Former Red Sox star Dom DiMaggio dies at 92

[IDemo]

Source: Associated Press

MARION, Mass. - Dominic DiMaggio, a seven-time All Star who still holds the record for the longest consecutive game hitting streak in Boston Red Sox history, has died at his Massachusetts home. He was 92.

DiMaggio died at about about 1 a.m. on Friday, according to his wife, Emily.

Known as the "Little Professor" because of his eyeglasses and his 5-foot-9, 168-pound frame, the younger brother of New York Yankees Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio hit in 34 consecutive games in 1949.

Dom's streak was broken on Aug. 9 when his big brother caught a sinking liner in the eighth inning of a 6-3 Red Sox win over the Yankees.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30637260/

[MADem]

1. I didn't think he was that old. Time sure flies. nt

[slackmaster]

2. Two famous Doms dead in one week

:(

[Hepburn]

3. Mr. Coffee...

...not being much of a sports fan...to me ~~ who LOVES coffee ~~ I will always think of him that way.

I had no clue he had a brother.

[IDemo]

4. Mr. Coffee's brother. Joe died ten years ago. n/t

[Hepburn]

11. I knew it was a bit ago...

...but had not realized it has been that long.

Wow...times flies!

[rurallib]

8. two brothers in the majors IIRC

I think brother Vince played for Pittsburgh.

[YankmeCrankme]

37. Yes, Vince played several years with the Pirates

Also, a couple with the Boston Braves and one with Philadelphia. The eldest and although not as talented as his other brothers, a pretty decent ballplayer.

[No Elephants]

5. This guy has been a saint as to charitable work and donations all his life. And sweet.

[JimboDem]

6. RIP, Dom.

:toast: to the 'Little Professor'.

[Mari333]

7. this was a man who won his accolades in baseball before

steroids. I never take baseball or any sport seriously anymore when I see guys out there pumped up on enhancement drugs. theres something not kosher about it now.

[Captain Hilts]

10. Guys don't naturally have breasts and those muscles don't help your swing anyway. nt

[Captain Hilts]

9. Shit! A GREAT player over-shadowed by his bro'.

I got some free food in an Italian delicatessen in Utica, NY once because I saw the photo of Dom posted behind the counter and knew who it was!

I have to read that book "brothers" about him, Ted and team mates.

[ananda]

13. What a cutie.

nt

[Captain Hilts]

14. He's catnip, isn't he? He was in the navy for 3 years. Another factor in his favor. rec. nt

[YankmeCrankme]

36. If it's the book I'm thinking of...The Teammates

Great book! It's about the friendship of Dom, Ted Williams, Johnny Pesky and Bobby Doer.

[msanthrope]

12. RIP Dom, you were terrific. n/t

[Are_grits_groceries]

15. Dom DiMaggio Dies; Played in His Brother’s Shadow

Source: NYT

Dom DiMaggio, a perennial All-Star with the Boston Red Sox and one of the finest center fielders of his era though he played in the shadow of his brother Joe, the Yankee icon, died Friday at his home in Marion, Mass. He was 92.

His death was announced by his wife, Emily, The Associated Press reported.

Joe DiMaggio was the Yankee Clipper, he was Joltin’ Joe, the personification of power and grace. Dom DiMaggio was the Little Professor, slight of build and bespectacled at a time when ballplayers rarely wore eyeglasses.

But Dom DiMaggio was an intense, aggressive ballplayer and a superb fielder, possessing great range and a powerful throwing arm. He led the American League twice in runs scored and once in triples, he batted .300 four times and he had a career batting average of .298 over 11 seasons, all with the Red Sox. He was a seven-time All-Star.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/sports/baseball/09dimaggio.html?_r=1&hp

---

He was great in his own right! RIP Dom...

[MADem]

16. Fakkin' Noo Yawk Times...he stood in the bright sunshine in Boston.

No shadows on him here.

[JonLP24]

18. Not that I'm a close baseball follower

I never heard of the guy. I'm sure where he played people knew him well. RIP.

[MADem]

26. He was what you'd call a local hero. But he was big here. NT

[Captain Hilts]

19. Didn't he have a consecutive hit streak or something statistically noteworthy?

[MADem]

25. 34 consecutive games, club record! 1949. They're mentioning it on the tee vee. NT

[Captain Hilts]

28. Sweet! I thought so! nt

[blueclown]

17. One of the great CFers to ever play the game

He was unfortunately, but deservingly, overshadowed by his brother.

[Captain Hilts]

20. As a player, not as a person. nt

[blueclown]

22. Certainly.

I was talking about his contributions on the baseball field. I did not get to know him personally.

[Journeyman]

21. Lousy headline -- everyone played in Joe's shadow . . .

but to say of anyone that their accomplishments were overshadowed by their brother -- especially such an accomplished man as Dom proved to be -- is an insult best chalked up to work of an ignorant, unfeeling editor. Had Dom's name been anything else he'd have been lauded in the headline for the accomplished player he was, not dishonored by comparison to another player.

[SoxFan]

43. Everyone except Teddy Ballgame

Of course, Dom played in the same lineup as Ted...

[Bicoastal]

23. Bad week for Doms...

...watch out, Mr. Perignon!

[Ernesto]

24. DiMaggio hit safely in 34 consecutive games in 1949.

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/30637260/

[Brother Buzz]

27. Joe ended Dom's hitting streak!

The streak was broken on Aug. 9 when his big brother (Joe) caught a sinking liner in the eighth inning of a 6-3 Red Sox win over the Yankees.

[Captain Hilts]

29. Now THAT I did not know. Ouch! nt

[nyy1998]

31. To be fair, Dom almost ended Joe's streak in 1941

The game Joe was supposed to break the record(45 games I think it was) he got robbed by Dom. To make sure that didn't happen again, Joe decided to hit one where Dom couldn't get to it: In the stands for a home run.

[Brother Buzz]

33. To be fair, Joe already had a 61-game hitting streak with the Seals in the PCL back in 1933

[nyy1998]

35. To be fair, we are talking about the Major League Record

The PCL at the time was not affiliated with the MLB although it did produce plenty of excellent players, but that might be because they had easy access to California talent.

[Brother Buzz]

38. PCL was the third league

Players were lured to play for the east coast teams for the dough. I dare you to find one player that played in both leagues that would suggest the Pacific Coast League played a lesser caliber of baseball.

The same argument could be said for the Colored League.

[nyy1998]

40. Most PCL guys actually consider it

more around AAA or a AAAA level(kinda like the Japanese and Korean leagues today). You're right about the Negro Leagues though. If better organized, that league could've been a huge rival to the Big Leagues but they obviously had too many hurdles to go over.

[MaineDem]

30. What a horrible headline. Oh, it's NY paper.

The Little Professor was a great baseball player! Did he have a brother? ;)

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

32. It's fairly rare

that two brothers perform at this level in baseball. There are other brother combos but I'm hard pressed to think of one that had two who played as well as these two. Maybe the Niekro's?

[Brother Buzz]

39. Matty, Felipe and Jesus Alou

:shrug:

[YankmeCrankme]

41. Paul and Lloyd Waner are probably the closest.

Paul was considered one of the best outfielders to play the game for many years and was elected to the HOF. Dom was much better than Lloyd, even though Lloyd made the HOF (really shouldn't be in) and Dom didn't.

The Alou brothers not so much. Matty and Felipe were pretty good, Jesus was average and they don't come close to the three Dimaggio's.

[Vidar]

34. RIP Dom.

[No Elephants]

42. Dom lived in no one's shadow. He served his friends, the needy and his

community his whole life. And he was the nicest man you could ever hope to meet.

Dom was a great baseball player, but his even bigger success was the game of life.

Rest in Peace.

[SoxFan]

44. So long, Little Professor

He was a dirt dog, a gritty, hustling ballplayer. He must love seeing guys like Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury wearing his old uniform.

:patriot: