The DiMaggios: Three Brothers, Their Passion for Baseball, Their Pursuit of the American Dream

by Tom Clavin

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062183774
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/14/2013
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	999,491
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Tom Clavin is the author of fifteen books, including biographies of Roger Maris and Gil Hodges. He was a contributor to the New York Times for fifteen years, and the publications for which he has written include Golf Magazine, Manhattan, Men's Journal, Parade, and Smithsonian. He lives in Sag Harbor, New York.

Editorial Reviews

A fine biography of the greatest brother combination ever to play major league baseball. Vincent, Joe and Dominic DiMaggio lived out the American dream. Three brothers of 11 children born to Italian immigrants, the three boys excelled first in the Pacific Coast League for the local San Francisco Seals and then, one-by-one, they rose to play in the major leagues. Vince, the eldest of the three, broke his father's prohibition against wasting time with games and thus paved the way for his brothers. Joe, the middle of the three, was the legend who married movie stars but was also cold and distant. Dominic, the bespectacled youngest and smallest of the trio, was a star in his own right but lived in the shadow of Joe. The journeyman Vince had the most trouble adjusting to post-baseball life and struggled just to make ends meet. Joe continued to be reticent and reserved, never recovering from his star-crossed marriage to Marilyn Monroe, and effectively made a career out of being Joe DiMaggio, legend. Dominick meanwhile, had the most grounded and, in many ways, successful post-baseball career, using his intellect to become a successful businessman. A fourth West Coast native, Ted Williams, plays almost as much of a role in the book as the brothers DiMaggio. He and teammate Dominic continued to be close for the remainder of their lives, with Williams always maintaining that Dominic belonged in the Hall of Fame. Clavin clearly agrees, and it is a strength of this evocative book that while Joe remains the legend, Dominic comes across as the most admirable DiMaggio in the end. Simon and Garfunkel famously asked, "Where Have You Gone, Joe DiMaggio?" Clavin reminds readers that Joe is not the only DiMaggio worth remembering.

Kirkus Reviews