Congressional Record—Senate S2783
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March 16, 1999 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð SENATE S2783 RECOGNIZING AND HONORING JOE Mayor Guiliani arranged a parade from consider ourselves extremely lucky for DIMAGGIO the Battery to City Hall. Joe was in knowing such a man, particularly in Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask the lead car; I was to follow. As we this age of pampered sports heroes, unanimous consent that the Senate waited to get started, I went up to him, when ego and self-importance often proceed to the immediate consider- introduced myself and told of having overshadow what is occurring on the ation of S. Res. 63, introduced earlier watched him at the Stadium these field. Even I, who resented DiMaggio today by Senators MOYNIHAN, LOTT, many years ago. ``But I have to tell for displacing my hero Gehrig, have and others. you,'' I added, ``Lou Gehrig was my come to realize that there will never be The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without hero.'' another like Joseph Paul DiMaggio. objection, it is so ordered. The clerk ``He was my hero, too,'' said Joe. I ask unanimous consent that the Well, Joe, too, was a hero to many will report. March 9, 1999, New York Times edi- people. Few have embodied the Amer- The bill clerk read as follows:. torial and George F. Will's op-ed in the ican dream or created a more enduring Washington Post on Joe DiMaggio be A resolution (S. Res. 63) recognizing and legend than ``Joltin'' Joe DiMaggio. honoring Joe DiMaggio. printed in the RECORD. And fewer have carried themselves, There being no objection, the mate- The Senate proceeded to consider the both on and off the field, with the pride rial was ordered to be printed in the resolution. and courtliness of, as Hemingway said, RECORD, as follows: Mr. MOYNIHAN. ``Joe, Joe ``the great DiMaggio.'' [From the New York Times, Mar. 9, 1999] DiMaggio, we want you on our side!'' Born the fourth son of an immigrant THE DIMAGGIO MYSTIQUE Well, he is on the other side now, but fishermanÐtwo other brothers also It has been almost half a century since Joe stays with us in our memories. played in the majorsÐhe joined the DiMaggio turned his center-field kingdom in Mine are, well, special to me. It Yankees in 1936 after dropping out of Yankee Stadium over to a strapping young- would be in 1938 or 1939 in Manhattan. high school and grew into the game's ster named Mickey Mantle, but even now, in The Depression lingered. Life was, well, most complete center fielder. He wore death, Joe DiMaggio still owns that green life. But there was even so somebody No. 5 and became the heir to Babe Ruth acreage. He roamed the great open spaces who made a great difference and that (No. 3) and Lou Gehrig (No. 4) in the there with a grace and grandeur that rede- fined the art of fielding. Even more than the was Lou Gehrig of the New York Yan- team's pantheon. DiMaggio was the kees. I admired him as no other man. prolific hitting that earned him enduring team's superstar, on a team of super- fame, his silky, seemingly effortless motion Read of him each day, or so it seemed, stars, for 13 seasons. By the time his across the outfield grass was the signature of in the Daily News. And yet I had never career ended in 1951, he had played in his game. seen him play. One summer day my 11 All-Star games and 10 World Series, DiMaggio was one of those rare sports mother somehow found the needful nine of which the Yankees won. stars, like Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali and sixty cents. Fifty cents for a ticket at The ``Yankee Clipper'' was acclaimed Michael Jordan, who not only set new stand- the Stadium, a nickel for the subway at baseball's centennial in 1969 as ``the ards of athletic excellence but also became a distinctive part of American culture. As up and back. Off I went in high expec- greatest living ballplayer.'' Even his tation. But Gehrig, disease I must as- stylish off the field as on, DiMaggio was an main rival Ted Williams, admitted icon of elegance and success, a name as rec- sume was now in progress, got no hit. A this: ``. he [DiMaggio] was the ognizable on Broadway and in Hollywood as young player I had scarce noticed hit a greatest baseball player of our time. He at the ball park. Millions of baby boomers home run. Joe DiMaggio. It began to could do it all.'' DiMaggio played 1,736 who never saw DiMaggio play instantly un- drizzle, but they kept the game going games with the Yankees. He had a ca- derstood the reference in the Paul Simon just long enough so there would be no reer batting average of .325 and hit 361 song of the 1960'sÐ``Where have you gone, raincheck. I went home lifeless and lay home runs while striking out only 369 Joe DiMaggio? A nation turns its lonely eyes on my bed desolate. to you.'' times. He could indeed do it all. Other men have hit the ball farther and Clearly I was in pain, if that is the But there is one statistic for which run the bases faster, but few have excelled at word. The next day my mother some- DiMaggio will be most remembered: his so many elements of the sport. DiMaggio's how came up with yet another sixty 56-game hitting streak, possibly the 56-game hitting streak in 1941 remains un- cents. Up I went. And the exact same most enduring accomplishment in all touched, one of the great benchmarks of con- sequence occurred. of sports. The streak began on May 15, sistency and productivity in all of sports. In I went home. But not lifeless. To the 1941, with a single in four at-bats 13 seasons with the Yankees, DiMaggio pro- contrary, animated. against the Chicago White Sox, and duced a career batting average of .325, hit 361 For I hated Joe DiMaggio. For life. home runs and knocked in more than 100 ended 56 games later on July 17 during runs in a season nine times. He played in 10 I knew this to be a sin, but it did not a hot night in Cleveland. In 56 games, World Series, 9 of which the Yankees won. matter. Gehrig retired, then died. My DiMaggio had gone to bat 223 times and He possessed one of the sweetest swings base- animus only grew more animated. delivered 91 hits, including 15 home ball has ever seen, a hitting stroke of such Thirty years and some went by. I was runs, for a .408 average. He drew 21 precision that he struck out only 369 times now the United States Permanent Rep- walks, twice was hit by pitched balls, in his major league career. resentative to the United Nations. One scored 56 runs, and knocked in 55. He But the numbers alone do not explain the evening I was having dinner at an hit in every game for two months, DiMaggio mystique. Part of it was his brief, Italian restaurant in midtown. As our turbulent marriage to Marilyn Monroe and striking out just seven times. his taste for nightclubs and tony hotels. Part company was about finished, who But DiMaggio's game was so com- of it was his $100,000-a-year salary, a small walked in but DiMaggio himself, ac- plete and elegant that statistics cannot fortune in his days as a Yankee. For younger companied by a friend. They took a do it justice. The New York Times said fans, there was also an almost mystical link table against the wall opposite. I in an editorial when he retired, ``The to the pastÐDiMaggio joined the Yankees in watched. He looked over, smiled and combination of proficiency and exquis- 1936, just two years after Babe Ruth left and gave a sort of wave. Emboldened, as we ite grace which Joe DiMaggio brought before Lou Gehrig retired. His appearance on were leaving, I went over to shake to the art of playing center field was ceremonial occasions at Yankee Stadium in hands. He rose wonderfully to the occa- recent years was thrilling for fans of all something no baseball averages can ages. sion. measure and that must be seen to be His fame also flowed from the aura of quiet I went out on 54th Street as I recall. believed and appreciated.'' dignity that DiMaggio carefully preserved And of a sudden was struck as if by Today, I join the Majority Leader throughout his career and retirement. With some Old Testament lightening. ``My and Senators CHARLES SCHUMER (D- the notable exception of his service as a God,'' I thought, ``he has forgiven me!'' NY), BARBARA BOXER (D-CA), DIANNE pitchman for the Bowery Savings Bank and He must have known about me all FEINSTEIN (D-CA), and JIM H. BUNNING Mr. Coffee brewing appliances, he dodged the those years, but he returned hate with (R-KY) in introducing a resolution that celebrity limelight. The mystery only added to his allure. love. My soul had been in danger and honors Joe DiMaggio for his storied DiMaggio, who was 84, died with opening he had rescued me. baseball career and for all that he has day a month away. Though he will no longer Still years later, just a little while done off the field. As we reflect on his return to Yankee Stadium to deliver the cer- ago the Yankees won another pennant.