Every so often, an athlete comes along who transcends his sport and defines and entire generation. Michael Jordan is the athlete and man of the ’90s. Babe Ruth, with his outrageous lifestyle and big home runs, defined the Roaring ’20s. Joe DiMaggio was the quintessential American of the ’30s and ’40s. On Monday, Joltin’ Joe died at the age of 84 after a long illness.People will remember DiMaggio in many different ways. First and foremost, he was a baseball player. Not one list of great center fielders can be complete without the Yankee Clipper’s name. He entered the league with Lou Gehrig and left it with Mickey Mantle.In between, he made history. Equipped with a graceful swing and running style, DiMaggio dominated the game like few others. An all-around player, he could hit for average as well as power. He roamed the outfield at Yankee Stadium with defensive flash better than anyone.DiMaggio finished his career with 361 home runs and 369 strikeouts. Mark McGwire alone struck out 155 times during his magical season of chasing Roger Maris. His teams won 11 American League titles in his 13 years of playing. In the summer of 1941, DiMaggio enamored the nation by hitting safely in 56 straight games. Every day the question at work was, “Did he get one?” in reference to his hitting streak. Just as McGwire and Sosa captivated a nation last summer, DiMaggio did so in 1941.To put this record in perspective, the closest challenger to the mark, Pete Rose, fell a full two-three weeks worth of games short, stopping at forty. The Yankee Clipper was a champion on the field, but it was off the field that he epitomized a nation.America in the 1930s and ’40s was still recovering from the Great Depression and entering World War II. America was looking for anything to keep spirits high, and DiMaggio’s Yankees answered this call. An Italian immigrant’s son from California was thrust into the national spotlight.It was not only his stats that made him a hero to millions of Americans. Fans loved to root for Joe DiMaggio. His hustle was relentless and contagious. When asked why he ran so hard on every play, even though he was already as superstar, DiMaggio answered, “Someone might be watching me play for the first time today.”DiMaggio became the symbol for everything that was good in America. Ernest Hemingway wrote about DiMaggio in his novel, “The Old Man and the Sea.” In the book, the main character, Santiago, wishes he could meet the great DiMaggio, play and take him fishing. DiMaggio was more than a baseball player; He was a national symbol. Simon and Garfunkel made his name popular again in their hit “Mrs. Robinson.” During the unsettling and turbulent ’60s, they asked, “Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?” They begged for the simple and upright image that Joe D. represented.Off the field, DiMaggio was reserved, but elegant. He always wore a suit and tie. No one can remember seeing him without one. He extended into pop culture in 1954 by marrying Marilyn Monroe and later as “Mr. Coffee.” He remained in the spotlight up to his death and was even scheduled to throw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium in April.America has lost a legend, one that cannot be replaced. In the 50 years since Joltin’ Joe last roamed center field, his legacy as one of the all time great players has not been challenged.Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? Undoubtedly, to a far better place.
Aaron Wiegand is a sophomore finance major from Mansfield, Ohio.
