The Yankee Clipper — 56-game hitting streak and the most graceful athlete of his era.
Joseph Paul DiMaggio was born in Martinez, California in 1914. He played 13 seasons for the Yankees despite losing three prime years to military service in WWII. His 56-game hitting streak in 1941 is the most unbreakable record in American sports — the second-longest streak is 44 games. He batted .325 lifetime with 361 home runs. He married Marilyn Monroe in 1954 — his 9-month marriage and his grief after her death defined his post-playing public identity. He had flowers placed at her grave three times a week for 20 years after her death.
56-game hitting streak in 1941
How They Played
Graceful center fielder with powerful hitting
Lasting Impact
Yankees legend and cultural icon, married to Marilyn Monroe
World Series 9x
Statistical analysis suggests his 56-game hitting streak has roughly a one-in-a-million chance of being replicated — widely considered the most unbreakable record in sport.
Did You Know?Career Honours
- World Series 9x
- AL MVP 3x (1939,1941,1947)
- All-Star 13x
- Hall of Fame 1955