Vince DiMaggio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vince DiMaggio |
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DiMaggio in 1956
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| Center fielder | |||
| Born: September 6, 1912 Martinez, California, U.S. |
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| Died: October 3, 1986 (aged 74) North Hollywood, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 19, 1937, for the Boston Bees | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 6, 1946, for the New York Giants | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .249 | ||
| Home runs | 125 | ||
| Runs batted in | 584 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Vincent Paul DiMaggio (born September 6, 1912 – died October 3, 1986) was an American professional baseball player. He played as a center fielder in Major League Baseball for 10 years. Vince played for several teams, including the Boston Bees, Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Giants. He was also the older brother of famous baseball players Joe and Dom DiMaggio.
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Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Vince DiMaggio was born in Martinez, California. He grew up in North Beach, San Francisco. Vince was the oldest of the three DiMaggio brothers who became professional baseball players. He was discovered first, and his younger brother Joe often watched him play. Vince was known for his strong hitting and good fielding skills. He even joked that he could run circles around Joe in the outfield!
Baseball Career Highlights
Starting in the Minor Leagues (1932–1936)
Vince DiMaggio began his professional baseball journey in 1932. He played for the Tucson Lizards in a league called Class-D Arizona–Texas League. That year, he hit very well, with a .347 batting average. He also hit 25 home runs and had 81 runs batted in (RBI). He led his league in home runs. After playing 94 games with the Lizards, he finished the season with the San Francisco Seals.
In 1933, Vince continued to play well for the San Francisco Seals and the Hollywood Stars. He then joined the San Diego Padres in 1936.
Playing in Major League Baseball
Vince DiMaggio joined Major League Baseball (MLB) in 1937. He was traded to the Boston Bees. He played regularly as an outfielder for the Bees in 1937 and 1938. In 1937, he hit 13 home runs. In 1938, he led the Bees with 14 home runs. He was also good at stealing bases, with 11 steals that year. However, he also led the National League in strikeouts in both 1937 and 1938. His 134 strikeouts in 1938 set a new league record at the time.
In 1939, Vince was traded to the New York Yankees. However, he did not play for the Yankees in a regular game. Instead, they sent him to their minor league team, the Kansas City Blues.
Later in 1939, Vince was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. He played a few games for the Reds in 1939 and 1940. Then, in May 1940, the Reds traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Vince spent most of his MLB career playing for the Pirates. During his time with them, he was chosen to play in the All-Star Game twice, in 1943 and 1944. In the 1943 All-Star Game, he hit a home run, a triple, and a single. He also scored two runs and had one RBI.
In 1945, he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. While playing for the Phillies, he hit four grand slams. A grand slam is a home run hit when all three bases are loaded with runners.
His last MLB team was the New York Giants in 1946. He was traded to them in May 1946.
Over his 10-year MLB career, Vince DiMaggio played in 1110 games. He had a .249 batting average, hit 125 home runs, and had 584 RBI.
Back to the Minor Leagues
After his time in MLB, Vince DiMaggio returned to playing in the minor leagues. In 1947, he played for the Oakland Oaks. In 1948, he became a player-manager for the Stockton Ports. This meant he both played on the team and helped coach it. He also played for and managed the Pittsburg Diamonds from 1949 to 1951. He finished his professional baseball career in 1951 with the Tacoma Tigers.
Personal Life
Vince DiMaggio was married and had two children. He also had four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He passed away in North Hollywood, California, at the age of 74.
During World War II, Vince DiMaggio worked at the California Shipbuilding Corporation. He was one of many athletes who helped the war effort by building important equipment.
Even though they were brothers, Vince and Joe DiMaggio did not have a very close relationship. However, Vince once made a funny comment about their different skills: "If I could hit like Joe and he could talk like me, we'd make a helluva guy."
