DiMaggio Had Defensive Problems
Joe Was Not Always Perfect in the Field
Following the hot streak that saw his batting average reach .420, Joe DiMaggio went into a brief slump, going hitless in twelve trips, but he broke out with a vengeance on June 8. Joe hit a tremendous home run to left field, singled and tripled, as he drove in 5 runs in a 12-3 Yankees’ win over the Browns before 5,000 fans, but that is not what made the game notable. Joe DiMaggio was fooled on a fly ball, which was a rarity in his great career.
Joe Could Have Made the Same Catch
Many writers, teammates, and opponents have claimed that DiMaggio was such a natural outfielder that he never had to dive for a ball to make a catch. In 1947 Joe was victimized in the World Series when Brooklyn’s Al Gionfriddo robbed him of a potential game-tying home run by making one of the great catches in World Series history. Teammate Dr. Bobby Brown, who later became the American League president, claimed that DiMaggio would have made the catch, but without diving for it. That makes for good copy, but it is mere hyperbole. Joe would have probably lunged for the ball, as did Gionfriddo, and he probably would have made the catch, but even the great Joe had his bad moments, just like every other great defensive player.
DiMaggio Was Caught Flat Footed On A Fly Ball
In the game against the Browns on June 8 Joe got lucky, but the great ones often can compensate. Baseball scribe Louis Effratt wrote that “Caught flat footed by Harlan Clift’s fly to left in the third, DiMaggio made a circus catch, twisting his gloved hand over his right shoulder.” An ordinary fielder probably would not have made the catch. It was unusual for DiMaggio to be "caught flat footed," but it happened.
DiMaggio Was Not a Showboat
DiMaggio was rarely fooled by a fly ball. He was an excellent outfielder, maybe even as good as Tris Speaker. Joe seemed to glide across the huge center field expanse of Yankee Stadium with little effort, but that is one characteristic of the great ones. They make what is difficult seem easy. DiMaggio was not a showboat. He made only the moves necessary to make the play. He reached the ball just as it fell into his glove, which seemed to make the catch inevitable. Wilfrid Sheed wrote, 'In dreams I can still see him gliding after fly balls as if he were skimming the surface of the moon.'
The Yankees Trade Ben Chapman
On June 14, in a surprise move, the Yankees traded centerfielder Ben Chapman to the Senators in exchange for Jake Powell. Chapman had been a consistent .300 hitter with the Yankees and was an excellent base stealer, having led the American League in 1932 and 1933 with 38 and 27 stolen bases respectively. Powell was hitting .293 for the Senators after batting .316 in 1935. He would replace Chapman in centerfield, with DiMaggio remaining in left with an occasional stint in right.
DiMaggio and Hoag Collide
Six weeks later, Myril Hoak was in center and Joe was playing right in a game against the Tigers at Navin Field in Detroit. In the sixth inning, Goose Goslin hit a fly ball to right center field. Hoag and DiMaggio converged and collided. Both went down, with Joe completely stretched out on the grass while Hoag hit the ground and bounced up to a sitting position. Trainer Doc Painter and manager Joe McCarthy raced out to right field while the game was held up for ten minutes. Joe remained in the game but Hoag was replaced by Jake Powell. Hoag played the following day, Wednesday, but couldn’t sleep and in the morning, he had ice packs applied to his head. He was rushed to the hospital, was operated on for a blood clot on the brain. Thankfully, he recovered but was missed the rest of the season.
Speaker, Mays, Griffey Jr. and DiMaggio Were Human
The Yankees left Detroit for Cleveland, and DiMaggio was moved to centerfield. He played there most of his career and is ranked among the greatest of all defensive center fielders, but it must be noted that no one is perfect. Tris Speaker, Willie Mays, Ken Griffey Jr. and Joe DiMaggio all were human. Sometimes, they made mistakes.
References:
- Curry, Jack. “Joe DiMaggio: 1914-1999; Contemporaries Remember Him As the Best Baseball Had to Offer.” New York Times. 9 March 1999.
- Dawson, James P. “Gehrig’s Homer, 2 Doubles, Single Help Yankees Crush Tigers, 16-6; Hoag is Forced Out of Game After Crashing into DiMaggio.” New York Times. 29 July 1936, p. 13.
- Effrat, Louis. Yanks Score, 12-3, As DiMaggio Stars; Joe Bats in Five Runs Against Browns With Long Homer, Triple and Single.” New York Times. 9 June 1936, p. 30.
- “Yanks Send Chapman to Senators for Powell in a Surprise Trade.” New York Times. 15 June 1936.
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