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Joseph Paul DiMaggio was born on November 25 1914 in Martinez, California. His father was a fisherman, and had plans for his sons to follow into the same profession, but Joe had other ideas.
At school Joe found he had a talent for the game of baseball, he looked forward to these lessons more than anything else. But in 1930 he briefly gave it up to practise on his tennis. This did not last very long and soon he was back to his first love of baseball.
In 1931, at the height of the great depression, he dropped out of high school, and began working at the San Francisco Docks. He worked as a labourer crating oranges, in a cannery, delivered groceries and loaded trucks. But he hated it, he realised all he wanted to do in life was play baseball. He loved the game and knew that it was the one thing he was good at. In 1932 he began to play for the San Francisco Boys Club.
In 1933 he signed up for a full season with the Seals, it was while he was here that people began to notice the up and coming young player. But in June the following year he injured the ligaments in his knee and was out of action for a while, four weeks later he re injured the same knee as was out of action for the rest of the season. Later that year the New York Yankees bought his contract and in 1936 saw his beginnings with the Major League.
In 1937 Joe led the American League in home runs and in 1939 and 1940 in batting. He was a consistent player who was quickly given the nickname Joltin' Joe. He seemed to play the game without having to really try at all.
His talent was a natural part of him; even the most strenuous of games seemed to have no effect on him.
In 1943 Joe began his three years duty in the military services, but at the end of the war went straight back to the game he loved.
Between 1936 and 1951 Joe helped the Yankees win nine World Series and ten American Championships.
He was awarded the Most Valuable Player for the American League three times. At the end of the 1951 series Joe retired from the game.
In 1954 Joe married the film star Marilyn Monroe, and although the marriage lasted less than a year they stayed close friends.
In 1955 he had the honour of being elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
After his retirement from the game he began to work for several charitable causes, and commercial concerns, he had gained the reputation of being a well liked and respected man because of the effort he put into everything he did.
Joseph DiMaggio died on March 8 1999 in Hollywood.
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