I've never been a huge fan of baseball so Joe DiMaggio's greatness might've escaped me had I not read a
biography about Marilyn Monroe. In the book, I learned of Joe's great love for her, even after their
divorce. After her death in 1962, Joe arranged to have six red roses sent to her crypt, three times a week.
When Joe died in 1999, his last words were reported to be, "I'll finally get to see Marilyn."
What else is great about Joe? He played 13 seasons, batting .325, with 361 home runs and 1,537 runs
batted in. He won the American
League's MVP award three times. His team won 10 pennants and nine World Series. He had the 56-game
hitting streak. He was the first $100,000 ballplayer. And he was one of the last of a dying breed of
great, honorable men.
Joltin' Joe is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, California.
