The Most Famous Record in Sports
On May 15, 1941, hoping to shake off a hitting slump, a young DiMaggio stepped up to the plate and got his wish. He hit in that game, and the next, and the next… After 45 games, he broke a hitting record that had remained for 44 years—and he kept on going. The American public, weary from economic depression and impending war, went absolutely wild. They breathlessly followed the Yankee Clipper as he continued the streak for an amazing 12 more games. By the time the streak ended, two months and two days after it began, “Joltin’ Joe” DiMaggio had captured the imagination of an entire nation and become a potent symbol of American perseverance.
The young New York Yankee Joe DiMaggio had a 56-game hitting streak that obliterated the previous record and has gone unchallenged to this day. In fact, no one has come close.
To commemorate the 70th year anniversary of this historic athletic achievement, JoeDimaggio.com is launching an online retrospective and commentary on “The Streak” as it was unfolding in a series called “Reliving Joe DiMaggio’s Streak.” The series will include sports writers and celebrity guest posts and never-before released insights on the 56 games from Joe DiMaggio himself. Visitors will also be invited to write their own reflections on DiMaggio, with the top two submissions being included as guest posts. The series will also be featured on BleacherReport.com, the web’s leading publisher of original and entertaining sports editorial content.
Throughout the two-month celebration, fans will also find opportunities to join the conversation and win memorabilia on our official Joe DiMaggio Facebook fan page. Prizes will be announced on the anniversary of the end of The Streak—July 17, 2011—which has been declared Joe DiMaggio Day.
Become a fan of the official Joe DiMaggio Facebook fan page or subscribe to the Joe DiMaggio fan club newsletter to celebrate with us!
