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The DiMaggios: Three Brothers, Their Passion for Baseball, Their Pursuit of the American Dream
In The DiMaggios, acclaimed sportswriter Tom Clavin reveals the untold Great American Story of three brothers, Joltin’ Joe, Dom, and Vince DiMaggio, and the Great American Game—baseball—that would consume their lives.
A vivid portrait of a family and the ways in which their shifting fortunes and status shaped their relationships, The DiMaggios is a exploration of an era and a culture.
This comprehensive biography that recalls the work of Jane Leavy offers a trove of insight into one of the game’s greatest players and his family, sure to be treasured by Yankees fans, Red Sox Fans, and baseball aficionados around the world.
A vivid portrait of a family and the ways in which their shifting fortunes and status shaped their relationships, The DiMaggios is a exploration of an era and a culture.
This comprehensive biography that recalls the work of Jane Leavy offers a trove of insight into one of the game’s greatest players and his family, sure to be treasured by Yankees fans, Red Sox Fans, and baseball aficionados around the world.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published May 14, 2013
42 people are currently reading
314 people want to read
About the author
Tom Clavin
44 books513 followersTom Clavin is the author/coauthor of eleven books. His most recent is That Old Black Magic: Louis Prima, Keely Smith, and the Golden Age of Las Vegas.
His articles have appeared in Cosmopolitan, Family Circle, Men's Journal, Parade, Reader's Digest, and others.
He was a contributing reporter for the New York Times for fifteen years.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
January 1, 2014
I liked reading this biography on the three DiMaggio brother who played major league baseball with different levels of success and fame. Many of the stories about Joltin' Joe I'd heard about or read before, but Vince and Dominic were largely unknown to me. Ted Williams also gets a fair amount of coverage. Joe is the loneliest and most unhappy brother while the youngest Dominic plays the family peacemaker and is the smartest brother. I like how we get the personal story (for the most part balanced) about each brother and not just another rundown on their baseball careers. This easy-to-read, insightful biography is a fun outing for the fans of the sport.
October 6, 2018
Joe DiMaggio's life has been covered by many different authors and still he remains a baseball legend
after he played his last game in 1951. That streak of 56 consecutive games with a base hit seems to
have insured that. No one has come even close to breaking it, the closest was Pete Rose with 44
games.
But three DiMaggio brothers played professional baseball. They were three of nine children of an
Italian immigrant family whose patriarch made his living as a fisherman. Joe especially decided
early on that the smell of fish was something he wanted to get away from and sports was his way
out. It was the way out for Vince and Dom DiMaggio as well.
No need to talk about Joe DiMaggio his life story has been told by many. Vince DiMaggio was two
years older than Joe and the only one of the brothers who played for many major league teams all
in the National League. He was a journeyman outfielder who occasionally showed flashes of
DiMaggio greatness. But Vince was a laid back sort who really would have loved to have been a
singer. Tom Clavin's book says by all accounts he had a pleasant voice.
Dom DiMaggio also played center field and for the Boston Red Sox. Like his brother Joe he could
cover a lot of ground in centerfield and he did in Fenway Park. Ted Williams who became a good
friend of Dom couldn't praise him enough. Williams freely admitted his fielding skills were average said Dom covered a whole lot of left field for him.
Dom DiMaggio's nickname was The Little Professor,he was the youngest of the nine DiMaggio kids
and the only one to graduate high school. He had planned to go to college, but he liked baseball
as much as his brothers. Dom was not a power hitter, he was too small and wiry for that,but he made contact with the ball and got more than his share of base hits. In baseball terms he was a
'table setter' for the big hitters like Williams. He wore those rimless glasses that gave him a
professorial look.
Both Joe and Dom did pretty well financially, Vince did all kinds of things to make a living after
baseball was over. He became a born again Christian as well, the only one depart from the Roman
Catholic faith. Joe's two marriages, the second to Marilyn Monroe is the stuff of legends. Dom and Vince made happy marriages. Joe's a certified immortal of the game, Dom could get in the
Hall of Fame, certainly Ted Williams pushed hard for him. Vince, sadly he's just a footnote or
three in the DiMaggio baseball saga.
Tom Clavin has written a most interesting book on the DiMaggio baseball playing brothers. Three
different men indeed.
after he played his last game in 1951. That streak of 56 consecutive games with a base hit seems to
have insured that. No one has come even close to breaking it, the closest was Pete Rose with 44
games.
But three DiMaggio brothers played professional baseball. They were three of nine children of an
Italian immigrant family whose patriarch made his living as a fisherman. Joe especially decided
early on that the smell of fish was something he wanted to get away from and sports was his way
out. It was the way out for Vince and Dom DiMaggio as well.
No need to talk about Joe DiMaggio his life story has been told by many. Vince DiMaggio was two
years older than Joe and the only one of the brothers who played for many major league teams all
in the National League. He was a journeyman outfielder who occasionally showed flashes of
DiMaggio greatness. But Vince was a laid back sort who really would have loved to have been a
singer. Tom Clavin's book says by all accounts he had a pleasant voice.
Dom DiMaggio also played center field and for the Boston Red Sox. Like his brother Joe he could
cover a lot of ground in centerfield and he did in Fenway Park. Ted Williams who became a good
friend of Dom couldn't praise him enough. Williams freely admitted his fielding skills were average said Dom covered a whole lot of left field for him.
Dom DiMaggio's nickname was The Little Professor,he was the youngest of the nine DiMaggio kids
and the only one to graduate high school. He had planned to go to college, but he liked baseball
as much as his brothers. Dom was not a power hitter, he was too small and wiry for that,but he made contact with the ball and got more than his share of base hits. In baseball terms he was a
'table setter' for the big hitters like Williams. He wore those rimless glasses that gave him a
professorial look.
Both Joe and Dom did pretty well financially, Vince did all kinds of things to make a living after
baseball was over. He became a born again Christian as well, the only one depart from the Roman
Catholic faith. Joe's two marriages, the second to Marilyn Monroe is the stuff of legends. Dom and Vince made happy marriages. Joe's a certified immortal of the game, Dom could get in the
Hall of Fame, certainly Ted Williams pushed hard for him. Vince, sadly he's just a footnote or
three in the DiMaggio baseball saga.
Tom Clavin has written a most interesting book on the DiMaggio baseball playing brothers. Three
different men indeed.
Read
June 14, 2017The Dimaggios is a story of baseball royalty, the Dimaggio brothers who were among the best ball players of the golden age of baseball. It recounted stories of the brothers humble beginnings in New York, to their incredible careers in the big leagues. It also offered insight into their personal lives and touched on more than just baseball.
June 23, 2013
This is one of the best baseball books I have ever read. The author covers the details, presents salient facts, and provides insight into the thinking and emotions of baseball players.
From their youth in San Francisco to their departure from life, the author plots their career, their lives, and their passion for baseball.
Their father was against the boys playing baseball, little did he know that these three sons (there were others) would all three play in the major leagues at the same time, setting records, and keeping the baseball newswriters busy writing of their accomplishments.
I was a bit distracted at the beginning of the book because for some reason the author wanted to write about 19th century San Francisco, which really had little to do with the story he was about to tell.. then he begin to expand and discuss how baseball began to grow in that society and how it became a passion for Californians.
The author does deal with Joe and Marilyn, to some extent. He doesn't try to provide all of the details, but he does leave the reader fully aware of Joe's never-dying love for Marilyn Monroe. Supposedly, according to the author, he spoke at length with Marilyn the night she died and seemed elated that there was a good chance for reconciliation. He reportedly told friends that they were going to get back together.
One of the reasons why Joe became a spokesman for MR COFFEE (the original in home drip coffee makers) was that he wasn't much of a drinker and would sit in his local hangouts for hours drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes. So he was a natural spokesman for the coffee maker.
Dominic wore glasses and was short of stature-- because of his dedication to studying things like pitching and hitting and his ability to instruct rookie players he earned the nickname "The Little Professor." He was one of the first players to keep a record of pitchers, recording the kind of pitching that he had received in a little black book and regularly pulling it out and reading appropriate excerpts to the other players before the games.
All three brothers were great outfielders, with Vince supposedly being the best. Vince had some outstanding years, but faded away more quickly and always felt like he lived in the Joe's shadow. Dominic would always say "Yeah, Joe's my brother.. but I'm HIS brother too!"
In later years, Vince fell on harder times, taking any number of odd jobs (often sales of sports equipment or liquor-- even supplemented his retirement income as a Fuller Brush Salesman).. He'd had some problems with alcohol, but that stopped when he became a born again Christian after attending a Billy Graham Crusade. His life changed intensely.
I think the saddest thing in the book was that the brothers had drifted apart. No real reason is ever really offered. Joe, always a bit stoic and standoffish, became more so as he aged. He knew how to hold a grudge, but found it difficult to verbalize the reasons for that grudge. One exception would be his son, Joe jr., who had a great deal of drug and alcohol problems and Joe complained about him being a bum and a ne'r-do-well.
This book is full of the thrill of victory and accomplishment, some wonderful family moments, and at times, the agony of defeat. I think that the reader will be impressed with Dominic, feel sorry for Vince and how he was ignored by the league, etc. , and see Joe as a used up and worn out, as so many ballplayers of that era were. If you love baseball, I think you will love this book.
From their youth in San Francisco to their departure from life, the author plots their career, their lives, and their passion for baseball.
Their father was against the boys playing baseball, little did he know that these three sons (there were others) would all three play in the major leagues at the same time, setting records, and keeping the baseball newswriters busy writing of their accomplishments.
I was a bit distracted at the beginning of the book because for some reason the author wanted to write about 19th century San Francisco, which really had little to do with the story he was about to tell.. then he begin to expand and discuss how baseball began to grow in that society and how it became a passion for Californians.
The author does deal with Joe and Marilyn, to some extent. He doesn't try to provide all of the details, but he does leave the reader fully aware of Joe's never-dying love for Marilyn Monroe. Supposedly, according to the author, he spoke at length with Marilyn the night she died and seemed elated that there was a good chance for reconciliation. He reportedly told friends that they were going to get back together.
One of the reasons why Joe became a spokesman for MR COFFEE (the original in home drip coffee makers) was that he wasn't much of a drinker and would sit in his local hangouts for hours drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes. So he was a natural spokesman for the coffee maker.
Dominic wore glasses and was short of stature-- because of his dedication to studying things like pitching and hitting and his ability to instruct rookie players he earned the nickname "The Little Professor." He was one of the first players to keep a record of pitchers, recording the kind of pitching that he had received in a little black book and regularly pulling it out and reading appropriate excerpts to the other players before the games.
All three brothers were great outfielders, with Vince supposedly being the best. Vince had some outstanding years, but faded away more quickly and always felt like he lived in the Joe's shadow. Dominic would always say "Yeah, Joe's my brother.. but I'm HIS brother too!"
In later years, Vince fell on harder times, taking any number of odd jobs (often sales of sports equipment or liquor-- even supplemented his retirement income as a Fuller Brush Salesman).. He'd had some problems with alcohol, but that stopped when he became a born again Christian after attending a Billy Graham Crusade. His life changed intensely.
I think the saddest thing in the book was that the brothers had drifted apart. No real reason is ever really offered. Joe, always a bit stoic and standoffish, became more so as he aged. He knew how to hold a grudge, but found it difficult to verbalize the reasons for that grudge. One exception would be his son, Joe jr., who had a great deal of drug and alcohol problems and Joe complained about him being a bum and a ne'r-do-well.
This book is full of the thrill of victory and accomplishment, some wonderful family moments, and at times, the agony of defeat. I think that the reader will be impressed with Dominic, feel sorry for Vince and how he was ignored by the league, etc. , and see Joe as a used up and worn out, as so many ballplayers of that era were. If you love baseball, I think you will love this book.
March 27, 2016
In the Spring, I am suddenly drawn to read the various baseball books I have acquired during the year. It is a natural, seasonal occurrence.
Vince, Giuseppe and Dominic DiMaggio may have been the three best siblings to ever play the game.
Each was an All-Star. Vince and Dom were probably better defensive players than their more famous brother and would have been given much more acclaim if their last name had not been DiMaggio.
This is not a great biography of Joe DiMaggio (for that, turn to Richard Ben Cramer). But it is a wonderful book for learning more about Vince and Dom and the relationship the three had as brothers.
And it is Dom, the first position player to wear glasses, the first player to negotiate a contract with additional pay for attendance, the first player to declare himself a free agent, who emerges as the most undervalued player of them all.
During his 10 seasons, Dom was an All-Star seven times. He had more hits during that time than any other player. He scored more runs than every player except Ted Williams. He averaged more runs per season than any player other than his brother, Joe, and Lou Gehrig during the entire 20th Century. And he set records for putouts and defensive excellence.
His credentials say "the little professor" (a nickname we shared) belongs in the Hall of Fame. His last name kept him out.
Now where is that Willie Mays biography???
Vince, Giuseppe and Dominic DiMaggio may have been the three best siblings to ever play the game.
Each was an All-Star. Vince and Dom were probably better defensive players than their more famous brother and would have been given much more acclaim if their last name had not been DiMaggio.
This is not a great biography of Joe DiMaggio (for that, turn to Richard Ben Cramer). But it is a wonderful book for learning more about Vince and Dom and the relationship the three had as brothers.
And it is Dom, the first position player to wear glasses, the first player to negotiate a contract with additional pay for attendance, the first player to declare himself a free agent, who emerges as the most undervalued player of them all.
During his 10 seasons, Dom was an All-Star seven times. He had more hits during that time than any other player. He scored more runs than every player except Ted Williams. He averaged more runs per season than any player other than his brother, Joe, and Lou Gehrig during the entire 20th Century. And he set records for putouts and defensive excellence.
His credentials say "the little professor" (a nickname we shared) belongs in the Hall of Fame. His last name kept him out.
Now where is that Willie Mays biography???
January 20, 2015
A good look at the DiMaggio brothers (and Ted Williams as a bonus.) This is especially valuable for its coverage of Vince. the forgotten DiMaggio. What would have made it better? Two things.
1. A more sabermetric approach towards the brothers' careers; especially an analysis of the 1947 MVP race. I wouldn't expect Tom Clavin to use advance stats. His audience is probably the generation that looks upon them skeptically. He doesn't need to do that. You can write intelligently about baseball stats by putting trad stats into context. You don't have to resort to WAR.
2. Endnotes, or a bibliography at the very least, would have been a nice touch. As far as I can tell, this book is more accurate than a book like Halberstam's Summer of '$9 or Golenbock's Dynasty. But Clavin seems to rely mainly on secondary sources like those books and Joe D's bios with his primary research consisting mainly of interviews with Dom DiMaggio, Dick Flavin, and the next generation of DiMaggio children. This doesn't make it a bad book, but I prefer aa more scholarly approach.
1. A more sabermetric approach towards the brothers' careers; especially an analysis of the 1947 MVP race. I wouldn't expect Tom Clavin to use advance stats. His audience is probably the generation that looks upon them skeptically. He doesn't need to do that. You can write intelligently about baseball stats by putting trad stats into context. You don't have to resort to WAR.
2. Endnotes, or a bibliography at the very least, would have been a nice touch. As far as I can tell, this book is more accurate than a book like Halberstam's Summer of '$9 or Golenbock's Dynasty. But Clavin seems to rely mainly on secondary sources like those books and Joe D's bios with his primary research consisting mainly of interviews with Dom DiMaggio, Dick Flavin, and the next generation of DiMaggio children. This doesn't make it a bad book, but I prefer aa more scholarly approach.
September 12, 2013
A gift on father's day and I just read it while relaxing in South Padre Island, TX. I label it a a great book for anyone that grew up with and / or just loves baseball. The story of an immigrant family and three brothers captured by the American pastime in some of the true glory years. A very real story of men and the dreams and fears, successes and failures, character and inner demons that accompany every journey of greatness. It was an joy and education in both baseball history and the human experience. Easy read.
January 24, 2018
It was interesting and had a lot of information on the 3 brothers + Ted Williams but most of it seemed to be gathered from other books and articles previously written
July 8, 2019
I really enjoyed the book "The DiMaggios: Three brothers, their passion for baseball, their pursuit of the American Dream" by Tom Clavin. The author gives a detailed account of the DiMaggio family, starting with the DiMaggio brother's parents, both born in Sicily. Their father, Giuseppe, like many other fishermen from Sicily, came to the United States and settled in the San Francisco area. He sent for his wife and daughter a couple of years later, in 1902. Through hard work they built a good life, never with a lot of money due in part to having nine children. The baseball brothers were the youngest sons. The author gives a lot of detail about the San Francisco of that time as well as baseball on the West Coast. We meet the brothers, and they really don't seem to change much over the years. Vince was the first to enter professional ball, causing his father much disappointment until he proved to him you could make money playing a game. After that he was all for Joe and Dom to play ball too. Vince was a good player, making a couple National League all star teams, but never a great player. After his baseball career ended, while his younger brothers were still stars, he drifted into many different jobs. An easy going man, with a good singing voice, he never had the talent or drive to make it in business. At the end of his life he was making money as a Fuller Brush man. But, he was happy with his lot, having a loyal wife and loving family. Joe DiMaggio was a baseball superstar, winner of three MVP awards and had fame that followed him all his life. Yet, he was always shy and withdrawn. He hated people bothering him, yet hated when they didn't make a fuss over him as well. He was a lonely man, which is really what he wanted. He grew apart from nearly everyone, including his family. Dom was the last brother to make the majors, he was a very good player. He also was a very smart man with a head for business. When his career ended, he became a very successful businessman. He has a wonderful marriage and a loving family. He and Joe drifted apart, he was much closer to his famous teammate Ted Williams (and Joe's greatest rival) than to his brother.
The author did a real good job. I noticed some errors (he had a player play for the Philadelphia Athletics when it was the Phillies - he said the Pacific Coast League went extinct after L.A. and San Francisco entire the majors, when it never closed and is still around today, reaching as far east as Omaha - hardly a Pacific Coast city. He also went overboard on praising Dom's skills - saying many times he was the best centerfielder in baseball. He was good, but Joe was concerned the best until his final year. But all in all a very good book, one all baseball fans would enjoy.
The author did a real good job. I noticed some errors (he had a player play for the Philadelphia Athletics when it was the Phillies - he said the Pacific Coast League went extinct after L.A. and San Francisco entire the majors, when it never closed and is still around today, reaching as far east as Omaha - hardly a Pacific Coast city. He also went overboard on praising Dom's skills - saying many times he was the best centerfielder in baseball. He was good, but Joe was concerned the best until his final year. But all in all a very good book, one all baseball fans would enjoy.
May 31, 2017
A pretty quick, straight to the point and fun read about one of baseball's best families - the DiMaggio's. Joe, the legendary player for the Yankees who was also a loner off the field, along with Dom, the youngest brother who was a great centerfielder who was often overlooked because of Joe, and Vince, a power hitter and the oldest of the three who had some great years with the Pirates, are all profiled here. The book opens with them growing up in the Bay Area, mostly Martinez and the North Beach neighborhood in San Francisco. One by one they play for the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast league before going on to star with the Yankees, Red Sox and Pirates. The book goes year by year through the 1930's, 1940's and 1950's before summing up their retirement years in about two chapters. Not tooooo detailed but good enough and a very enjoyable read. The book on Joe DiMaggio's life by Richard Ben Cramer gets more detailed about Joltin Joe's life. The book Teammates by David Halberstam gets more detailed about Dom. The book The Streak by Mike Seidel gets more detailed about Joe's 1941 season. This book has all of that, but not as detailed. Every chapter is about 10 paages so it doesn't get stuck on one topic too much. A lot of great stories. Tom Clavin, who also wrote great books on Gil Hodges and Roger Maris, does a great job again. Good stuff.
September 10, 2025
A slice of DiMaggio baseball history
Born in 1946, I played a lot of baseball as a boy and followed MLB closely. I remember watching the last at bat of Ted Williams live on black and white TV. Although I have read biographies of Joe DiMaggio, I never knew much about Vince and Dominic. Clavin’s book entertainingly intertwines the life of each including their separate paths, their successes, their limitations and their interpersonal relationships. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I think anyone with a baseball background from that era would as well.
Born in 1946, I played a lot of baseball as a boy and followed MLB closely. I remember watching the last at bat of Ted Williams live on black and white TV. Although I have read biographies of Joe DiMaggio, I never knew much about Vince and Dominic. Clavin’s book entertainingly intertwines the life of each including their separate paths, their successes, their limitations and their interpersonal relationships. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I think anyone with a baseball background from that era would as well.
June 22, 2023
While I enjoyed the read -- as a fan of baseball history -- I didn't think the book was especially well-written. Some parts were a little hard to follow (as might be expected when you're jumping between the lives and careers of three different baseball playing brothers), but I did learn a lot about the Dimaggios and baseball in the 1940's. The pictures of the brothers through the years were great.
November 28, 2022
A very nice baseball book thatgives equal time to the other DoMaggios = Vince and Dominic. Not just about their baseball career, the book documenrs rgeir early life and post baseball careers. Ted Williams is a large part of the book too as he was Hoe's chirf rival and a teammate and friend of Dominic. A very entertaining read.
June 24, 2022
read it in 3 hours on a plane. i was really hoping to learn something i did not know about dominic. i did not. i really enjoyed reading about vince. i thought the book would focus on their relationships with each other and how they developed over time but that came far too late in the book for me.
April 17, 2019
I've read countless books about Joe D, but I never got the stories of Vince or Dominic. The story of Vince DiMaggio told here is a treasure.
July 11, 2019
For the baseball stat nerd, this could very well be your book of all things DiMaggio brothers.
August 10, 2020
Good read
This was a very good read. It was paced well and balanced among all three brothers. I would recommend this to any baseball fan.
This was a very good read. It was paced well and balanced among all three brothers. I would recommend this to any baseball fan.
April 4, 2022
Good book. Nice info on the two DiMaggio’s - Vince and Dominic- I didn’t know much about. Fully impressed with the man and player Dom8nic was. PBack, MHL..
May 27, 2024
Incredibly well written, informative, beautiful book about three of baseball's most talented and colourful players. Well researched.
July 22, 2024
It is a great book for a baseball fan. Nice detail and examination of the talents and successes or failures of the brothers.
September 27, 2020
It is a great book for a baseball fan. Nice detail and examination of the talents and successes or failures of the brothers.
June 20, 2013
This book was more than just a baseball book. Really a story of many different families who came to America and wanted better for there children. Then they go off and play a silly game called baseball. Everyone knows about Joe D. True baseball followers even know about his little brother Dominic, who played for the Red Sox. I did not know about an older brother named Vince, who really was the one that paved the way for his to younger brothers to play the sport. I don't think Joe D. Would have faced his father if Vince did'nt bring home a check that was more money than the father earned in a year. You will get a much truer history of the Dimaggio story. You will also get a history of minor league baseball, West coast style. From the Seals, Angels, Hollywood Stars, Oakland Oaks and he talks about some other teams as well. This is in a way a sad story not just how Joe's life turned out but also vince. Dominic I new played for the Red Sox, also new he was a good outfielder. Did not now that he was such a good lead off hitter and I do think he has the numbers to be in the Hall Of Fame, for a ten year span he was tops in hits, runs scored, on base per. Just was over shadow by his older brother playing for the Yankees and winning championships. A very gaood baseball book.
October 20, 2014
I enjoyed the book very much, especially the parts about the DiMaggios' participation in the PCL, of which I had known very little. All three played before my time, as I was born in 1952, but having grown up about 20 minutes from Yankee Stadium, Joe's history was well-known to me. I actually got to see him play in uniform at an old-timer's game played at Shea Stadium in the 70's.
I hadn't known much about Vince and was surprised to learn about how great an outfielder he was.
Working in advertising in NYC in the 80's, I had the pleasure to meet Emily DiMaggio Jr., Dom's daughter, who worked for Gourmet Magazine. Emily spoke highly of her uncles, and from conversations with her I learned more about Dom's career and realized that he probably should have been elected to the Hall of Fame.
Tom Clavin also did a nice job reminding readers of America's cultural climate when the DiMaggios played ball. Being Italian-Americans, they were stereotyped and given nicknames that are almost unimaginable in today's world.
For me, a lifelong baseball fan, this was a very pleasant departure from the scholarly works that I've been challenging myself to read lately.
I hadn't known much about Vince and was surprised to learn about how great an outfielder he was.
Working in advertising in NYC in the 80's, I had the pleasure to meet Emily DiMaggio Jr., Dom's daughter, who worked for Gourmet Magazine. Emily spoke highly of her uncles, and from conversations with her I learned more about Dom's career and realized that he probably should have been elected to the Hall of Fame.
Tom Clavin also did a nice job reminding readers of America's cultural climate when the DiMaggios played ball. Being Italian-Americans, they were stereotyped and given nicknames that are almost unimaginable in today's world.
For me, a lifelong baseball fan, this was a very pleasant departure from the scholarly works that I've been challenging myself to read lately.
December 9, 2016
Interesting reading. Good coverage of the older brother Vince, who paved the way for his youngest brothers by making his presence felt in the upper minor leagues, then an occasional stint in the majors. Joe of course, was the most famous of the brothers, but hardly the best-liked. Playing in his shadow was the beloved Dominic, who had an outstanding career in Boston and has been slighted by not being admitted to the Hall of Fame. No time to make the argument here, but from 46' on, he was the best player in the family, and you can check the stats for yourself to verify that or try to rebut it.
Dom was also a tremendous business success in his post-baseball career, and proved to be a generous, gracious man who was active in charities. Not the same could be said for Joe, who only became more arrogant, sullen, paranoid, and embittered.
Dom was also a tremendous business success in his post-baseball career, and proved to be a generous, gracious man who was active in charities. Not the same could be said for Joe, who only became more arrogant, sullen, paranoid, and embittered.
August 5, 2013
There were three DiMaggio brothers who played major league baseball, and this book gives Vince and Dominic their due, along with their legendary brother Joe. It's a great American story, these three sons of Sicilian immigrants making their baseball dreams come true. Vince and Dominic didn't achieve the level of success of Joe, but they had memorable careers in baseball, especially Dominic who was an All-Star, and a member of strong Red Sox teams that featured the great Ted Williams.
The author has written a very engaging narrative, with admirable research, and the love of baseball shines through.
Also of high interest are the parts of the book about the Pacific Coast League, and the San Francisco Seals in particular. Very interesting reading.
The author has written a very engaging narrative, with admirable research, and the love of baseball shines through.
Also of high interest are the parts of the book about the Pacific Coast League, and the San Francisco Seals in particular. Very interesting reading.
June 14, 2013
A wonderful book about this remarkable baseball family - Vince, who should have been an opera singer; Joe, who described himself as "the greatest living baseball player in America," a man of great talent and great ego, a man who knew a great deal about baseball but very little about how to live; and Dom, a Hall of Fame caliber player in his own right, a man who achieved success on the ball field and in life. Very well-written with lots of information that was new to me, about Joe and Marilyn, for example. I suspect that one has to be a baseball fan to really enjoy and appreciate this book.
August 9, 2013
The story of three brothers. Joe was the most famous of the three. Dominic comes out of the book looking as the best DiMaggio brother as a person. He started his own business and was very successful. Great friends with Ted Williams who was not easy to get along with. Joe was a loner and his life seemed sad after the death of Marilyn Monroe. Vince the third brother always felt he lived under Joes shadow. It is sad that some of the greatest ballplayers of all times life was not very happy
June 9, 2015
This book has been on my list for about a year. I finally got an opportunity to read. Tom Calvin is an accomplished writer who has written a wonderful narrative about the three DeMaggio baseball players. Calvin covers all the bases in telling their story. The book is organized around baseball so each chapter covers a new baseball season. His coverage of all 3 brothers is balanced. I would have liked to learn more about Dom and Vince's personal lives. I would have liked an appendix with baseball statistics for all three brothers
January 31, 2016
Interesting book. I never knew that Joe's brothers were as good as they were. That Dominic was actually a better fielder. There was one glaring mistake in the book. I actually went and researched their 'fact' and found that it was not. Maybe it was overlooked in the pre-edit. Are there even proofreaders anymore? Anyway, if I found a statistical mistake without looking for it, I can't just accept any of the information in this book. But, if you like baseball and the history of baseball, I do think you'll like this one.
January 20, 2016
Good read for baseball fans. I have a lot more respect for the "other two" baseball DiMaggio brothers. And it turns out I may have been a neighbor, or even been acquainted with Vince when he was a door-to-door Fuller Brush salesman in the North Hollywood area. Critically, I would have liked the author to delve into an analysis of the mechanics of the DiMaggio brothers hitting and fielding techniques; what made them unique.
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