The Streak [Part 1]
In 1941, Joe DiMaggio put together one of the most untouchable records in baseball history. Starting on May 15, he began a 56 game hitting streak that not only captured the attention of the sports world, but it rallied a slumping Yankees team to go on to win the pennant and ultimately the World Series. It was such an accomplishment, that it overshadowed Ted Williams and his .402 BA to win the MVP award.
What begins today is a lookback to not only DiMaggio's hit streak game by game, but the individual pitchers that he and the Yankees victimized.
Game 0
May 14, 1941
Indians: 4
Yankees: 1
Dimaggio: 0-3
Before any streak can begin, DiMaggio needs to go hitless. Mel Harder would go on to contribute to Joe's streak, but on this day, he held down the fort, walking DiMaggio at one point but keeping him out of the hit column.
May 14, 1941
Indians: 4
Yankees: 1
Dimaggio: 0-3
Before any streak can begin, DiMaggio needs to go hitless. Mel Harder would go on to contribute to Joe's streak, but on this day, he held down the fort, walking DiMaggio at one point but keeping him out of the hit column.
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Game 1
May 15, 1941
White Sox: 13
Yankees: 1
May 15, 1941
White Sox: 13
Yankees: 1
DiMaggio: 1-4, RBI
The Yankees got spanked on this day, with Eddie Smith going the distance and striking out 4. Lost in the embarrassment was DiMaggio's lil RBI single in the 1st inning that seemed inconsequential at the time, but would turn out to be the turning point for everything.
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Game 2
May 16, 1941
White Sox: 5
Yankees: 6
May 16, 1941
White Sox: 5
Yankees: 6
DiMaggio: 2-4, 2R, HR, 3B, RBI
Thornton would finished 4th in MVP voting in '41, so DiMaggio didn't get a cheap hit here. He went deep in the 3rd to make it a 2 game streak, but there was still work to do. Coming in to the game, the Yankees were 14-15 and in a bad need to right the ship. After the homer, the Yankees led 4-0, but the White Sox put up 5 in the 6th and took their lead into the 9th. DiMaggio led off the inning with a triple, then tied the game when Joe Gordon followed with his own triple. After a couple of intentional walks, the Yankees walked it off when great hitting pitcher Red Ruffing pinch-hit and singled.
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Game 3
May 17, 1941
May 17, 1941
White Sox: 3
Yankees: 2
Yankees: 2
DiMaggio: 1-3, R
Joe got his hit out of the way early when he led off the 2nd with a single. He would walk in the 5th and score of a Bill Dickey double to tie the game at the time, but the struggling Yankees would fall in the end. Rigney almost blew it in the end, but he holds off a Yankee rally to clinch the series.
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Game 4
May 18, 1941
May 18, 1941
Browns: 2
Yankees: 12
Yankees: 12
DiMaggio: 3-3, 3R, RBI
Yankees beat up the lowly Browns on this day. St. Louis scored in the first, and tied it at 2 in the 2nd, but after the Yankees half of the 2nd they were up 4-2 and never looked back. DiMaggio got the streak extended quickly in the 1st inning. He got hits off of both Harris, and when Niggeling came in on relief.
Yankees beat up the lowly Browns on this day. St. Louis scored in the first, and tied it at 2 in the 2nd, but after the Yankees half of the 2nd they were up 4-2 and never looked back. DiMaggio got the streak extended quickly in the 1st inning. He got hits off of both Harris, and when Niggeling came in on relief.
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Game 5
May 19, 1941
May 19, 1941
Browns: 5
Yankees: 1
Yankees: 1
DiMaggio: 1-3, 2B
The streak was in danger before it really got started. Denny Galehouse and his stingy chart was shutting the Yankees down, no-hitting them through 5 and retiring Joe in his first two at bats. NY only had one hit when DiMaggio stepped in with 2 out in the 7th. A double to left gave the streak life on a day when the Yankee offense otherwise stayed inconsistent.
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Game 6
May 20, 1941
May 20, 1941
Browns: 9
Yankees: 10
Yankees: 10
DiMaggio: 1-5, R, RBI
Yankees needed their offense to step up in order to get back to .500 (again). DiMaggio drove in a run in the 5-run 4th inning, but he needed a single in the 8th to continue the streak. With the game tied in the bottom of them 9th, poor defense by the Browns allowed the Yankees to walk it off. With the streak safely secured, George Caster relieved Auker, getting DiMaggio to flyout later in the game, but we'll revisit Caster later in the streak.
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Game 7
May 21, 1941
Tigers: 4
Yankees: 5
May 21, 1941
Tigers: 4
Yankees: 5
DiMaggio: 2-5, RBI
Joltin Joe singled in the 5th off Rowe, and added another single in the 7th off Benton for good measure. Yankees needed some heroics to win this one; a 2 run double from Tommy Henrich in the bottom of the 9th to tie it, and a triple from Red Rolfe to score Johnny Sturm to walk it off yet again.
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Game 8
May 22, 1941
May 22, 1941
Tigers: 5
Yankees: 6
Yankees: 6
DiMaggio: 1-4, RBI
A single in the 7th for DiMaggio, but even when he wasn't getting hits, he was helping out the cause. With the bases loaded in the 3rd, Joe lined out deep enough for Johnny Sturm to score from 3rd, as the Yankees would need every run they could get in the 1-run win.
Bobo Newsom started the game for Detroit and held DiMaggio hitless. Unfortunately for him, the rest of the Yankee lineup had much more success and forced Archie McKain out from the bullpen in the 6th, who wouldn't be as effective at stopping DiMaggio.
Bobo Newsom started the game for Detroit and held DiMaggio hitless. Unfortunately for him, the rest of the Yankee lineup had much more success and forced Archie McKain out from the bullpen in the 6th, who wouldn't be as effective at stopping DiMaggio.
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Game 9
May 23, 1941
May 23, 1941
Red Sox: 9
Yankees: 9
Yankees: 9
DiMaggio: 1-5, 2RBI
Yup, a disgusting tie, and against Boston of all teams. But, it counts. With the game tied at 7 in the 8th inning, DiMaggio finally got into the hit column with an RBI single. They took a 9-7 lead into the 9th, but Grandma Murphy couldn't hold it and the Yanks ultimately had to settle for a deadlocked final score.
The Red Sox sent several pitchers to the mound during this 18 run game, three of which who kept Joe D hitless, but it was Newsome who was tasked with the 8th inning, where he couldn't sneak one by DiMaggio.
The Red Sox sent several pitchers to the mound during this 18 run game, three of which who kept Joe D hitless, but it was Newsome who was tasked with the 8th inning, where he couldn't sneak one by DiMaggio.
