folks
13:33and that way
13:34I mean
13:34try to learn
13:34the final
13:35points of the
13:35game
13:36and be a
13:36clean liver
13:37and swing
13:38that bite
13:38hard
13:39when you see
13:39that ball
13:40on top
13:40Joe DiMaggio
13:41had a
13:42sense
13:42of the
13:43game
13:43that
13:44very few
13:45athletes
13:45have ever
13:46the standards
13:48were back
13:49the standards
13:49for back
13:50then
13:50were
13:52kind of
13:54ridiculous
13:54that
13:55a guy
13:55who could
13:56smoke as
13:56much as
13:57DiMaggio
13:58or smoke
13:58as much
13:58as a lot
14:00of people
14:00used to
14:01and that
14:02could be
14:02considered
14:02clean living
14:10Joe DiMaggio
14:11had that
14:12uncanny
14:12six cents
14:21effortless
14:22this is
14:22one two
14:23or two one
14:23you can't
14:24do anything
14:24about that
14:25he can throw
14:26he can run
14:27he can hit
14:27with power
14:29of the five
14:30tools that it
14:31takes to be
14:31a great
14:31baseball player
14:32Joe DiMaggio
14:33was really
14:33the first
14:34to be great
14:35at all five
14:36did you ever
14:37see Joe hit
14:41one of the
14:42best
14:42I've ever
14:43seen
14:45that swing
14:46is a classic
14:46swing
14:47get at a ball
14:48good distance
14:50he could hit
14:51to all fields
14:52and
14:54didn't make
14:55any difference
14:55where they pitched
14:57he'd hit
14:57accordingly
14:58Joe was an
15:00absolute
15:00menace
15:00to play
15:01his batting
15:02average
15:02home runs
15:03and RBIs
15:04compiled in
15:04his first
15:05seven seasons
15:06have never
15:07been matched
15:07by anyone
15:08in the game
15:09and when he
15:10wasn't tearing
15:10up opposition
15:11pitches at the
15:12plate
15:13he was in
15:14center field
15:14tracking down
15:15everything that
15:17came his way
15:46Joe DiMaggio
15:47was daring
15:48the baseball
15:49players that
15:50played against him
15:51recognized him
15:52as the best
15:52base runner
15:53in baseball
15:53he played the
15:55game at full
15:55throttle
15:56when Joe was on
15:57the goal
15:57it was all
15:58about extra
15:59bases
16:00he was a smooth
16:01runner
16:02and he could move
16:03and he could down
16:04that first baseline
16:05with anybody
16:06he was like a
16:07will-o-the-wisp
16:08you know
16:09he just kind of
16:10flitted
16:11around the
16:12bases
16:14perhaps New York
16:15writer Jimmy
16:15Breslin summed it
16:17up best when he
16:17said baseball is
16:19not about statistics
16:20it's about Joe DiMaggio
16:22rounding second
16:23base
16:25huh
16:28in the environment
16:29of Lou Gehrig
16:30DiMaggio stood
16:31alone as not
16:32only the most
16:32popular Yankee
16:33but the most
16:34famous player
16:35in the country
16:37DiMaggio
16:37trying to leave
16:38the ballpark
16:38was the biggest
16:39challenge of all
16:40time
16:40he'd have to wait
16:41three and four
16:41hours
16:41and they'd take
16:42him out
16:42through the
16:42center field
16:43fence
16:43have a cab
16:44waiting for him
16:44he couldn't go
16:45out the front
16:45door
16:45he would mob
16:46him
16:48he understood
16:50his role
16:51as a Yankee
16:52icon
16:53when he was
16:54a very very
16:55young player
16:56Joe DiMaggio
16:57always knew
16:58who he was
16:58and handled
17:00himself accordingly
17:01DiMaggio loved
17:02to read comic
17:03books
17:03because he was
17:04Joe DiMaggio
17:05he couldn't go
17:06up to the guy
17:07and give him
17:08a dime
17:08and say
17:08give me the
17:09new Superman
17:10issue
17:11because it
17:12would not be
17:13proper for his
17:14controlled image
17:15so Lefty Gomez
17:16would buy the
17:17Superman comic
17:18they'd go back
17:19to the room
17:20later on
17:20DiMaggio
17:21would read it
17:21there
17:23ball
17:23knower
17:25can't
17:25can't
17:26I can't
17:27you know
17:27hate on a
17:29fellow comic
17:30book reader
17:30DC comics
17:32I mean
17:33Marvel didn't
17:34exist yet
17:34but
17:36I like that
17:38but
17:39who really
17:40needs to
17:41read a
17:42Superman
17:42comic
17:46he could just
17:47watch back
17:48watch back
17:49his old games
17:50with Lou Gehrig
17:51you Superman
17:52enough
17:56though his natural
17:57shyness
17:58contrasted with
17:59his celebrity
18:00status
18:00it somehow
18:01helped Joe
18:02become a real
18:03pro at controlling
18:04his media
18:05exposure
18:06he knew spin
18:07control
18:08before spin
18:09control
18:09was invented
18:10he also
18:12knew how to
18:13let a certain
18:14number of
18:15writers
18:15particularly
18:16columnists
18:17have a little
18:18window on
18:19and he would
18:20hang out
18:21a little bit
18:21with them
18:22as long as
18:23they didn't
18:24cross the line
18:25and what he
18:25got back
18:26was sort of
18:27sanitized coverage
18:29since he was
18:30so famous
18:31if they seemed
18:32to intrude
18:33or write stuff
18:34that was negative
18:35he would cut
18:36them off
18:36and in that
18:37less iconoclastic
18:39media era
18:40that was
18:41very powerful
18:42the Yankees
18:43knew that if
18:44the press
18:44wanted access
18:45to Joe
18:46he would be
18:47calling the
18:48shots
18:48even the
18:49toughest writers
18:50would have to
18:51go easy
18:51on the Yankee
18:52clipper
18:53DiMaggio had
18:55slid into
18:56third base
18:57he's in the
18:57clubhouse
18:58afterwards
18:58and he
18:58asked
18:59Pichihi
19:00the clubhouse
19:02guy
19:03if there's
19:04any mark
19:04and she says
19:05yeah Joe
19:05there's a big
19:06mark there
19:06from all those
19:07people kissing
19:08your ass
19:10a media circus
19:11followed Joe
19:12everywhere
19:13he spent much
19:14of his free
19:14time at
19:15Toots Shores
19:15restaurant
19:16where Toots
19:17himself
19:17would protect
19:18Joe's privacy
19:20Joe liked
19:21company
19:21he really did
19:22I know Joe
19:23was a loner
19:24but he still
19:26liked company
19:26especially the
19:28guys he knew
19:28some stranger
19:29come there
19:30he wouldn't
19:30feel relaxed
19:31he could also
19:33let his guard
19:33down while in
19:34the Yankees
19:34clubhouse
19:35although Joe
19:36always got the
19:37most attention
19:38he was never
19:39the life
19:39of the party
19:40most of the
19:41time he let
19:41his chatty pal
19:42Lefty Gomez
19:43do the talking
19:44everybody loved
19:45Lefty Gomez
19:46he was a
19:46collector of
19:53roaring laughter
19:54Demasio just
19:56looked at him
19:56and said
19:56talk like that
19:59social situations
20:01despite being
20:02a man of
20:03few words
20:03the impressions
20:05he made
20:05were many
20:08one on one
20:09but if there
20:10were three or
20:11four guys
20:11around
20:12Joe didn't
20:13enter into
20:13the conversation
20:14too much
20:14he kind of
20:15stayed back
20:16just a little
20:16bit on the
20:17shy side
20:18I asked
20:19Charlie Kelly
20:20years later
20:20what kind of
20:21a fella
20:22is Joe
20:22DiMaggio
20:22Charlie
20:23and he said
20:24Bill
20:24I don't
20:25rightly
20:25know
20:26the guy
20:27never says
20:27anything
20:28to me
20:31if he
20:33don't want
20:33to say
20:33anything
20:34to press
20:34give me
20:35his press
20:36or
20:36Ted Williams
20:38Ted Williams
20:40will talk
20:40to anybody
20:46Charlie
20:47played
20:48right field
20:49beside the
20:49guy
20:49for six
20:50years
20:52I asked
20:52Tommy
20:53Henry
20:53what it
20:53was like
20:54to go out
20:54to dinner
20:55with DiMaggio
20:55and he said
20:56we never went
20:57out to dinner
20:59despite the fact
21:00that he was so
21:00quiet
21:01he was such
21:02a phenomenal
21:02baseball player
21:03that players
21:04looked up to him
21:05with great reverence
21:06and great awe
21:08they don't come
21:08much better
21:09than Joe
21:09Joe was quiet
21:10but a leader
21:11without a question
21:12he led by
21:13what he did
21:14he was a winner
21:15and he sort of
21:18was by himself
21:19most of the time
21:20well Joe
21:21was kind of
21:22old stone face
21:23he would smile
21:23but he was
21:24pretty serious
21:25all the time
21:26when he put
21:26that uniform on
21:27he came out
21:28there for business
21:28you knew he was
21:30in the ball yard
21:30when he got there
21:33being so great
21:34on the field
21:35meant he was
21:36in demand
21:36off the field
21:37came to the limelight
21:39the Yankee Clipper
21:40president and the heavyweight champion
21:45but that's in his retirement
21:48could run
21:51one of the unique individuals
21:53never really comfortable
21:54in any environment
21:56other than wearing
21:58that uniform number five
21:59those pinstripes
22:01that's when he was comfortable
22:10that's a memorable year
22:11yes
22:13as America prepared
22:15for entry
22:16talk about an understatement
22:18talk about an understatement
22:21entry into world two
22:23its citizens were looking
22:24for distraction
22:25and Joe DiMaggio
22:27would provide just that
22:29on the eve of
22:30um and when
22:31we were going to be challenged
22:33by two totalitarian societies
22:35Germany and Japan
22:36here was evidence
22:37that American democracy worked
22:40an immigrant son
22:41had led the Yankees
22:43to four World Series victories
22:44in his first five seasons
22:46but by mid-May
22:47the Yankees
22:48and Joe
22:49were struggling
22:51the Yankees
22:52were not in good shape
22:54on May 15th
22:55they were in the
22:56midst of a losing streak
22:58they were plummeting
22:59toward the second division
23:00they'd just been shut out
23:01by Bobby Feller
23:03and DiMaggio
23:04had taken the collar
23:05in the previous two games
23:06I was at that time
23:08battling to avoid
23:09a real bad slump
23:11and then
23:12a seemingly meaningless hit
23:14as I recall it
23:16it was a fellow
23:17by the name of Edgar Smith
23:18of the White Sox
23:19I got a
23:20base hit
23:21didn't mean very much
23:23the Yankees got beat
23:2413-1
23:25that day
23:27Joe got a hit
23:28the next day
23:29and the next
23:30and the next
23:32hitting streak
23:33for DiMaggio
23:33at 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 games
23:36means almost nothing
23:37you know
23:38it wasn't
23:40he could have gotten
23:41one for
23:42about five or six
23:45he chose to get
23:46one for
23:47five, six
23:59the Yankees
24:00the Yankees were
24:01going down to Washington D.C.
24:03to play the Senators
24:05but before playing Washington
24:07they stopped in Norfolk, Virginia
24:09for an exhibition game
24:10against one of their
24:11minor league teams
24:29certainly no major league team
24:31could match that feat
24:31in the summer of 41
24:33the hits kept coming
24:34but Joe wasn't even aware
24:36that he was doing
24:37anything special
24:38his brother
24:39Vincent
24:40called him up
24:41just a family chat
24:43and said
24:44hey I read in the Cleveland
24:45plane dealer
24:46that you got an 18 game
24:47hitting streak
24:48DiMaggio at that point
24:49said well
24:50I hadn't been counting
24:51but I know I've been
24:52hitting well
24:52I thought I was doing
24:53pretty good as it was
24:54no matter how
24:55far that streak went
24:58and it went far
25:00the streak also helped
25:01the Yankees take a
25:02commanding lead
25:03in the standings
25:04when DiMaggio started
25:06hitting
25:06he picked the whole
25:07ball club up
25:08we became
25:09you know
25:10we did a lot of winning
25:11when he was hitting
25:12as soon as DiMaggio
25:14got 10 games in a row
25:1620 games in a row
25:1730 games in a row
25:18the Yankees just
25:18totally blew open
25:20that pennant race
25:2141-13-2
25:24during their streak
25:27the Yankees started
25:29to run away
25:29with a pennant
25:30the focus on
25:31Joe's streak
25:32intensified
25:33the excitement
25:35really began
25:36when he started
25:37to close in
25:38on the streak
25:40that was
25:40then
25:41the standard
25:42that standard
25:43was George Sisler's
25:4441 game streak
25:46setback in 22
25:47that of course
25:48was 10 years
25:49before Joe's
25:50historic streak
25:51in the minors
25:52it was 1933
25:53in Pacific Coast League
25:55that I hit in 61
25:56so I had some experience
25:58in feeling the pressure
25:59he's the toughest
26:01sound of a gun
26:01he ever saw
26:02pressure didn't mean
26:03anything to him
26:04pressure meant
26:06he's gonna dig in more
26:08Joe dug in
26:09and the streak
26:10reached 35 games
26:12then 40
26:13then a Philadelphia
26:15athletics pitcher
26:16declared
26:17that he would
26:17personally end
26:18Joe's run
26:19at baseball history
26:22there's only one pitcher
26:23who said he wasn't
26:24gonna throw to Di Maggio
26:25and that was
26:26Johnny Babich
26:27Johnny Babich
26:28announced to the press
26:29that he would
26:30get him out
26:31the first time
26:32and then he would
26:33walk him
26:33every other time
26:34so the streak
26:35would end
26:360 for 1
26:36Babich gets Di Maggio
26:38out the first time
26:39second time up
26:40the first three pitches
26:42well well out of the
26:43strike zone
26:44and the last one
26:45came in
26:46a foot and a half
26:46outside and high
26:47Di Maggio
26:48leaned over the plate
26:49and ripped it
26:50a line drive
26:51right up the middle
26:52and went right
26:53between Babich's legs
26:55he almost undid
26:57Babich's belt buckle
26:58Di Maggio said
26:59that was the single
27:00most satisfying hit
27:01in the entire streak
27:02of course
27:03as Di Maggio
27:04got the first base
27:05and rounded it
27:06no expression
27:07no emotion
27:08because that was
27:09Joe Di Maggio
27:09but the fans
27:11all knew the story
27:12and it was a
27:12tremendous roar
27:15having cleared
27:16the Babich hurdle
27:16Joe had most
27:18of the nation
27:18on his side
27:19but there would
27:20indeed be more
27:21obstacles standing
27:22between him
27:23and the record
27:26next
27:27on Yankeeography
27:30with Di Maggio's
27:31hitting streak
27:32nearing George
27:33Sissela's
27:3341 game record
27:35the entire country
27:36began thirsting
27:37for news
27:38of Joe's exploits
27:39even Joe's brother
27:41Dom
27:41a second year
27:42Red Sox center fielder
27:43did his best
27:44to keep up
27:45he had a scoreboard
27:47in the left field
27:47at Fenway Park
27:48and Teddy Williams
27:50was playing left field
27:51and he talked
27:51to the guy
27:52on the scoreboard
27:52and every time
27:54Joe got a base hit
27:55he would yell over
27:55to me
27:56Dommy
27:56he said
27:56Joe got a base hit
27:57in the first inning
27:58we were on top
27:59of it all the time
28:00fans turned out
28:01in droves
28:02to witness
28:02baseball history
28:04attendants picked up
28:05all over the league
28:06they had paid their money
28:07they wanted to see
28:08Di Maggio extend the streak
28:09and Joe didn't let them down
28:11but just as he was about
28:13to break Sissela's record
28:14of 41
28:14the history books
28:16through the Yankee
28:17Clipper occurred
28:18some reporter
28:19looked it up
28:20and said
28:20hey there's a record
28:21from 1897
28:22there was news
28:23to everybody
28:24Joe
28:25was now chasing
28:26Wee Willie Keeler
28:27he plowed ahead
28:29in Washington
28:30he tied Sissela's record
28:31with a double
28:32in the first game
28:33of a double header
28:33then between games
28:35the unthinkable happened
28:37Joe had a favorite bat
28:39all ball players do
28:40Di Maggio was quite emotional
28:42about this bat
28:44if the superstition
28:45attached to a ball player's bat
28:47imagine the superstition
28:48attached to a streak bat
28:49when he reached for his bat
28:51out of the bat rack
28:52as the second game
28:53was beginning
28:54his bat was not there
28:55some fan had just jumped down
28:57and grabbed it
28:58the normally calm
28:59Di Maggio
29:00became irate
29:01it was one of the few times
29:04that he really
29:05showed how upset he was
29:07and then the story
29:08got into the newspapers
29:09and two or three days later
29:12the bat showed up
29:13some of Joe Di Maggio's
29:14New Jersey friends
29:16found a way
29:17to get that bat back
29:19may have been
29:20somebody might have
29:21found the family
29:22that had it
29:23paid them
29:24or you know
29:25there could be
29:25possibility of frightening
29:27them if they didn't
29:28come up with it
29:29perhaps
29:30they came
29:31they probably came
29:32over there
29:33with their own bats
29:34and
29:36made some threats
29:37made some comments
29:41no one really wants
29:42to know
29:42how they got that bat
29:43back
29:45with his trusty
29:46bat in hand
29:47Joe tied Keeler's
29:48record with two hits
29:49on July 1st
29:50in front of
29:5153,000 Yankee fans
29:53the next day
29:54he broke the record
29:56in style
29:57with a line drive
29:59into the stands
30:00Joe turned a new page
30:01in baseball history
30:02he made it 45
30:05the record was now Joe's
30:07and the Yankees celebrated
30:09their leader's
30:09great accomplishment
30:10it didn't surprise us
30:13a whole lot
30:15it's still magic
30:17and Joe showed
30:18no signs
30:19of slowing down
30:20I pitched a 56th hit
30:23in his streak
30:24July 16, 1941
30:26at Leake Park
30:28the ball he hit
30:29scooted past me
30:30off to the outfield
30:32he got his 56th hit
30:34and that was it
30:35they
30:37they're waiting
30:38for the next one
30:40it wasn't his 56th hit
30:42he got multiple hits
30:44in multiple games
30:45it was something like
30:46I don't know
30:4860 something
30:4870
30:49it was just his 56th game
30:52with a hit
30:55but there would be
30:56no next one
30:57on July 17th
30:59fans packed
31:00Cleveland Stadium
31:00to see if the streak
31:01would live on
31:02Indians third baseman
31:04Ken Keltner
31:04had been burned
31:05by Joe
31:06earlier in the season
31:07and now played
31:08Joe deep
31:09and towards the line
31:10it paid off
31:11he hit two bullets
31:13down the line
31:13and I backhanded him
31:14Ken Keltner
31:16went back of third base
31:17and made a great
31:18backhanded
31:19one-handed grab
31:20then I had to get up
31:21and throw a strike
31:22to first base
31:23to get him by an eyelash
31:24and he hit one
31:26identical the next time up
31:27two remarkable shots
31:29two backhanders
31:30just when it looked
31:32like the game
31:33and Joe's streak
31:34were certainly over
31:35the Indians rallied
31:36from behind
31:37getting the tying run
31:38to third
31:39with no outs
31:40in the ninth
31:41if they just couldn't
31:42bring that guy
31:43in from third
31:45and the ball game
31:46was over
31:48after the game
31:48Joe remained
31:50in the clubhouse
31:50with rookie
31:51Phil Rizzuto
31:52when everyone else
31:54had left
31:54they began a solemn
31:56walk back to the hotel
31:58we came to a
32:00a bar
32:00that was
32:01visited regularly
32:02by the old timers
32:03on the way
32:04to and from the hotel
32:06and
32:07he said
32:08well I'm going to go in here
32:09he says
32:09and relax a little bit
32:10and I started
32:11going with him
32:12he said no no
32:13he says you go back
32:13to the hotel
32:14he says I just
32:15want to be alone
32:17Joe rebounded
32:18from his disappointment
32:19the only way
32:19he knew how
32:22no grown man
32:23is going to
32:24who doesn't have
32:25authority over me
32:26is going to tell me
32:26to go back to home
32:28to the hotel
32:28you don't want me
32:30you don't want me
32:30to come in
32:31fine
32:32but
32:34no
32:35no grown man
32:36is not going to
32:36he's going to tell me
32:38to go home
32:39basically
32:41go inside
32:45by hitting
32:46in his next
32:4716 games
32:48Joe's 56 game
32:50hitting streak
32:50is one of
32:51baseball's
32:52greatest milestones
32:53and has
32:54withstood
32:54the test
32:55of time
32:55in 87
32:57Paul Molitor
32:58got to 39
32:59straight
32:59in 78
33:00Pete Rose
33:01reached
33:0144 games
33:02but Joe's
33:03record has never
33:04really been
33:05threatened
33:06it's amazing
33:07to me
33:08that Pete Rose
33:08got to 44
33:09but 56 just
33:11is
33:11a light year
33:12away
33:12from 44
33:13it's not his
33:14ability to hit
33:15a baseball
33:16that did it
33:17it's the fact
33:18that he didn't
33:19fold one bit
33:20on any time
33:22at the plate
33:23because that's
33:24the nature
33:25of Joe DiMaggio
33:28coming up next
33:31Yankee Clippers
33:32Joe DiMaggio
33:35with
33:36the quiet
33:37confidence
33:37that the loud
33:38New York fans
33:39loved
33:39Joe DiMaggio
33:40and his 56
33:41game hitting streak
33:42solidified his
33:44superstardom
33:44but for one
33:46particular ethnic
33:47group
33:47Joe's star
33:48shined the brightest
33:49Joe DiMaggio
33:50came into prominence
33:52in the 1930s
33:53when Italian
33:55Americans
33:56were not considered
33:57part of the
33:59American establishment
34:00even the most
34:01famous Italian
34:02American
34:02still had to
34:04endure the stereotypes
34:05Life Magazine
34:06put Joe DiMaggio
34:07on its cover
34:08in May of 1939
34:09it was noted
34:10that Joe DiMaggio
34:11slicked his hair
34:12back with water
34:13instead of bear grease
34:14that he ate
34:15chicken chow mein
34:16not just spaghetti
34:18and that he was
34:19a regular American
34:21who spoke English
34:23Joe DiMaggio
34:24like other of the
34:25Yankees
34:25was very Italian
34:27and he got an Italian
34:29nickname
34:29offensive by today's
34:32standards
34:32the Big Dago
34:33became Joe's
34:34clubhouse moniker
34:35I think it was
34:36the Big Dago
34:37not so much
34:38because he was
34:39physically monstrous
34:41he was big enough
34:42but I think Big
34:43really referred to
34:44his stature
34:45as a person
34:47more than his
34:48physical stature
34:49but the more
34:50adulation he received
34:52the less attention
34:53he desired
34:54Joe DiMaggio
34:56did not think
34:57of himself
34:58as an Italian
34:59American hero
34:59to any great extent
35:01but the fans
35:02clearly did
35:03and two New York
35:04icons of today
35:06also famous
35:07Italian Americans
35:08felt Joe's
35:09impact in their
35:10community
35:10there's something
35:11about the way
35:12he carried himself
35:14as well as the way
35:15he played the game
35:16that just uplifted you
35:17and I think the
35:18Italian American
35:18community felt a
35:19special special
35:20connection
35:20you're always
35:21looking for the
35:21guys with the
35:22vowels at the
35:23end of their
35:23name and Joe Di
35:24accomplished certain
35:25things the
35:26Italian American
35:28thing surely
35:30added to the pride
35:31he represented an
35:33entire immigrant
35:34generation the pride
35:36of the poor and
35:37the new Americans
35:38in an old American
35:39arena
35:41that American arena
35:42was in a state of
35:43turmoil in 41
35:44with a specter of
35:46world war looming
35:47like many players
35:49of that time
35:49Joe enlisted in
35:51the army in
35:51February of 42
35:54how do you like
35:54playing for the
35:55army Joe
35:55I don't mind it
35:56very much at all
35:57it's no effect
35:58I'm enjoying
36:00although I'm
36:01looking forward
36:01someday to
36:02getting back
36:02to the Yankees
36:03February of 42
36:06how did he play
36:07a full season
36:09after that
36:10what a full season
36:11in 42
36:13actually that was
36:13the only time
36:14he played a full
36:15season
36:16which is ironic
36:19he must not
36:20have gotten
36:20there until
36:2143
36:25Joe lost
36:26three seasons
36:27to the war
36:27returning to
36:28the Yankees
36:29in 46
36:29after an
36:31encouraging
36:31spring
36:32the regular
36:33season was a
36:33bust
36:34Joe saw his
36:35usually stellar
36:36numbers fall
36:37sharply
36:37it was the
36:38first time
36:39he'd ever hit
36:40below 300
36:41I must have
36:42left it all
36:43in spring
36:43training
36:43because I
36:44had a
36:44homer output
36:45that was
36:45just fantastic
36:46but yet
36:47when the season
36:48started
36:48I just fell
36:49flat in my
36:49face
36:50Barney bears
36:51down
36:51strikes out
36:52the dangerous
36:53Joe DiMaggio
36:55I just lost
36:56everything
36:57but that was
36:58a very
36:58disastrous
36:59year for me
36:59that's true
37:00in 47
37:01the Yankee
37:02Clipper
37:03righted his
37:04ship
37:04he got his
37:05average back
37:05above 300
37:06on the way
37:07to his 6th
37:08World Series
37:08title
37:09he also earned
37:10his 3rd
37:11MVP award
37:12in 47
37:13he had
37:13another
37:15imposing
37:15year
37:16very
37:16significant
37:17he really
37:18led the
37:19Yankees
37:20he was
37:21the Joe DiMaggio
37:22of 40
37:23and 41
37:2442
37:24much was
37:26expected
37:26in 1949
37:27and as that
37:29magical
37:29Bronx summer
37:30ended
37:30the team
37:31honored
37:32its aging
37:33superstar
37:34I said a
37:35couple of
37:35words
37:35and that was
37:36it
37:36and I thanked
37:37them
37:37it was
37:38really
37:38should have
37:39been
37:40really could
37:40have been
37:41Ted Williams
37:41but
37:43the Red Sox
37:44were 3rd
37:45in the
37:46American League
37:46and I still
37:48think of that
37:50as one of the
37:50nicest days
37:51of my life
37:52the 1950
37:53season showed
37:54that his
37:55relentless
37:56pursuit of
37:56perfection
37:57on the field
37:57was starting
37:58to physically
37:59take its toll
38:01on the great
38:02DiMaggio
38:02pain
38:03but when you
38:04play with the
38:05intensity
38:05that DiMaggio
38:06played with
38:07your body
38:08begins to
38:09break down
38:10I think a
38:10little
38:11early
38:12Joe
38:12told me
38:13that after
38:14games
38:15that he
38:15would have
38:16to go
38:16home
38:17and get
38:18into the
38:18bathtub
38:19with the
38:19hot water
38:20and stay
38:20in there
38:21for 2
38:21or 3
38:21hours
38:21to really
38:22get where
38:23he could
38:23move around
38:24again
38:24and he
38:24did that
38:25every day
38:25the final blow
38:55power the Yankees
38:57to the
38:57title
38:57his ninth
38:58in the joyful
39:00clubhouse
39:00reporters
39:01asked him
39:02about possible
39:02retirement plans
39:03he said
39:04nothing
39:05but later
39:06quietly told
39:07a teammate
39:07he was 30
39:08after the 51
39:09series he was
39:10still a productive
39:11player but he
39:12realized he
39:12wasn't
39:13he wasn't
39:14what he used
39:14to be
39:15and he called
39:16it quits
39:18so he went
39:19out of baseball
39:20as he came
39:20in
39:21with a bang
39:22in December
39:23of 51
39:24DiMaggio
39:25made his
39:25retirement
39:26official
39:26it was
39:27coming down
39:29to the end
39:30he knew it
39:31he wasn't
39:31Joe DiMaggio
39:32anymore
39:33Joe had a
39:34great sense
39:34of pride
39:35and he didn't
39:36want to
39:36embarrass himself
39:37or embarrass
39:38anybody else
39:39he did not
39:40want people
39:41to remember
39:42him struggling
39:43he could
39:44not perform
39:45unless he
39:47lived up
39:47to his
39:48own
39:49impossible
39:50standards
39:52you all know
39:53I've had my
39:54share of
39:55injuries
39:56when baseball
39:57is no longer
39:58fun
39:58it's no longer
39:59a game
40:00and so
40:01I played
40:03my last
40:03game of
40:03ball
40:06when
40:07you're
40:08doing
40:08DiMaggio
40:11and you
40:11can barely
40:12get to
40:12260
40:13it's time
40:14to
40:17time
40:18to
40:18enjoy
40:18a
40:18vacation
40:23Joe DiMaggio
40:24said goodbye
40:25to baseball
40:25in 51
40:26but his
40:27personal life
40:28was about
40:28to thrust
40:29him into
40:29the limelight
40:30more than
40:30ever before
40:31Marilyn Monroe
40:33was still
40:34a budding
40:35actress
40:36which is
40:36why her
40:37agent
40:37was so
40:38interested
40:39in getting
40:39her together
40:40with Joe DiMaggio
40:41he wanted
40:42to feed off
40:43DiMaggio's
40:44publicity
40:45Joe and Marilyn
40:46married in 54
40:48and a media frenzy
40:49followed the couple
40:50as they honeymooned
40:52in Japan
40:52the commander in Korea
40:54hears that she's over there
40:55and they ask her to come
40:56and entertain the troops
40:57and she does
40:58and there's this huge
40:59crowd of GIs
41:01when Marilyn came back
41:02from the trip
41:03she said to DiMaggio
41:05you never heard
41:06such cheering
41:07you never heard
41:07such cheering
41:08and Joe simply
41:09said yes
41:10of course he did
41:11yes I have
41:13Joe still longed
41:14for private life
41:15but Marilyn's
41:16climb to Hollywood
41:17stardom
41:18made that
41:19virtually impossible
41:20Joe came from
41:21an old style family
41:22where mama stayed
41:23in the kitchen
41:23did the cooking
41:24well Marilyn
41:25wasn't going to be
41:26in the kitchen
41:26doing the cooking
41:27so he had to
41:27adjust to that
41:28but he always
41:30loved her
41:30he really did
41:31and I think
41:31she really loved him
41:32it was one of those
41:33things that just
41:33didn't mix
41:34because of their careers
41:35the marriage
41:37would last only
41:38nine months
41:38but Marilyn's
41:39tragic death
41:40in 62
41:41affected Joe
41:42deeply
41:43his love for her
41:44was evident
41:45in the way
41:46he took over
41:46her funeral arrangements
41:47after Marilyn's
41:49controversial passing
41:50Joe became
41:51even more reclusive
41:52and as the
41:53political turbulence
41:54of the 60s
41:55was gaining momentum
41:56Paul Simon
41:57would immortalize
41:58Joe in song
41:59casting him
42:00as an icon
42:02of a simpler
42:03America
42:03where have you
42:06gone Joe
42:11a nation
42:14turns its lonely
42:15eyes to you
42:20in 1969
42:23Joe was named
42:24baseball's greatest
42:26living player
42:26a year after
42:28hog walk
42:31he began a two
42:33season stint
42:33as a coach
42:34for the Oakland A's
42:35when New York's
42:36Bowery Savings Bank
42:37came calling
42:38Joe began a new
42:40career as a pitchman
42:42the bank
42:43the bank wanted a spokesman
42:43and I thought about
42:44Joe DiMaggio
42:45I thought he represented
42:47New York City
42:47even though he hadn't
42:48played golf
42:49for 15 years or more
42:51and had largely
42:52been out of the limelight
42:53particular about your
42:55coffee
42:55you need Mr. Cochran
42:57he went on to become
42:58the spokesman for
42:58Mr. Cochran
42:59and a regular
43:01at old timers games
43:02as he began to reach
43:03a new American generation
43:07he went around being
43:08Joe DiMaggio
43:10polishing his own
43:12statue
43:12the Yankee clipper
43:14the greatest living
43:16ball player
43:18Jolting Joe DiMaggio
43:21so you BSed
43:23why I don't like
43:24DiMaggio as much
43:25as I could
43:28what makes him
43:30the greatest living
43:30ball player
43:31with Willie Mays
43:33Hank Aaron
43:33and Tal Williams
43:34were still very much alive
43:39Willie Mays did
43:40what he did
43:42he also hit
43:43660 home runs
43:49his final Yankee
43:50stadium appearance
43:51was in front of
43:52a
43:52I saw him about
43:55four or five away
43:56he told me
43:57I could come and see him
43:58the new one to see him
43:59was the question
43:59who Joe would see
44:03Ty and She
44:04you know
44:04that was like a god
44:05a Yankee team
44:06Joe passed in Florida
44:08on March 8th
44:091999
44:09after battling lung cancer
44:11his legacy
44:13was celebrated
44:13by Yankee fans
44:15we love you
44:17Joe DiMaggio
44:19may your legacy
44:21continue
44:28baseball has bestowed
44:30every honor
44:31on the great DiMaggio
44:32and he'll always be revered
44:34as one of the game's
44:35best all-around players
44:37DiMaggio hit
44:38361 home runs
44:40in his career
44:40while striking out
44:42only 369 times
44:44he was
44:45as good a ball player
44:47as we've ever seen
44:50if he not come back
44:52in 51
44:53he would have been
44:54the only guy
44:55in league history
44:56to strike out
44:57less than he hit
44:59a home run
45:01I believe
45:04I'll try to
45:05every once in a while
45:06take a shot
45:06and say
45:07well maybe
45:07he wasn't all that good
45:08he was that good
45:09I'll tell you
45:10he was that good
45:13when you look
45:14at Joe DiMaggio's
45:15career
45:16he leads in nothing
45:17he's not the greatest
45:18home run hitter
45:19he doesn't have
45:20the highest batting average
45:21he doesn't have
45:22you know
45:22the most RBIs
45:24the heck with your
45:25individual averages
45:27I'll take the guy
45:28that did more
45:28for winning the pennant
45:30for you
45:30amazingly
45:31Joe was a world
45:33series champion
45:34for nearly 70%
45:36of his career
45:36the epitome of grace
45:38both on and off the field
45:40he was the perfect
45:41ball player
45:42he had just like
45:43an imperial presence
45:44on the field
45:44he was totally incredible
45:47he just had
45:48this disgraceful
45:50elegance
45:50about playing the
45:51he carried it
45:52off the field
45:53as well as on
45:55he could do
45:56everything well
45:57and do it
45:58with a certain
45:58amount of grace
45:59that belied
46:00how good
46:01he really was
46:02he was just
46:03something special
46:06everything he did
46:07was Mr. Perfection
46:09I mean
46:09everything he did
46:12he was a one way street
46:13that guy
46:14he wanted
46:15to play the game
46:16his life
46:17was baseball
46:19Joe DiMaggio
46:20a man who demanded
46:21a man who demanded
46:22perfection from himself
46:23Joe DiMaggio
46:24is the perfect symbol
46:25of New York Yankees
46:26excellence
46:27that has transcended
46:29generations
46:30Joe DiMaggio
46:31said there is always
46:32some kid
46:33who may be seeing me
46:33for the first or last time
46:35he deserves my best
46:38every player
46:40who comes to Yankee Stadium
46:41recognizes
46:42that this is the Yankees
46:44of Joe DiMaggio
46:46Joe DiMaggio
46:47his legacy
46:48is the New York Yankees
46:50it's the culture
46:52of winning
46:53the tradition
46:54of winning
46:55the insistence
46:56on winning
46:56that has marked
46:57the Yankees
46:58and set them apart
46:59from every other
47:00franchise
47:01in the history
47:02of American sports
47:06we all have flaws
47:08but it's almost impossible
47:10to put into words
47:11what he was able to do
47:12as a ball player
47:13how he lifted those
47:15around him
47:16to another level
47:17there aren't that many
47:18people
47:19who possess
47:19the kind of charisma
47:21that enables them
47:22to lead by example
47:24and Joe went beyond
47:25even that
47:26for he
47:27yeah yeah yeah
47:29we get it
47:29as
47:30as
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