Joe DiMaggio

Joseph Paul DiMaggio was an exceptional center fielder who played his entire 13-year Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. He was nicknamed "Joltin' Joe," "The Yankee Clipper," and "Joe D.", and is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time.

During his career with the Yankees, DiMaggio was a three-time American League (AL) Most Valuable Player Award winner and a 13-time MLB All-Star. He also helped the club secure ten American League pennants and nine World Series titles.

During his retirement after the 1951 season, he had 361 career home runs, ranked sixth in career slugging with a percentage of.579, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955.

Joe DiMaggio’s Personal Information

Joe DiMaggio’s Early Life

Joe DiMaggio was born in Martinez, California, to Sicilian immigrants parents and was the eighth of nine children.

DiMaggio's father was a strict disciplinarian who hoped that he would become a fisherman. However, DiMaggio hated the smell of dead fish and chose baseball instead.

His father criticized him as "lazy" and "good for nothing," but he was determined to pursue a baseball career. At ten years old, he played third base at the North Beach playground near his home.

Before dropping out of Galileo High School to work part-time and play semi-pro baseball, DiMaggio attended Hancock Elementary and Francisco Middle School. In 1932, he signed with the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League and debuted professionally.

In 1933, DiMaggio set a PCL record with a 61-game hitting streak. The following year, he suffered a knee injury that could have ended his career, but he recovered and became one of the greatest baseball players ever.

In 1935, he was named the MVP of the PCL, and the New York Yankees subsequently signed him.

Joe DiMaggio’s Personal Life

Joe was a private person who refrained from revealing details about his personal life, investments, or business dealings. However, there are a few things that are known about his relationships.

Joe was married twice, and his first marriage was to Dorothy Arnold in 1939. They had a son, Joe Di Maggio III, born in 1941. The couple divorced in 1954.

Joe’s second marriage was to Marilyn Monroe in 1954. Their marriage was highly publicized, but it was also short-lived with their divorce in 1955. After his second divorce, Joe never remarried.

Joe was a generous man who supported many charities throughout his life. One of his most notable contributions was to the Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital.

Joe DiMaggio’s Family Background

Joe was born to Giuseppe and Rosalia DiMaggio, who were Italian by nationality and had immigrated to California, United States.

Joe’s father was a fisherman, and his mother was a homemaker. Joe’s mother supported him and his dream to pursue a baseball career. Joe had nine siblings, but only his brothers Dom and Vince played Major League Baseball, and like Joe, they were all remarkable centerfielders.

Joe DiMaggio’s Wife

Marlyn Monroe was Joe’s second wife, and although their marriage was short-lived, it was known to fans as one of the most tumultuous and passionate relationships in Hollywood history.

Marilyn Monroe was born in 1926 to parents Charles Stanley Gifford and Gladys Pearl Baker. She was a successful actress known for her blonde bombshell roles in films like The Seven Year Itch and How to Marry a Millionaire.

She had a difficult childhood and mostly grew up in foster homes and orphanages. She began her modeling career after meeting a photographer and quickly became a successful pin-up model.

Monroe married Joe DiMaggio in 1954 but divorced him nine months later, citing cruel indifference. After that, she married Arthur Miller in 1956, ending in divorce in 1961. She died in 1962 without having any children.

Joe remained in love with Monroe after their divorce. He flew to Los Angeles after her death, arranged her funeral, and designed her headstone. Joe also kept Marilyn’s promise of roses after her death and fulfilled it by sending them to her grave weekly.

In Joe’s final moments, his last words were, "I'll finally get to see Marilyn again," as per koimoi.com.

Joe DiMaggio’s Kids

Joe DiMaggio and his first wife, Dorothy Arnold, had one child together, Joe DiMaggio III, born in 1941. With his second wife, Marilyn Monroe, DiMaggio had no children.

Joe DiMaggio’s Net Worth

Joe’s last reported net worth was around an estimated $50 million, as per celebritynetworth.com.

Joe lived a simple life, and his net worth was not so much to consider, but it was until he was introduced to wealth manager/lawyer Morris Engelberg through some friends in Palm Beach late in life.

Engelberg immediately went to work jump-starting Joe's finances. He increased Joe's daily autograph signing rate to $50 thousand and then $75 thousand.

Engleberg worked out a single deal in which Score Brand paid Joe $9 million over two years to sign 1,000 photographs and 1,000 balls monthly. He arranged new endorsement deals and demanded raises on existing agreements like Joe's longstanding affiliation with Mr. Coffee.

Best of all, Morris never took any remuneration for his work. Instead, he was pleased to assist the former slugger and proudly boasted to his other clients that he had worked with THE Joe DiMaggio.

Joe DiMaggio as a Brand Ambassador

There is limited information available regarding Joe being a brand ambassador. However, he endorsed various industries, including Mr. Coffee, Bowery Savings Bank, and Chesterfield Cigarettes.

Joe DiMaggio’s Career Stats

Throughout his 13-year MLB career with the New York Yankees, DiMaggio kept a steady batting average of .325, a .398 on-base percentage, and a .579 slugging percentage, as well as hitting 361 career home runs and scoring 1,537 RBIs, and maintained an on-base plus slugging percentage of .977.

Here is a tabular representation of Joe DiMaggio’s MLB career stats.

Source - MLB.com.

Joe DiMaggio’s Achievements

Here is a tabular representation of Ruth’s Achievements so far.

Joe DiMaggio’s Contract

Joe’s highest reported contract with the New York Yankees in 1949 was a guaranteed deal of $100 thousand annually.

Joe DiMaggio’s Diet

Joe’s diet was high in protein and carbohydrates. He ate plenty of meat, eggs, and pasta and enjoyed dairy foods. He also liked to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. as per carlinosrestaurant.com.

Joe DiMaggio’s House

Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe were married for a brief period in 1954. The couple lived together at 2393 Castilian Drive in Los Angeles during their marriage.

Joe DiMaggio’s Cars

In 1991, the New York Yankees gave Joe DiMaggio a 1991 Mercedes-Benz 420 SEL as a gift to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his 56-game hitting streak. He drove that car until he passed away. The car was sold during an auction in 2006 for $20.7 thousand. as per Volocars.com.