This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/1/2011.
Joseph Paul DiMaggio played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. Joltin’ Joe was a three-time MVP winner and 13-time All-Star (the only player to be selected for the All-Star Game in every season he played). In his thirteen seasons, the Yankees won ten Pennants and nine World Championships. At the time of his retirement, he had the fifth-most career home runs (361) and sixth-highest slugging percentage (.579) in history. A 1969 poll conducted to coincide with the centennial of professional baseball voted him the sport's greatest living player. DiMaggio made his major league debut on May 3, 1936, batting ahead of Lou Gehrig. The Yankees had not been to the World Series since 1932, but they won the next four Fall Classics. The Yankee Clipper is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak (May 15–July 16, 1941), a record that still stands. DiMaggio batted .408 during the streak, with 15 home runs and 55 RBI. After his streak ended, DiMaggio began another streak the next day that lasted 17 games, giving him the distinction of hitting safely in 73 of 74 games, also a record. Today, DiMaggio's streak is considered a uniquely outstanding and unbreakable record; the closest anyone has ever come to equaling DiMaggio since 1941 was Pete Rose, who hit in 44 straight games in 1978. DiMaggio was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955 and his number “5” will never be worn again in the Bronx, forever residing in Monument Park beside Ruth, Gehrig and The Mick. During the 1948 season, The Yankee Clipper batted .320 with 39 Home Runs and 155 RBI’s; leading the league in the latter two Triple Crown categories. Inside the rear collar of this magnificent grey flannel road jersey is the “Wilson” manufacturer’s tag. Attached is the size “44” flag tag. Directly below is a grey felt strip tag with “DiMaggio” embroidered in navy blue chain stitch. Across the front is “NEW YORK”. Player number “5” appears across the back. All numbers and letters are done in navy blue felt. The Babe Ruth black memorial armband was applied in August of 1948 to the left sleeve and worn until the season’s end. After the 1948 campaign, the armband was removed and the “NEW” on front was reinforced on the leading edge of each respective letter. It is more than likely that this jersey was also worn in 1949. Some black threads still remain on the left sleeve from the armband. The jersey shows game-use and other than what is mentioned appears to have no further alterations of any kind. It is accompanied by a photomatch (adjacent page) of DiMaggio wearing this shirt in 1948 prior to the arm band removal and letter reinforcement. On the photo itself is “$100,000” signifying that DiMaggio was the first baseball player in history to earn that amount for one season. An outstanding example of a DiMaggio game-used jersey, as iconic as the man himself.