Nickname:	Joe D / Joltin' Joe / The Yankee Clipper
Known for:	The First of May, The Joe DiMaggio Show, Manhattan Merry-Go-Round
Birth name:	Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio Jr.
Birthday:	25 November 1914, Martinez, California, USA
Height:	6' 2" (1.88 m)

A monument was dedicated to him in Yankee Stadium on April 25, 1999 Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, 1955. Played for the American League's New York Yankees, 1936-1951 (except for military service, 1943-1945). Holds the Major League Baseball record of hitting safely in 56 consecutive games (1941). Never remarried after Marilyn's death. Banned the Kennedy's and Rat Packers from Marilyn's funeral. His number 5 was retired by the New York Yankees. The day after his 56 game hitting streak ended, DiMaggio embarked on a second streak that lasted 16 games. Had he hit in game #57, he would have had a 73 game hitting streak! Became the subject of death threats while dating Myrna Fahey in 1964. The FBI determined the threats came from a patient at Agnew Mental Hospital in San Francisco who could not bear to see DiMaggio with anyone other than Marilyn Monroe. Almost signed to write his memoirs with Joseph Durso, but backed out because he didn't want to talk about Marilyn Monroe. Durso went ahead and penned "DiMaggio: The Last American Knight." It was the closest DiMaggio ever came to cooperating with any of his biographers. An estimated 20,000 well-wishers jammed the streets around San Francisco's Church of Sts. Peter's and Paul's to witness DiMaggio marry Dorothy Arnold. Was sued by first wife Dorothy Arnold in June 1952 to get full custody of their son, claiming his now-girlfriend Marilyn Monroe posed a threat to the boy's morals. Suit was dismissed in February 1953. Claimed Marilyn Monroe's body after her suicide, and arranged her funeral, paying for her casket and crypt. Diamond and platinum "eternity ring" DiMaggio gave to Monroe after their marriage was auctioned by Christie's for $772,500. [27 October 1999] Marilyn Monroe won an interlocutory decree from DiMaggio on 27 October 1954, but, under California law, the divorce was not finalized until exactly 1 year later. Died at precisely 12:12 AM EST. Wanted no money for his cameo in "The First of May," but SAG rules dictated he had to accept the minimum salary of $250 per day. Vice-President of the Baltimore Orioles (1979 - 1988) Executive Vice-President and batting instructor for the Oakland A's (1968 - 1969) Only player in major professional sports history to be on 4 Championship teams in his first 4 seasons. In total, DiMaggio led the New York Yankees to 9 World Series titles in 13 years. Was born in a two-room dock-side house (destroyed by fire in 1948) and delivered by a midwife, identified on his birth certificate only as Mrs. J. Pico, at approximately 7:00 AM PST. Only player to hit a home run at the Polo Grounds, Ebbets Field and Yankee Stadium. The Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital opened, for which DiMaggio raised over $4,000,000. Elián González was taken there after he was rescued off the coast of Miami. [17 September 1992] Became the 1st baseball player to sign a contract for $100,000 ($70,000 base salary + bonuses). In 1950 and 1951, he signed contracts for $100,000 firm. [7 February 1949] Les Brown's hit song "Joltin' Joe DiMaggio" of the early forties was a tribute to DiMaggio's 56 game hitting streak of 1941. The only recorded instance of DiMaggio exhibiting any emotion on the field was during the 1947 World Series. He kicked the dirt after Al Gionfriddo's amazing catch of an otherwise home run. Named the Greatest Living Player in a 1969 poll to celebrate baseball's 100th anniversary. American League MVP (1939, 1941, 1947). Known for playing a graceful centerfield, he was the best at the position during the thirties and forties. First athlete to be awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom [10 January 1977] Wore #9 during the first half of his rookie year (1936) before being switched to #5. #9 was later given to Roger Maris, in whose honor the Yankees retired it in 1984. His mother wanted him to become a bookeeper because of his proficiency in math. Despite their son's popularity, Giuseppe and Rosalie DiMaggio - as were thousands of Italians - were deemed "enemy aliens" after Pearl Harbor was attacked. They had to carry photo-identification booklets at all times, weren't allowed to travel more than 5 miles from their home without a permit, and Giuseppe's fishing boat was seized. Linked to Marian McKnight, Lee Meriwether, Liz Renay, Cleo Moore, Marlene Dietrich, Morgan Fairchild, Dixie Evans, Gloria DeHaven, and Elizabeth Vargas. But he never publicly confirmed any involvement with any woman. He and his siblings did not learn to speak English until they started school; not surprisingly, English was DiMaggio's worst subject. Named Giuseppe by his mother in the hopes that he (the 8th) would be her last child; his middle name Paolo (Paul) was in honor of Giuseppe's favorite saint, St. Paul. For 20 years after the death of Marilyn Monroe, he had a half-dozen red roses placed at her crypt 3 times a week. Dorothy Arnold converted to Catholism to marry DiMaggio. When each remarried, they were excommunicated for bigamy; this was later reversed by Vatican II. Had DiMaggio's streak reached 57 games, Heinz would have hired him to endorse their Heinz 57. Always insisted on being introduced as "baseball's greatest living ballplayer" at any event after he had been awarded that title. Brother of Dominic DiMaggio. Mentioned in the Simon and Garfunkel song "Mrs. Robinson." Biography in: "American National Biography". Supplement 1, pp. 161-163. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. Two grandchildren, Paula and Cathy (adopted by his son). Four great-grandchildren. Is one of the many movie stars mentioned in Madonna's song "Vogue" Mentioned in John Fogerty's "Center Field," Joss Stone's "Whatever Happened to the Heroes," Tori Amos's "Father Lucifer," and Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire." Referenced in: South Pacific song "Bloody Mary"; Raymond Chandler's Farewell, My Lovely; Woody Guthrie's "DiMaggio Done It"; Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea; Seinfeld episode "The Note"; _"The Simpsons" (1989)_ episode "'Tis the Fifteenth Season"; Boobs in the Woods. Auction of over 1,000 DiMaggio's personal possessions held by his son's adopted daughters: 2,000th hit baseball ($29,900); 1947 MVP Award ($281,750); game-worn 1951 World Series uniform ($195,500); Hall of Fame ring ($69,000); photo Marilyn Monroe autographed "I love you Joe" ($80,500); her passport ($115,000); their marriage certificate ($23,000). The event netted $4.1 million. [19-20 May 2006] Is portrayed by Frank Converse in Marilyn: The Untold Story, by John Diehl in The Rat Pack, by Peter Dobson in Norma Jean & Marilyn and by Sal Landi in Marilyn and Me

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