New York Yankees Mount Rushmore
By David Hill
Joe DiMaggio (1936-1942, 1946-1951)
Although he played for only 13 seasons, few players were as great as New York Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio.
Even though his career was interrupted by World War Two, DiMaggio packed an impressive resume into those 13 years. On the diamond, he is best remembered for his 56 game hitting streak, but he was far more than that performance. He was an All Star in every single one of his major league seasons, and won three MVP awards. In those 13 years, DiMaggio appeared in the World Series ten times, winning nine championships.
Yet, for as well known as he was on the field, we was equally famous away from the game. He is also remembered for his marriage to Marilyn Monroe, leading to his lifelong devotion to the starlet. DiMaggio became a pop culture icon, mentioned in Ernest Hemingway’s ‘Old Man and the Sea‘ as well as the Simon and Garfunkel song ‘Mrs. Robinson, amongst other references over the years.
It is easy to understand why he captured the imagination. DiMaggio was a star for the Yankees, the best player on the best team in the game at the time. He produced a lifetime .325/.398/.527 batting line, hitting 361 homers and 389 doubles. Dimaggio was incredibly difficult to strike out, whiffing only 369 times in his career. Understandably, he has the best strike out to home run rate in major league history.
Joe DiMaggio made an impact in virtually every facet of life. His prowess with with New York Yankees was only the beginning.