Biography - Joe Di Maggio: The Way It Was

Narrator Peter Graves does an exemplary job with the nearly impossible task of weaving together Joltin' Joe's baseball achievements and his all-but-public private life marriages to actresses Dorothy Arnold and Marilyn Monroe. Delving into the making of the New York Yankee star who was given the unenviable task of following in Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig's footsteps in Yankee Stadium from 1936 to 1951 (with one interruption for a noncombat military stint in World War II), the documentary covers the Yankee Clipper's famous 56-game hitting streak in 1941, his role in leading the Yankees to 10 pennants and 9 World Series titles, his 2 tumultuous marriages, and his role as a television pitchman. His marriage to Arnold lasted longer and produced his only son, but undeniably the more interesting aspect of his private life was the short-but-sensational marriage in 1954 to Monroe, America's sizzling sex symbol. There are moments here in which it is clear why this marriage between the quiet and private DiMaggio and the flamboyant actress was destined to fail.

This 50-minute tape is deserving of space in any video library. It is a piece of true Americana, of a time when heroes exhibited a grace and style under intense public spotlight that is rarely seen today. --Gordie Sholtys

Description
They called him "Joltin' Joe" and the "Yankee Clipper." Joe Dimaggio was the heart and soul of the greatest dynasty in all of professional athletics, and a hero to millions of kids across America. One of the most admired figures in sports history, Dimaggio led the New York Yankees to an unprecedented ten pennants and eight World Championships, and his 56-game hitting streak is still considered baseball's greatest record. Here is the story of his fabled life, from his heroics on the diamond and the unbelievable pressure of his record-shattering streak, to his star-crossed romance and marriage to Marilyn Monroe. See broadcasts of some of his glorious moments with the Yankees, and share in the memories of those who knew the quiet superstar. Round the bases with the sports hero who came to epitomize dignity under pressure and modesty in the midst of towering achievement.