Dom DiMaggio
Date and Place of Birth: February 12, 1917 San Francisco, California
Died: May 7, 2009 Massachusetts
Baseball
Experience:
Major League
Position: Outfield
Rank: Unknown
Military Unit: US Navy
Area Served: Pacific Theater of Operations
Major League Stats: Dom DiMaggio on Baseball-Almanac
DiMaggio joined the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League in 1937. Nicknamed “The Little Professor” because of his small stature (5-foot-9) and eyeglasses, he batted .361 for the Seals in 1939 and was purchased by the Boston Red Sox.
He batted .301 in 108 games his rookie year and followed that with a couple of solid seasons, during which time he served as an aircraft spotter. He failed an Army physical due to poor eyesight but requested an examination by Navy doctors and was called to active duty with the Navy in October 1942.
DiMaggio served at Norfolk Naval Training Station during 1943, where he played baseball regularly.
He was sent to Australia in 1944 where he remained for the duration of the war, managing the Naval Depot Supply team in Brisbane. In addition to managing the team and playing outfield, he also played shortstop, did a little pitching and had to lay out the field before the games.
DiMaggio was discharged from service in January 1946. He was back with the Red Sox for the regular season and hit .316 to help Boston to the World Series where they were defeated by the Cardinals in seven games.
An outstanding defensive centerfielder, DiMaggio continued to hold down that spot for the Red Sox through the 1952 season. He retired in May 1953, after appearing in only three games that year as a pinch hitter. He was named to the American League All-Star team seven times, had a 34-game hitting streak in 1949 and led the league in runs scored in 1950 and 1951. He played in 1399 games and finished with a career batting average of .298.
DiMaggio later started a successful
company in New Hampshire that manufactured carpeting for cars.
which he ran
until his retirement in 1983. He remained active in many charitable
and civic causes, supporting medical and
education institutions, even serving on
the board of trustees at St. Anselm's College in New
Hampshire. He also helped found the AFL franchise
that eventually became the New England
Patriots.
He was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 1995. Dom DiMaggio passed away on May 8, 2009, aged 92. "He was the most wonderful, warm, loving man," Emily, his wife of 61 years, said. "He adored his children, and we all adored him."
Created July 28, 2007. Updated May 9, 2009.
Copyright © 2015 Gary Bedingfield (Baseball in Wartime). All Rights Reserved.