CHAPTER 2 THE STREAK Joe DiMaggio was known as one of the most consistent players in Major League Baseball MLB history Hitting fielding base running anything a ballplayer could do DiMaggio was among the best But even fans of the New York Yankees center fielder had to be amazed when he got a hit in 56 consecutive games It’s widely considered one of the greatest streaks in sports history The streak began with a humble 1-for-4 effort against the Chicago White Sox on May 15 1941 Then every game for the next two months he put at least one hit into the scorebook Four times during the streak DiMaggio had four hits in a game But there also were some close calls he had one hit in 34 of the games In Game 36 DiMaggio was hitless through six innings St Louis Browns manager Luke Sewell ordered Bob Muncrief to walk DiMaggio in his next at-bat A walk doesn’t count as a hit and the Joe DiMaggio lashes a base hit to extend his hitting streak to 42 games on June 29 1941
DiMaggio second from right is congratulated by Yankees is congratulated by Yankees manager Joe McCarthy and his teammates after Game 42 of manager Joe McCarthy and his teammates after Game 42 of his streak streak likely would have been snapped streak likely would have been snapped Muncrief said no Sewell backed off and Muncrief said no Sewell backed off and DiMaggio singled The streak ended on July 17 in front The streak ended on July 17 in front of 67,468 fans at Cleveland where of 67,468 fans at Cleveland where third baseman Ken Keltner robbed third baseman Ken Keltner robbed DiMaggio of sure hits in the first DiMaggio of sure hits in the first and seventh innings DiMaggio grounded into a double play in
SEEING DOUBLE Batters dream of hitting a home run with the bases loaded Fernando Tatis of the St Louis Cardinals hit two grand slams in the same inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 23 1999 Tatis homered off Chan Ho Park in the third inning for his first grand slam of the day Later in the inning he again came to bat against day Later in the inning he again came to bat against Park with the bases full and he slammed another pitch Park with the bases full and he slammed another pitch into the left-field bleachers at Dodger Stadium into the left-field bleachers at Dodger Stadium the eighth inning When the Yankees closed out a the eighth inning When the Yankees closed out a 4 3 victory the streak was over 4 3 victory the streak was over DiMaggio hit 408 during the streak going DiMaggio hit 408 during the streak going 91-for-223 with 15 home runs and 55 runs 91-for-223 with 15 home runs and 55 runs batted in RBIs But the humble hero likely batted in RBIs But the humble hero likely would’ve been happier to point out that would’ve been happier to point out that the Yankees went 41 13 with two ties that the Yankees went 41 13 with two ties that counted as games over that stretch DiMaggio counted as games over that stretch DiMaggio shattered the previous hitting streak record shattered the previous hitting streak record of 45 games set by Willie Keeler in 1896 97 of 45 games set by Willie Keeler in 1896 97 And the closest anyone has come to And the closest anyone has come to matching DiMaggio was in 1978 when matching DiMaggio was in 1978 when Pete Rose hit in 44 straight games Pete Rose hit in 44 straight games DiMaggio singles to extend his streak DiMaggio singles to extend his streak to 44 games on July 1 1941 to 44 games on July 1 1941
