The Yankee Clipper

"Joltin' Joe " DiMaggio was definitely someone to look up too. He was a famous baseball player who set the incredible record of a 56 game hitting streak from May 15th to July 16th in 1941. Here is what Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, said after the death of Joe DiMaggio in March 8 1999.

“All of baseball is deeply saddened by the passing of the Yankee Clipper—Joe DiMaggio. For several generations of baseball fans, Joe was the personification of grace, class and dignity on the baseball diamond…As an immigrant’s son, he represented the hopes and ideals of our great country. Joe DiMaggio was a hero in the truest sense of the word.”

Photograph shows Joe DiMaggio, of the New York Yankees, wearing suit, sitting in a chair, facing slightly right, about to kiss his signature baseball bat. Sporting News.  15 December 1941. Original copyright 1941 by The Sporting News Pub. Co. No known restrictions on publication. No renewal in Copyright office (checked 3/17/88).  Library of Congress

Rumors fly in my family that Joe DiMaggio was a distant cousin of my mom's.   What is it that makes us want to be related to the famous??  Do we hope to have the fame and fortune for ourselves?  Or do we need others to look up to, or to have their example to emulate in our life?  

Seven of the American League's 1937 All-Star players, from left to right Lou Gehrig, Joe Cronin, Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio, Charlie Gehringer, Jimmie Foxx, and Hank Greenberg. All seven would eventually be elected to the Hall of Fame.  From Wikipedia

As far as I can tell there if there is a NOT relation between Joe's DiMaggio's line and mine, if there is it very very very distant!!  My DiMaggio line is from Terracina, Italy a town about an hour south of Rome.  And Joe's family is from Sicily.  Still I get excited whenever I see the surname DiMaggio. People can travel and well...you just never know!!

The 1940 U.S. Census will have the famous and not so famous listed among it's pages.  Who are you interested to find? Everyone's in it!! Is the person you are looking for  famous or not so famous?   

Would you consider helping with the 1940 US Census Community Project?   It's fun, fascinating and you never know what famous person you will discover.  I hope you join me in this great project!!   Click here for more info. Let's hit it over the ballpark!!