Joe DiMaggio

 NAME Joe DiMaggio (born Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio)

WHAT FAMOUS FOR:  Joe DiMaggio was a legendary American baseball player, considered one of the greatest of all time. He is most famous for his incredible 56-game hitting streak in 1941, a record that still stands today.  He was also a celebrated center fielder for the New York Yankees, known for his grace, power, and quiet intensity.

BIRTH Joe DiMaggio was born on November 25, 1914, in Martinez, California.

FAMILY BACKGROUND Joe was the eighth of nine children born to Giuseppe and Rosalia DiMaggio, immigrants from Isola delle Femmine, Sicily. His father, Giuseppe, was a fisherman, as were generations of DiMaggios before him. 

Rosalia named Joe after his father, hoping he would be her last child, and gave him the middle name Paolo in honor of Saint Paul of Tarsus.

Joe’s brothers, Dom and Vince, also became professional baseball players. Dom played for the Boston Red Sox, while Vince played for multiple MLB teams as a center fielder.

CHILDHOOD Growing up in a working-class Sicilian-American household, Joe was expected to join the family fishing business, but he disliked the smell of fish and the sea. Instead, he gravitated toward baseball, developing his skills on the sandlots of San Francisco.

EDUCATIONJoe DiMaggio attended Galileo High School in San Francisco but did not graduate, as he left school to pursue baseball professionally.

CAREER RECORD Joe DiMaggio played for the New York Yankees from 1936 to 1951, with his career interrupted by military service during World War II. He was a 13-time All-Star, a three-time American League MVP, and helped lead the Yankees to nine World Series championships. 

APPEARANCE Joe DiMaggio was known for his classic, clean-cut looks, standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing around 193 pounds. His athletic physique, dark hair, and strong features made him a prominent and admired figure. He was known for his classic, almost aloof, demeanor.

DiMaggio kisses his bat in 1941

FASHION DiMaggio was always impeccably dressed, both on and off the field. He favored tailored suits and maintained a polished appearance, reinforcing his image as a gentleman athlete.

 CHARACTER Joe DiMaggio was known for his quiet dignity, discipline, and strong work ethic. He carried himself with grace and professionalism, earning the nickname “The Yankee Clipper” for his smooth playing style. Although reserved and private, he was deeply respected by teammates and fans alike.

SPEAKING VOICE DiMaggio had a deep, measured voice with a slight Italian-American accent. He was not particularly verbose, often preferring to let his actions speak louder than words, but when he did speak, his words carried weight.

SENSE OF HUMOUR: Joe DiMaggio was known for being a rather serious and private individual, but there are a few anecdotes that provide glimpses of his sense of humor:

One humorous story involves DiMaggio's reaction to a fan's praise. He reportedly said, "It's almost a joke when some fan tells me I'm a great man. I'm just a ballplayer who works hard trying to get by." 

Another example comes from a conversation with a reporter. DiMaggio quipped, "I can remember a reporter asking me for a quote, and I didn't know what a quote was. I thought it was some kind of soft drink."

RELATIONSHIPS: Joe DiMaggio's personal life was as scrutinized as his baseball career, marked by two high-profile marriages. His first marriage was to actress Dorothy Arnold, whom he met on the set of Manhattan Merry-Go-Round in 1937. They married on November 19, 1939, at Saints Peter and Paul Church in San Francisco, with an estimated 20,000 well-wishers crowding the streets.

The couple welcomed a son, Joseph Paul DiMaggio Jr., in 1941. However, the marriage was strained by differing priorities. Arnold desired a settled family life, while DiMaggio was more drawn to the public eye.  They divorced in 1944 while DiMaggio was serving in World War II.

DiMaggio's second, and most famous, marriage was to Marilyn Monroe. Their courtship began in 1952 after DiMaggio arranged a date with the Hollywood icon. They eloped and married in a quiet ceremony at San Francisco City Hall n January 14, 1954.  

The marriage, dubbed "The Marriage of the Century," was a media sensation.  However, it was short-lived and tumultuous. DiMaggio's jealousy and controlling nature contributed to the breakdown of the relationship, and Monroe filed for divorce after only nine months, citing mental cruelty.  

Despite their divorce, DiMaggio and Monroe maintained a connection. DiMaggio helped Monroe leave a psychiatric clinic in 1961, and rumors of reconciliation swirled before her untimely death in 1962.  DiMaggio took charge of Monroe's funeral arrangements and sent roses to her crypt three times a week for two decades. He never remarried, and, according to some accounts, his final words were, "I'll finally get to see Marilyn."

DiMaggio with wife Marilyn Monroe, January 1954

MONEY AND FAME As one of the biggest sports stars of his era, DiMaggio enjoyed great wealth and celebrity status. His $100,000 contract signed on February 7, 1949, set a new standard for baseball salaries. Even after retirement, he remained in the public eye, appearing in commercials and promotional campaigns, most famously as a spokesman for Mr. Coffee.

FOOD AND DRINK Joe DiMaggio's dietary habits were as distinctive as his playing style, reflecting a blend of personal preferences and image management.  His coffee ritual was precise: a half-cup of decaffeinated coffee accompanied by a small pot of hot water, which he meticulously mixed, ensuring not a drop too much.  He eschewed cappuccino and espresso, despite some claims to the contrary.  

While he enjoyed Italian cuisine, his tastes were selective.  He favored plain pound cake, toasted on one side, with his coffee.  Ironically, despite his Italian heritage, he avoided garlic, perhaps sensitive to ethnic stereotypes prevalent at the time.  He famously preferred chicken chow mein to spaghetti, a choice considered more "American" in that era.  Other favorites included Bazzini shelled peanuts and Cracker Jacks, which George Steinbrenner ensured were stocked in the owner's box. Though initially hesitant to try new things, he did enjoy a Philadelphia cheesesteak when persuaded.

DiMaggio's overall diet was high in protein and carbohydrates, consisting of ample meat, eggs, pasta, and dairy, alongside fruits and vegetables. Often, he gravitated toward simpler fare, like hot dogs from street vendors or a plate of pasta.  (1) 

MUSIC AND ARTS While DiMaggio was not known for artistic pursuits, his influence extended into pop culture. He was famously mentioned in Simon & Garfunkel’s 1968 hit song "Mrs. Robinson," with the lyric: "Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?" The line became one of the most iconic references to a sports figure in music history.

DiMaggio, upon hearing this, was initially baffled. He was, after all, very much alive and residing in San Francisco, so he hadn’t exactly gone anywhere. He later met Paul Simon, who explained that the line wasn’t meant literally but rather as a lament for fading American heroes. DiMaggio, who took pride in being a symbol of integrity, eventually embraced the song, and Simon later said that DiMaggio's quiet grace and old-school dignity made him the perfect figure for such a sentiment.

LITERATURE DiMaggio was a subject of fascination for writers and biographers. His life story has been chronicled in numerous books, including Richard Ben Cramer's Joe DiMaggio: The Hero’s Life, which examines his career, personal struggles, and lasting impact.

NATURE While not publicly known for an interest in nature, DiMaggio spent much of his life in California and Florida, states with warm climates and beautiful coastlines.

PETS DiMaggio was not particularly fond of dogs in his early life. A blog post mentions that he became "pretty much a dog person" later in life through his wife and kids, who were all dog lovers. This suggests that he did not grow up with dogs or have a strong affinity for them in his youth. (2)

Later in life, DiMaggio became associated with animal-assisted therapy programs, particularly through the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. However, these therapy dogs were part of the hospital's program and not personal pets of DiMaggio.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Aside from baseball, DiMaggio enjoyed golf, which he played frequently in his retirement. He also had a passion for fishing, a connection to his early years growing up in a family of fishermen.

BASEBALL CAREER Joe DiMaggio was, by all reasonable standards, a rather extraordinary baseball player. He was so smooth and effortless on the field that watching him play was like observing a great work of engineering in motion—silent, efficient, and somehow both impossibly precise and completely natural. For this, he earned the nickname "The Yankee Clipper," a reference to the swift and elegant clipper ships of the 19th century, and not, as one might assume, an endorsement deal with a local barbershop.

For 13 years (give or take a brief interlude for World War II), DiMaggio played for the New York Yankees, during which time he won nine World Series titles, three MVP awards, and, most notably, established one of the most absurdly unbreakable records in sports history. In the summer of 1941, DiMaggio hit safely in 56 consecutive games, a streak so preposterous that it has remained untouched for more than 80 years, despite countless overpaid, protein-shake-fueled attempts to surpass it. It ended, rather unceremoniously, on July 17 at Cleveland Stadium, where third baseman Ken Keltner performed two miraculous backhand stops, presumably ensuring that no one outside of Cleveland would ever say anything nice about him again.

Undeterred, DiMaggio simply started a new streak the very next day, this time lasting 16 games. Had he gotten just one more hit in that fateful 57th game, he would have strung together a 73-game hitting streak, at which point baseball statisticians might have thrown in the towel altogether and begun recording his achievements in a separate, more mythical category.

By 1949, DiMaggio was officially a man of considerable worth—not just in talent, but in dollars. On February 7, he signed a contract worth $100,000, making him the first baseball player to crack six figures, a development that undoubtedly caused every ballplayer before him to groan in unison at their own misfortune of being born too soon.

DiMaggio eventually retired on December 11, 1951, at which point he had little left to prove to anyone. His legacy was cemented: a career filled with effortless brilliance, a record that remains the stuff of legend, and a quiet dignity that made him as much an American icon as baseball itself.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY DiMaggio was raised Catholic, but he kept his religious beliefs largely private. He was known for his discipline, work ethic, and stoic personality—traits that shaped his approach to both baseball and life.

POLITICS DiMaggio was generally private about his political beliefs, but he was known to have conservative leanings. He supported military veterans and was associated with figures in the Republican Party, including President Richard Nixon.

SCANDAL DiMaggio's life was relatively free of major scandals, although his marriage and divorce from Marilyn Monroe were subject to intense public scrutiny.

MILITARY RECORD During World War II, DiMaggio enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) on February 17, 1943. Rather than being sent into combat, he was stationed in Santa Ana, California; Hawaii; and Atlantic City, where he served as a physical education instructor and player-manager for the US Army baseball team. His military service kept him away from professional baseball for three seasons (1943–1945), but he returned to the Yankees in 1946.

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS DiMaggio was known for his athleticism and dedication to physical fitness throughout his career. However, in his later years, his health declined, largely due to his heavy smoking habit. He was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent surgery at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Florida, on October 12, 1998. After three months in the hospital, he returned home on January 19, 1999, where he passed away seven weeks later.

HOMES Joe DiMaggio's residences reflected his desire for privacy and a sense of home.  His most significant property was a four-bedroom house in San Francisco's Marina district at 2150 Beach Street.  Purchased in 1937, the same year he joined the Yankees, the 2,100-square-foot home was initially intended for his parents, Giuseppe and Rosalie.  DiMaggio later acquired full ownership, buying out his siblings' shares.  Built in 1937, the house was reinforced after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and eventually sold for $1.1 million after DiMaggio's death in 1999.

DiMaggio's brief marriage to Marilyn Monroe saw them sharing a Mediterranean-style home in the Hollywood Hills at 2393 Castilian Drive.  Built in 1938, this 3,335-square-foot residence boasted four bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, vaulted ceilings, exposed wood beams, and multiple fireplaces.  The couple resided there circa 1953, with Monroe reportedly paying $237.82 in rent in 1952.

Beyond these, DiMaggio maintained a home in Florida later in life.  He also briefly lived in a Manhattan apartment at 400 West End Avenue from 1939 to 1942.  During their marriage in the 1950s, DiMaggio and Monroe stayed in Suite 1806 at the Lexington Hotel in New York City.  Known for his privacy, DiMaggio valued his homes as retreats from the public eye, often enjoying time with family within their walls.

TRAVEL As a Major League Baseball player and later a cultural icon, DiMaggio traveled extensively. He toured the United States for games, promotional events, and charity appearances. His military service also took him to Hawaii and other locations. He even traveled to Japan in the 1950s as part of a baseball goodwill tour.

DEATH Joe DiMaggio, the iconic New York Yankees center fielder, passed away on March 8, 1999, at the age of 84, at his home in Hollywood, Florida, after a prolonged struggle with lung cancer and subsequent complications.  He had been hospitalized for 99 days, beginning in October 1998, for lung cancer surgery, during which he faced various setbacks, including pneumonia.  He returned home in January 1999 but succumbed to his illness shortly after midnight on March 8. 

Conflicting accounts exist regarding his final words.  While his attorney, Morris Engelberg, claimed DiMaggio's last words were, "I'll finally get to see Marilyn," referring to his ex-wife, Marilyn Monroe, this has been disputed by others, including DiMaggio's brother, Dominic.

DiMaggio's funeral, held on March 11, 1999, at Saints Peter and Paul Church in San Francisco, was a private affair, as he had wished.  Only a small gathering of family and close friends, numbering between 30 and 60, attended the service led by Father Armand Oliveri, who had known DiMaggio since childhood. His brother, Dominic, delivered the eulogy, focusing on Joe's devotion to family and appreciation for friends rather than his legendary baseball career.  Pallbearers included his estranged son, Joseph Paul DiMaggio Jr., and other family members.

Following the funeral, DiMaggio was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, California. The funeral procession made a poignant stop at his former home on Beach Street in San Francisco en route to the cemetery.  Initially, he was entombed in an unmarked crypt within a marble mausoleum.  Later, a black granite mausoleum was erected as his final resting place, bearing the inscription: "JOSEPH PAUL DiMAGGIO, NOV. 25 1914 - MAR. 8 1999. DIGNITY, GRACE AND ELEGANCE PERSONIFIED."

DiMaggio's private mausoleum. By BrokenSphere - Own work, Wikipedia

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA  One of the most charming oddities of DiMaggio’s post-baseball life was his long-running stint as the spokesperson for Mr. Coffee. Yes, that Mr. Coffee—the drip coffee machine that graced millions of American kitchens in the '70s and '80s. His soothing, no-nonsense endorsement of the product helped turn it into a household staple, proving that if Joe DiMaggio could trust Mr. Coffee, then so could you.

Though he never actively pursued an acting career, DiMaggio made occasional appearances on TV, including guest spots on game shows and baseball documentaries. He also appeared briefly in the 1949 film The Stratton Story, a baseball drama starring Jimmy Stewart. However, his most notable film connection was through his tumultuous marriage to Marilyn Monroe—one half of one of the most iconic (and unlikely) celebrity pairings in American history.

ACHIEVEMENTS  Joe DiMaggio (1914-1999) is widely regarded as one of the greatest baseball players of all time. He played his entire 13-year Major League Baseball career with the New York Yankees, winning nine World Series titles and three American League MVP awards. His most famous achievement was his 56-game hitting streak in 1941, a record that still stands today.

Sources (1) Flavors and Knowledge, (2) Blog Joe DiMaggio