Joe DiMaggio: The Way it Was

“Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio” remains one of America’s most beloved sports heroes and a cultural icon of the twentieth century. In 1941 Joe DiMaggio set a major league record that still stands—he safely hit in 56 consecutive games. Statistics such as that assured his place in baseball’s Hall of Fame, but it was Joe’s gentlemanly demeanor and sportsmanship that assured his place in America’s hearts and history. Married at one time to America’s biggest female star, Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio provided a role model and hero to generations of young fans. He is as great a legend today as he was in 1941, and as American as the proverbial “apple pie.” Joe DiMaggio: The Way It Was would be useful for classes on American History, American Culture, and Sports History. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

• capitulate
• charisma
• clout
• conspicuous
• culmination
• disciplinarian
• endowed
• esoteric
• exploited
• gregarious
• lucrative
• mesmerized
• provocative
• synonymous
• veneer

1. Many have called have called DiMaggio the greatest all-around player that ever graced a diamond. Do you agree? If so, why. If not, why not, and who would you argue is (or was) the greatest ball player?

2. Joe DiMaggio was an American of Italian descent. What did Joe DiMaggio do for the Italian American community? What other sports figures have been sources of pride for their ethnic communities?

3. Discuss the history of the New York Yankees in its heyday and compare the legendary Yankees with the Yankees today.

4. What is meant by a ‘subway series?” Why is it so popular with fans and such a drawing factor?

5. Compare Joe DiMaggio’s salary negotiations and holdout with player salaries today. Do players have more clout today than they did in Joe DiMaggio’s day?

6. In the 1950s America fell in love with the television. How did television change the game of baseball?

7. Discuss how Joe DiMaggio always “gave back” to the community. Why is it so important to do this? What players or stars today “give back” to their communities?

8. Joe DiMaggio was briefly married to the biggest female movie star of the 1950s, Marilyn Monroe. Why was this marriage doomed to failure?

9. What is Joe DiMaggio’s place in American culture, legend and history?

10. What is the legacy of Joe DiMaggio?

1. Create a front-page news headline for “Joltin’ Joe’s” 1941 hitting streak.

2. Imagine that you are a radio announcer for the New York Yankees. Give a play-by-play account of Joe DiMaggio’s record breaking hit.

3. Create a monument to Joe DiMaggio that effectively captures his impact on American culture in the twentieth century.

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