My journey ends here...
Joseph Paul DiMaggio.
Date of birth : November 25, 1914, Martinez, North California.
Date of death : March 8, 1999, in his home of Hollywood, Florida. Buried in Colma, California.
Portrait 
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Addresses
* 40's : 400 West End Avenue, San Francisco.
* 1940 : Central Park West 108, New York (
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* Fall 1952 : 2393 Castilian Drive, Outpost Estates,
Hollywood Hills (renting with Marilyn)
* Beginning of 1954 : 2150 Beach Street, Marina District, San
Francisco (with Marilyn) 
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* 1954 : 508 North Palm Drive, Beverly Hills (renting with Marilyn).
* 60's : 5030 Alzada Drive. La Mesa, California.
* New York City : 860 Fifth Avenue, New York. Tél PL 54 400.
* Miami : 5151 Collins avenue, Miami.
* Hollywood, Florida : 1141 Waterside Lane.
Story
Parents Sicilian immigrants, arrived in the USA at the beginning of the 20th century.
His father, Giuseppe ("Zio
Pepe")(August 22, 1872, Sicily-May 3, 1949, California) (
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After a bad start in a village on the Atlantic Coast, the family settled down in San Francisco in 1915.
His boat's name was Rosalie, from the name of his wife, Rose (February 5, 1878, Sicily-June 18, 1951,
California), (
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Joe was the 8th child in a family of 9 children (Thomas, Michael (dead by drowning in Bodega Bay, North San
Francisco, May 30, 1953), Vincent, Dominic(,
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Frances, Mamie, Marie, Nellie).
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DiMaggio's parents constantly insisted on their children about the importance of good manners and honest work, and the necessity not to be exploited. Nobody would judge the DiMaggios unworthy of working in the most important domains in the USA.
Between the age of 6 and 8, he was rather a withdrawn boy, who felt different from the others because of the heavy orthopaedic system he worn to correct an ankles congenital difformity.
This experience had important consequences, because this helped him to understand suffering and exclusion, familiar feelings to Marilyn during the years spent at the orphanage. More, it strengthened his little boy personality and also his decision to excel, whatever the sport chosen.
As soon as he was able to run, he played base-ball as much as he could, with his two closest brothers Vincent and Dominic.
Born just before and just after him, they already talked about becoming professional players, what they did.At this age, he had already reached the adult size and even if he was very thin (he didn't exceed 76 Kg), he was strong and naturally elegant.
On week-ends and during his free time, he played base-ball on the parking lot.
At the age of 18, in 1932, he attracted attention and signed a contract with the San Francisco Deals team. He crushed the West Coast records being
He quickly rose through the grades of fame and in 3 years, he practically became a national hero.
Aged 22, in 1936, he joined the New York Yankees; he would play there during 15 years, until 1951.
He also purchased a seafood restaurant to his parents, the "Joe DiMaggio's Grotto" (245 Jefferson Street,
Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco)(
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His friend Reno Barsocchini ran the restaurant.
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He wanted a wife who would devoted herself to the family, like his mother and sister; but Dorothy wanted to make a career. From the start, the young couple had to reach a compromise.
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1940 : during the base-ball season, the couple rented a luxury apartment in Manahattan, on West End Avenue.
Soon, Dorothy complained to the people around her, that Joe was out almost every night, in sports clubs or at the restaurant with friends, a habit that he didn't consider to change when Dorothy was pregnant at the beginning of 1941.
Christmas 1941 
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In 1941, he won 56 runs in 56 games in a row, establishing a non-beaten record. The Yankees won the "Pennant" and the worldchampionship.
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In 1942 his paddle average fell and he quit base-ball at the beginning of 1943; as part of the war effort, he enlisted in the Air Force.
Posted to the physical training units control, he served on the base-ball fields in California, New Jersey and Hawaii, and spent a large part of his time at the hospital where he was treated for a stomach ulcer.
He returned to base-ball at the end of the war.
1944 : 
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May 12, 1944 : Dorothy obtained the divorce but kept good relations with him.
During the games
seasonal breaks, he lived with his family in San Francisco; during the
sports season, he stayed in the best hotels in New York City and spent
the evenings with his friends, most of the time in a men's private club,
the
There, was a friendly male chauvinist atmosphere. Most of the
conversations beat around sports, girls and newspapers humourous pages.
Among the clients, over the years appeared Babe Ruth and Jack
Dempsey, Damon Runyon and Ernest Hemingway, reporter Bob Considine and George Solotaire,
a chubby and loquacious guy who managed a show agency, the Adelphi
Theater. This one provided tickets for Joe and obtained him the dates
he wanted with some pretty girls. Lefty O'Doul and George Solotaire were Joe's long-time friends.
1949 : after a heel surgery, he sank into a deep nervous breakdown, from which he came out more taciturn and unsociable than ever, and even more determined to prove his value.
His mother Rose died on June 18, 1951 (
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Summer 1951 : he suffered from repeated injuries which weakened his forces.
September 1951, with Marlène Dietrich 
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December 1951 : he retired, victim of many sport harms : arthritis, heels bony ergots, calcium deposits in the elbow of the arm he used to throw the ball, and a stomach ulcer.
On December 13, 1951 : he signed a new contract to present a TV show in New York City, before and after the Yankees games (a work whose shyness was hardly suitable). He was paid 50 000$ and his anchor part gave him an income more than confortable until the end of his life.He had reached some records hard to beat; his record in 1941 where he hit in 56 following games, has never been equalled.
The New York Yankees, in his honor, removed the number 5 the year following his departure.
After having seen a picture of Marilyn posing with 2 players of the Chicago White Sox,
Zernial (
),he wanted to meet her. He asked one of his Toot's Shor's friends, David March, to introduce him to her.
The date took place in March 1952 in the Italian restaurant Villa Nova (
), on Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles.
He called Marilyn every day after their first date, and Marilyn agreed to go out with him. Soon they became the most famous couple, whose love story was fueled by the paparazzi who tracked them down.
He visited Marilyn on the last day of the shooting of "Monkey Business" (1952)
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She often travelled to New York in order to spend the week-end with Joe, who presented a TV show.
Together they went to Joe's favourite places, the Toots Shor's and the Stork
Club, and attended base-ball games.
June 1952 : Marilyn stopped in New York before joining the shooting of "Niagara" in Canada, and spent some time with Joe.
They spent Christmas 1952 together, at Marilyn's, in Doheny Drive.
Joe didn't much appreciate the idea that his future wife would focused each and every look and fantasy everywhere in the country.When Joe was about to quit a long public man career, she embarked on the path of the glory she had wanted so much and of which she was proud. He was probably aware that his relationship with Marilyn would be delicate.
While he went after her, DiMaggio was consumed by jealousy which would later end their wedding.
He gladly agreed to escort her when she was dressed with elegance, but vanished from the scene when the sexy pictures of Marilyn covered the national press.
On March 4, 1953, they attended the premiere of the play "Call me Madam" at the Fox Ritz Hotel
.On May 20, 1953, they attended the "Jimmy McHugh's Premiere of Singing Stars" at the Ambassador Hotel's
Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles
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On June 26, 1953 : the day when Mariyn left her prints in front of the Grauman's Chinese Theater, DiMaggio
didn't came but joined her later at Chasen's restaurant 
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Between July 11 and 20, 1953, they spent fews days in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico 
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August 1953 : he flew to Canada with his friend George Solotaire to join Marilyn on the shooting of "River of No Return", while she had hurt her leg.
On the set 
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Despite the scenes prior to their wedding, Marilyn felt that Joe's love and honesty overcame his jealousy.
To her, he was her sugar daddy, her counseller, her ally against
Hollywood egoism and stringency, her "hitter", her "Giuseppe" admired
by everyone, adored by a united family and the one who stand firmly by
her side.
She confied to friends that her best Christmas was the one of 1952, when Joe suprised her by waiting for her, while he had to spent Christmas with his family. He had decorated her suite of the Beverly Hills Hotel with a Christmas Tree and had prepared some champagne for when she'd come back from the party given at the studio.
She began to refuse some projects, like "Pink Tights" that she had to do immediately after "River of No Return".
She wasn't on the set for the first day, and a week later, took a plane to San Francisco to spend the feasts with Joe and his family.
October 11, 1953
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On January 14, 1954, they got married in an impromptu way, at the San Francisco City Hall (Polk Street)
At the City Hall
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Certificate of marriage 
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Joe wanted to marry Marilyn in church, but John Mitty, the San Francisco archbishop, refused to recognize the validity of his divorce with Dorothy Arnolds, his first wife. So there was just a civil wedding.
They were thinking of it of course, since a little time, but only decided it 2 days before. They wanted a wedding as discreet as possible, and Marilyn informed the studio only an hour before the ceremony. Despite it, more than 100 reporters and journalists invaded the hall and the hallways of the City Hall.
Officer, Judge Charles S.Perry (
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The ceremony started at 1.48 PM and ended 3 minutes later.
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Lee (
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then they jumped in Joe's blue Cadillac(
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They had lunch in Monterey, at the Hot Springs Hotel, and despite a reservation at the Mission Inn Hotel, they eventually spent the night at the Clifton Motel, in Paso Robles.
Then, they spent 2 weeks in a house hidden in the mountains (the house of Marilyn's lawyer, Lloyd Wright), outside Idyllwild, near Palm Springs.Life was as difficult as before the wedding, even if they were both ready to mutual concessions.
Joe was very meticulous, at home as in his business; Marilyn was exactly the opposite. He prefered the quiet life in San Francisco, she needed Los Angeles; he was taciturn and reserved, she was impulsive and prone to scenes; he liked to spend time with his family and friends or spend the evening watching the TV, her, she had gave up the Hollywood parties, and wanted more intellectual satisfactions.For the first time of her life, she tried to impart her knowledge and literary fondness. She tried to interest Joe to books, from St Exupery to Mickey Spillane and Jules Verne, but he didn't divert himself from his main interest, the television.
On January 29, 1954, they went to the Federal Building in San Francisco, to pick their passports up, inpreparation for their trip in Asia
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Marilyn being temporarily excluded from the studio, they left to Japan (package tour organized by the
newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun (
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where they were pursued by the press and plagued by the crowd, first in Honolulu, then when they arrived in Tokyo on February 2, 1954.
Departure from San Francisco, January 29, 1954
Arrival in Honolulu, January 29, 1954 
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Departure from Honolulu, January 30, 1954
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Arrival in Tokyo, February 1st, 1954, Haneda Airport
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Arriving at the Imperial Hotel
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Press conference on February 3, 1954, at the Yomiuri Newspaper Company
February 4, 1954, party at the Imperial Hotel, organized by the Japanese newspaper "Yomiuri"
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February 6-7, 1954, Yokohama 
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Visiting the Itazuke Air force Base, Fukuoka
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February 11 and 12, 1954, Kobe 
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February 13, 1954, Hiroshima base-ball stadium 
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February 14, 1954, Hiroshima 
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February 15, 1954, Military Hospital, Osaka 
Return from Korea, Oriental Hotel, Kobe
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The emperor offered to Marilyn a string of natural pearls made by Mikimoto (
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this necklace the day of her divorce with DiMaggio (
) and later gave it to Paula Strasberg who would give it to her daughter, who sold it in 1999).
Things went bad when Marilyn accepted an invitation in Korea to visit the American troops. Joe didn't want her to leave.
General John E.Hull who commanded the Army in Asia, sent an invitation to Marilyn for a tour among the American troops in Korea, which represented more than 10 000 men.
She flew with Jean O'Doul (the wife of Frank "Lefty" O'Doul, a friend of Joe) and Walter Bouillet (the officer responsible for the Army entertainments) for a 4-days tour and 10 performances.
February 16, 1954, at Itami Airport, before Marilyn's departure to Korea 
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She won over the troops in a purple spangled-dress, short and slinky.
She sang "Diamonds
are a Girl's Best Friend", "Bye, Bye, Baby", "Somebody Loves Me" and
"Do It Again" (softened in "Kiss Me Again" to avoid overexciting an
already very enthousiastic public). Everywhere, she was welcomed very
warmly.
Departure from Tokyo, February 23, 1954
Arrival in San Francisco, February 24, 1954
When they returned in California, the couple went through serious difficulties; Joe refused to go with her at the Photoplay prizegiving. So she was escorted by Sidney Skolsky.
Back in Los Angeles, she sorted out her conflicts with the studios, and went back to work.
in the DiMaggios house, on Beach Street 
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She appreciated the family life and the rides on the "Yankee Clipper", Joe's yacht; but it is reported that Joe's temperament often gained the upper hand and that he was violent. He pursued his efforts to prevent Marilyn from public appearances.
August 1954 : the extremely small costume and the final choregraphy of the unbridled "Heat Wave" in "There's No Business Like Show Business" made him so angry that he left the set, fulmining of jealousy and rage.
Despite his protests, the scene was kept.
September 1954
In the beginning of September 1954, they met again in New York City where Marilyn had to start the shooting of
On September 12, 1954, they had dinner at El Morocco
leaving the St Regis Hotel
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On September 13, 1954, they attended a representation of "Teahouse of The August Moon" in New York
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Joe attended the shooting of "The Seven Year Itch" 
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The went back to Los Angeles, on September 16, 1954 
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Joe quickly returned in New York for his TV shows, the "World Series".
On October 4, 1954, Harry Brand, the Fox publicity agent, announced that the couple would divorce by mutual consent.
The North Palm Drive house was plagued by photographers and reporters. Marilyn was with her doctor, Leon Krohn and her lawyer Jerry Giesler, Joe was watching TV in the cellar.
On October 6, 1954 : Marilyn and Jerry Giesler announced to the press, in front of Marilyn and DiMaggio's house in Beverly Hills, that a divorce procedure had begun.
Joe left the house at 10.00 PM with his friend Reno Barsocchini. From his car he declared to the reporters that he was leaving Los Angeles and would never come back again
He didn't consider the divorce procedure as the end of their relationship; he thought he could regain Marilyn and that she only suffered from bad influences. The day before their first official summoning, prior to the divorce, he tried a last attempt, called Sidney Skolsky for help and tried to convince Marilyn to change her mind. But she didn't.
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Joe stood apart from the debates. Marilyn obtained a temporary divorce (
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Less than 2 weeks after this first audience, Joe thought that the private detectives (Philip Irwin and Braney Ruditsky) he had hired to spy on Marilyn had discovered interesting things. They had followed Marilyn several times at the same adress, 8122 Waring Avenue, Sheila Stuart's apartment, student and friend of Hal Schaefer.
). This story remained in the memories as the "Raid on the wrong door" and a complaint was registered by the apartment's owner.
But despite months of important stress and a divorce, Marilyn and Joe still saw each other.
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One thinks that he spent the night with her at her hotel on Christmas 1954 and was one the rare people to know that she had left Hollywood.
On January 1955, he came and picked her up at the hotel where she stayed with Milton Greene, in Boston, Massachusetts, to spend 5 days at his brother's home, in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
On January 25, 1955,
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She regularly asked him some advices, listened to him and followed his guiding, notably when he advised her to renegociate her contract with the Fox Studios.
End of January 1955, he learned his election at the
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DiMaggio and Marilyn
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On March 30, 1955, party at the Madison Square Garden 
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Party at El Morocco, 1955 
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On June 1st 1955, he went with her at the premiere of "The Seven Year Itch"
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After the divorce, Joe kept working for his TV shows and training the New York Yankees during winter, then
found a job as vice president of an Army supplies company, the Valmore.H.Monette Corporation (
).Then, he gave a party in her honor at Toot's Shor, which was a flop, because Marilyn's anger spoiled the party.
On October 31, 1955 : Judge Elmer Doyle granted the definitive divorce (
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In 1961, she called him in a big distress condition, from the psychiatric department of the
He took a plane from Florida and demanded that she got out of the psychiatric ward. Marilyn was brought back by Ralph Roberts to her apartment, where Joe was waiting for her.
He stayed with her every day.
She arrived in Florida on March 22, 1961; he took her to the Yankees training camp, then to the seaside resort in Redington Beach, Florida, in order that she took rest.At the Tides Motor Inn
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Yankees camp
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Tampa International Airport to New York City April 1, 1961
April 11, 1961, the New York Yankees game versus the Minnesota Twins at the Yankee Stadium, New York City
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June 28, 1961, Marilyn was hospitalized at the Polyclinic Hospital in New York, and Joe accompanied her
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After her return to Los Angeles, they spent Christmas 1961 and the New Year's Eve together, in Marilyn's apartment,
As in 1953, he brought some champagne and caviar and a Christmas Tree. When he wasn't abroad for professional reasons, he used to visit her in Los Angeles.
He also helped her, at the beginning of 1962, to settle in her house of Fifth Helena Drive.
In 1961 they saw each other at least once in June and twice in July, or for a private dinner either to do some shopping or bicycle riding.
According to Donald Spoto, they also met secretely at the end of July at the Cal Neva Lodge, cause they planned to remarry.
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Telegram dated June 1, 1962 sent by Joe for her birthday 
"Dear Joe,
world : make a person completely
happy. Your happiness is my happiness, and..."
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He was in charge of her funerals with Milton Rudin (
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Mortuary.
The funerals, August 8, 1962
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After the funerals, he passed the word on to a flower shop, the Parisian Florists, to lay down a long-stemmed
red rose on Marilyn's grave twice a week, as a testimonial of his fidelity 
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He always kept a respectful silence about his common life with Marilyn; he is the only person not to have written a book about her, even if, regularly, some rumors had spread, according which he was actually writing one, but that he wanted it to be published only 50 years after his death.
Letter from Inez Melson dated September 6, 1962 : 
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He died in his house in Florida, on March 8, 1999, 5 months after a lung cancer surgery (
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His son, Joe DiMaggio Jr, who hadn't seen his father for years, attended his funeral on March 11, 1999, and bore
his father's casket (
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with Joe Sr's sons-in-law Roger Stein and James Hamra, Joseph DiMaggio,
son of his deceased brother Mike, Joe Nachio, one of his older friend,
ans Morris Engelberg, his friend and lawyer.
He was buried at the Holy Cross
Cemetery, Colma, California 
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