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The DiMaggio Brothers Photo Gallery
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The DiMaggio Brothers:
Which of the Three Was Ultimately the Most Successful In life?
Bill Gutman’s recent post on Ray Boone and the three baseball generations of the Boone family started me thinking of other baseball relations. I thought this might be a good time to say few words about the three DiMaggio brothers, arguably the most successful set of brothers in baseball history.
More than 350 sets of brothers have played in the major leagues, but the only three brothers to have been All-Stars are the DiMaggio’s, with a total of 18 selections: Oldest brother Vince DiMaggio had two All-Star selections; Joe had nine; while youngest brother Dom was a seven-time All-Star.
In the neat featured photo, we see the three DiMaggio brothers at Wrigley Field, Los Angeles for a 1956 Pacific Coast League Old-Timers’ game.
That Joe DiMaggio was one of the greatest ballplayers of all time, hitting .325 in a 13-year career, is hardly in dispute. But what a shadow he cast over his two brothers!
During a respectable ten-year career in which he batted .246 with 125 home runs, and 584 RBIs, little-known Vince played for the Bees, Reds, Pirates, Phillies, and Giants. He was noted for his speed, occasional power, and outstanding defense. Vince’s weakness was strikeouts, and he led the league six times in that category. Vince had a nice season in 1941 when he hit 21 home runs and drove in 100 for the Pirates. But did anybody notice? That happened to be the year of one of baseball’s most celebrated records: brother Joe DiMaggio’s famous 56-game hitting streak.
Bespeckled Dom DiMaggio, nicknamed “The Little Professor,” was the youngest of the three and was a stalwart in center field for the Red Sox for more than a decade. Over his career, he hit .298, with 87 home runs, 618 RBIs, 1046 runs, 100 stolen bases, and a .383 on-base percentage. Again, not Joe DiMaggio numbers, but an excellent career nonetheless.
Dom twice led the American League in runs, once in stolen bases, and once in triples. An excellent defensive center fielder with an outstanding arm, he also led the league many times in numerous defensive categories. Speaking of hitting streaks, how many fans know that Dom still holds the Red Sox record with a 34-game streak set in 1949? Dom might have joined Joe in the Hall of Fame if he hadn’t lost three full seasons to military service during World War II.
A few years ago, I wrote an essay about the DiMaggio brothers, so I thought I’d share a few excerpts, with the spotlight especially on the overlooked Vince:
Vince and Dom DiMaggio were largely overshadowed by their famous brother. After all, what more can be said about “Joltin’ Joe” DiMaggio—the great Yankee Clipper—that hasn’t already been said? That he was one of the greatest ballplayers of all time is hardly in dispute. How many baseball fans even know that Joe DiMaggio had an older brother Vince who played ten years in the major leagues and was in the top-10 in home runs in the National League six times? In 1941 Vince hit a career-high 21 homers and 100 RBI, and he was a National League All-Star each of the next two seasons. The Phillies then acquired him for the 1945 season. Vince responded with 19 homers and 84 RBI at age 32. He still holds the Phillies record for grand-slam home runs in a season with four.
After baseball, Vince – without the benefit of lucrative endorsements and speaking engagements that came to his famous brother – took on a number of odd jobs: bartender, liquor salesman, carpenter, and finally Fuller Brush salesman. He spent his spare time fishing, gardening, and studying the Bible. He was said to have found “inner peace” later in life, and his only disappointment was, except for an occasional phone call, he had lost touch with his brother Joe.
Vince had once joked that ‘If I could hit like Joe and he could talk like me, we’d make a helluva guy.’ Vince once said of him:
“Joe’s always been a loner and he always will be. When the folks were alive we were a lot closer. It’s only a shame that we have gone such different ways. That’s real sad. Family should stick together.”
Actually it may have been even worse than that. According to Joe DiMaggio biographer Richard Ben Cramer, Joe “didn’t deal with Vince at all,” never maintaining any meaningful relationship with him.
Although surpassed on the playing field by their Hall-of-Fame brother, both Vince and Dom far outshined him in an area of much greater significance: family, with both enjoying long successful marriages with loving wives and loving children. Quite different post-baseball lives from their reclusive brother Joe’s life of loneliness, Hollywood glitter, multiple broken marriages, and estranged children.
Vince died at his home in 1986 at age 74, survived by Madelaine – his loving wife of more than fifty years – and two children. Likewise, Dom, who became extremely successful in business following his baseball career, died in 2009, aged 92, survived by Emily, his loving wife of 61 years, and their three children.
So ultimately the question becomes: Which of the DiMaggio brothers was the most successful? I’ll leave the answer for you to ponder…
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Top photo was taken at Wrigley Field, Los Angeles for a 1956 Pacific Coast League Old-Timer’s Day game. Wrigley Field in LA was most famous in 1959 for the television show, Home Run Derby and also home (one year only) for the 1961 expansion Los Angles Angels. I can’t forget that it was also the favorite ballpark of minor league sensation, Steve Bilko who hit 55 then 56 homers in 1956 and ’57, the last two years for the PCL Angels. The ballpark was also used for many movies like “Damn Yankees” and “Geisha Boy” just to name 2.
Thanks Jim. By the way I got your info about Horace Stoneham. I’m hoping to put something together fairly soon.
Great! Thanks Gary. Hoping he gets into the HOF!
When I first saw the story title, I thought the answer was obvious. Besides his legendary baseball accomplishments, Joe was also married to Marilyn, referenced in a classic Simon and Garfunkel song, and the longtime national spokesman for Mr. Coffee. Good to learn just a little bit about the post-career exploits of Vince and Dom.
The DiMaggio Brothers are truly the epitome of Americana! I love their story and their success in baseball and in life!
“Who hits the ball and makes it go?
Dominic DiMaggio.
Who runs the bases fast, not slow?
Dominic DiMaggio.
Who’s better than his brother Joe?
Dominic DiMaggio.
But when it comes to gettin’ dough,
They give it all to brother Joe.”
———-
Boston version of Les Brown’s “Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio”….😁
Hey Paul- I was looking for a quote by Ted Williams about Dom Dimaggio but I couldn’t find it. Didn’t he say something like, “The best centerfielder of the DiMaggio was Dom.” Figured you’d probably know.
Jim,
It’s hard to believe that Dodger Stadium and The Big A are the 3rd and 4th oldest ballparks in the majors; also considering that they shared Chavez Ravine for four seasons.
You know you’re getting old when you remember all the ballparks being built since being born with the exception of Fenway (1912) and Wrigley (1914).
Even more amazing is the fact that some “newer” franchise cities are in their 3rd park-Atlanta (1966) and Texas (1972).
I loved Chicago’s Wrigley until they put those horrendous jumbo-trons in left and right fields. My favorites are Dodger Stadium, Fenway, Camden Yards and good old Wrigley. Gotta get to Seattle and hopefully, one day the A’s will get a beauty ……. but keep Oakland at a cozy 40,000, no more. So much to discuss.
1) I met Joe DiMaggio once. He was one cold person. It didn’t bother me one bit. I’m not star struck. So called stars are no different than anybody else.
2) I’ve been to 13 different parks. PNC in Pittsburgh is tremendous. I wish the White Sox had built a park as nice as PNC.
Gary,
I don’t have any recollection of Ted saying Dom was the best of the DiMaggios.
He at one time said Joe was better than himself.
Joe was somewhat miffed about the close relationship between Dom and Ted.
Joe was no shrinking violet about his status. Later in life, he insisted that any appearance at old timers games or other gatherings of players that he be introduced as the “greatest living ball player” that somewhat irked Ted.
I read somewhere that when Ted died, one of the things in his possessions found was a notebook in which Ted had written points about how he was a better hitter than Joe,
although he never declared that in a public comparison. In fact, he had stated that Willie Mays was the best ball player he had ever seen.
Yet, when someone asked what he wanted people to remember about him, he famously said, “There’s goes Ted Williams, the best damn hitter in baseball.”
Gary,
Williams did say in his book that, “Dom was a great center fielder.”
Interesting question about the relative success of the three brothers–can you imagine Joe ever being a Fuller Brush salesman like Vince? Feel a little sad they weren’t closer.
Dom said he made several great catches to rob Joe and would always get a glare from his brother when he did. When reporters once asked Joe D. about a great catch Dominick made to rob him and save the game for the Red Sox, Joe snarled, “If Dom doesn’t make that catch, it hits him right between the eyes.”
Thanks!
Bill schaefer
LOL, Bill.
Joe did sell a household item–Mr. Coffee.
“Particular about your coffee?”…
Dom also caught Joe rounding second on a double and deking to see where the throw was logically going. Usually to third. Dom threw to second, catching Joe a couple of times.
Joe would exclaim, “Who throws to second on a play like that.”
I agree with your statement that Ted said Dom was a great CF; just not specifically to what Gary asked; that he said Dom was the best of the DiMag family.
Just found this on YouTube. 1991 interview of Ted and Joe by Jack Buck. Five minutes long. A gem. Answers some questions…..
https://youtu.be/Z3O15QCEDl4
That’s a great clip, Paul! Thanks for providing it for us. Liked Jack Buck on the interview.
After Joe’s streak was broken on two terrific plays by Ken Keltner, he hit in 16 more–making 72 of 73 games where The Yankee Clipper hit safely.
Ted Williams had said Willie Mays was the greatest he ever saw. On the interview, he kind of alluded to Mays in that regard, after he had said DiMag was the best right handed hitter ever. But when Buck did the final summation, Williams acquiesced. Pretty tough to say Mays was the greatest at that point–with the great Joe D. looking right at you!
What baseball fan could ever forget the DiMaggios?