This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/10/2004.
During his tenure as the Yankees' centerfielder, DiMaggio produced some remarkable numbers. Among his many accomplishments are three AL MVP awards in 1939, 1941 and 1947, and two consecutive batting titles in 1939 and 1940. Twice he was the AL home run leader and twice he was the AL RBI leader. DiMaggio's career embodied the word consistency as he averaged 118 RBI annually and had a lifetime batting average of .325 in his 13 Major League seasons. In addition to hitting three home runs in a game on three separate occasions and becoming the fifth player ever to homer twice in one inning, Joe DiMaggio holds perhaps the most impressive record in professional baseball. His 56-game hit streak during the 1941 season was a monumental feat and it will always stand as a testament to what kind of player DiMaggio was. Incredibly though, 56 games was only the second longest hit streak of his career! DiMaggio managed a 61-game hit streak in 1933 with the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League. However, DiMaggio, winner of nine World Championships with the New York Yankees, was more than just a superb ballplayer, he was a model American. At the prime of his career DiMaggio traded in his bat for a gun when he entered the U.S. Army. In 1943, the two-time AL MVP began a three year tour of duty, ending with a triumphant return to Yankee Stadium for the 1946 season. This bat is from late in Joe's career which shows good game-use with ball, hit, and transfer marks on the left and back barrel. The bat had checking on the barrel which has been repaired and refinished which removed many of the game-use characteristics. Manufacturer: Hillerich & Bradsby, Model Number: D29L, Labeling Period: 1948-49, Length: 36 inches, Weight: 35-3/5 ounces, Wood: Ash, Finish: Flame Burned/Treated. The bat comes with a letter from PSA/DNA and an additional letter.