Dom DiMaggio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dom DiMaggio |
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| Center fielder | |||
| Born: February 12, 1917 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
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| Died: May 8, 2009 (aged 92) Marion, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 16, 1940, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 9, 1953, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .298 | ||
| Home runs | 87 | ||
| Runs batted in | 618 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Dominic Paul DiMaggio (February 12, 1917 – May 8, 2009) was a famous American baseball player. People often called him "the Little Professor" because he was shorter than his brothers and wore glasses. He played his entire 11-year career as a center fielder for the Boston Red Sox from 1940 to 1953. Dom was the youngest of three brothers who all became professional baseball players. His older brothers were Joe and Vince, who were also center fielders.
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Who Was Dom DiMaggio?
Dom DiMaggio was a talented baseball player known for his skills. He was a great leadoff hitter, meaning he often started the team's turn at bat. He hit for a high average of .300 four times in his career. He also led the American League in runs scored twice. He was also good at getting triples and stolen bases.
Dom was also an excellent fielder. He led American League center fielders in assists three times. He also led in putouts and double plays twice. His 34-game hitting streak in 1949 is still a record for the Boston Red Sox.
His Famous Family
Dom was the youngest of nine children. His family came from Sicily and settled in North Beach, San Francisco. His two older brothers, Joe and Vince, also became major league center fielders. Joe DiMaggio was a huge star for the rival New York Yankees. Vince DiMaggio played for several teams in the National League.
Dom's smaller size (5'9") and the fact that he wore eyeglasses led to his nickname, "The Little Professor."
Dom's Baseball Career Highlights
Dom started his professional baseball journey in 1937. He played for the San Francisco Seals in the Pacific Coast League. In 1939, he had an amazing .360 batting average. The Boston Red Sox noticed his talent and bought his contract for $75,000.
In his first year with the Red Sox in 1940, he hit .301. He joined Ted Williams and Doc Cramer to form a powerful outfield where everyone hit over .300. He was chosen as an All-Star in both 1941 and 1942.
Serving His Country
Dom's baseball career was put on hold for three years. He served in the United States Navy during World War II. He was stationed in places like Australia and the Philippines. He was discharged in 1945 as a chief petty officer.
Return to Baseball and Big Games
When Dom returned to the Red Sox in 1946, he had one of his best seasons. He batted .316, helping Boston win its first pennant (league championship) in 28 years.
He played in the 1946 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. In Game 7, he hit a double that tied the score. However, he hurt his hamstring while running to second base and had to leave the game. This was a big moment because the Cardinals then scored the winning run. Some people believe if Dom had stayed in the game, the outcome might have been different.
In 1948, Dom had a great year, scoring 127 runs. He also set new American League records for putouts and total chances as a center fielder. In 1949, he had his team-record 34-game hitting streak. Interestingly, his brother Joe ended this streak with an amazing catch!
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Leading the League
In 1950, Dom led the American League in runs (131), triples (11), and stolen bases (15). On June 30 of that year, he and his brother Joe both hit home runs in the same game! This was a rare event for brothers playing against each other.
Dom led the league in runs again in 1951. He also had another long hitting streak of 27 games. He retired from baseball in May 1953. He finished his career with a .298 batting average, 1680 hits, and 618 runs batted in. He was chosen as an All-Star seven times during his career.
Dom was very close friends with his teammates Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, and Johnny Pesky. Their friendship was even written about in a book called The Teammates.
Life After Baseball
After retiring from baseball in 1953, Dom DiMaggio started a new career. He became a successful businessman. He formed a company that made padding for car seats and furniture. Later, he merged it with another company to create the Delaware Valley Corporation.
In 1959, Dom helped start a new American football team in Boston. This team became the New England Patriots. He was one of the original owners. He later sold his share of the team for a good profit.
Dom was also involved with Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire. He joined their board of trustees in 1979 and helped the college grow for many years. Both he and his wife, Emily, received honorary degrees from the college.
In 1995, Dom DiMaggio was honored by being inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame.
His Final Years
Dom DiMaggio passed away on May 8, 2009, at his home in Marion, Massachusetts. He was 92 years old.
See also
- Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
- List of Boston Red Sox team records
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual stolen base leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
