Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra, who was a longtime Yankees teammate of Joe DiMaggio, showcases a photo montage of the legendary center fielder at the Yogi Berra Museum in Montclair, N.J. (AFP)

By William Gildea
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, March 9, 1999; Page D1

Joe DiMaggio, who died yesterday at the age of 84 after a long battle with lung cancer, was hailed as the quintessential baseball player and one of the greatest heroes of the 20th century.

DiMaggio became fixed in the American culture because of his talent and grace as a player for the New York Yankees, especially for his 56-game hitting streak in 1941; for his always modest behavior and the elegance with which he led his life on and off the field; for his brief but highly publicized marriage to Marilyn Monroe and his enduring love for her of which he would never speak.

"This son of Italian immigrants gave every American something to believe in," President Clinton said in a statement released by the White House. "He became the very symbol of American grace, power and skill. I have no doubt that when future generations look back at the best of America in the 20th century, they will think of the 'Yankee Clipper' and all that he achieved."

Ted Williams was DiMaggio's contemporary rival with the Boston Red Sox.

"There is nobody I admired, respected and envied more than Joe DiMaggio," Williams said, according to Bloomberg News.

DiMaggio, who was glorified in literature and song, died at his home in Harbour Island, Fla., close to where he had been hospitalized for 99 days until Jan. 19 after surgery in October for lung cancer. He suffered numerous setbacks from lung infections and once lapsed into a coma. But he regained consciousness, to the amazement of doctors, during a struggle that echoed his valiant day-in, day-out efforts when he wore pinstripes.

"I was out there to play and give it all I had," he once said. "I looked at it like 'I'm doing my best.' If I got the hit, fine. I always felt good that I had given my best."

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner visited a weak but alert DiMaggio last Tuesday to reminisce and remind him of an invitation to throw out the ceremonial first ball at the team's Yankee Stadium opener April 9. According to Steinbrenner, DiMaggio just smiled.

"The Yankees are deeply saddened by the passing of Joe DiMaggio, one of our own and one of the greatest of all time," Steinbrenner said in a statement. "It was the class and dignity with which he led his life that made him part of all of us."

At the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., the flag was lowered to half staff and a wreath was placed around his plaque.

"His persona extended beyond the playing field and touched all our hearts," Commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement.

Fans appeared early yesterday morning outside Legends Field, the Yankees' spring training home in Tampa, to pay tribute to DiMaggio, although the team did not play until last night. Many paused in front of the stadium, where the Yankees placed monuments to players whose numbers are retired, and took photos of DiMaggio's No. 5 plaque.

Several left bouquets, and at 1:15 p.m. a security guard was assigned to make sure fans did not trample the grass surrounding the monument. Two hours later, a large bouquet of lilies, roses and lilacs purchased by the Yankees was placed alongside the monument, along with a painting of the "Yankee Clipper" that was sent from Steinbrenner's offices. Several replica Yankees batting helmets that were also given to fans attending the exhibition game against the Philadelphia Phillies later were placed beneath the bouquet.

Yankees clubhouse officials quickly affixed No. 5 patches to the left sleeve of each pinstriped jersey. Flags were placed at half-staff and security personnel placed black bands across their badges.

Before the game, the Yankees played a two-minute video of DiMaggio's career, then asked for a moment of silence. The teams stood on the top steps of the dugouts during the national anthem.

	George Brett, who will soon join Joe DiMaggio in the Hall of Fame, and son Jackson pause in memory of the Yankee Clipper. (AP)

Although DiMaggio's career ended long before the current Yankees were born, most had met the center fielder, many during his visit to Yankee Stadium last year on the last day of the season. Even though the Yankees won 114 games, the World Series and were compared to the all-time greatest teams, the players felt in awe of the man who led the team to nine World Series titles.

Manager Joe Torre said he felt a special kinship to DiMaggio, even though Torre was only 11 when DiMaggio's career ended in 1951.

"He had that certain air about him that made you realize he was something special," Torre said. "The ultimate compliment was when he'd come back to an Old Timers game and get the loudest ovation, even though hardly anyone in the stands was old enough to have seen him play."

The tall and lean "Joltin' Joe" graced center field for 13 years through 1951, missing three seasons to serve in the military during World War II.

He always will be remembered best for the still-standing record of hitting in 56 consecutive games in 1941, the same season Williams became the last .400 hitter with an average of .406. The streak was followed intently by a nation that was emerging from the Depression and on the brink of World War II. The streak made him a national celebrity.

"He was always kind of shy," former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda said. "He felt uncomfortable with a lot of people, yet he was always there as a tremendous representative of our game of baseball."

Quietly proud and intensely private, DiMaggio avoided crowds his whole life. But that proved impossible when he married Monroe in 1954. Although the marriage was short-lived, DiMaggio never stopped loving her and was said to have been making plans to reunite with her and take her to his home in San Francisco when she died in 1962. He made Monroe's funeral arrangements and later had red roses placed regularly on her grave for years.

Residents of Martinez, Calif., the town of his birth, placed a bouquet of daffodils and carnations on the waterfront near where DiMaggio was born on Nov. 25, 1914. On his birth certificate, the midwife who delivered him wrote that his father Giuseppe DiMaggio's occupation was "Fishman." About a year later, the father moved the family to San Francisco because he had heard that the fishing was better there. In "The Old Man and the Sea," an inspired Hemingway had the old Cuban fisherman say, "I would like to take the great DiMaggio fishing. They say his father was a fisherman. Maybe he was as poor as we are and would understand."

DiMaggio was a hero in San Francisco before he left in 1936 to join the Yankees and Lou Gehrig. DiMaggio hit .398 during one season for the San Francisco Seals and hit safely in 61 straight games, still a Pacific Coast League record. The mayor of San Francisco, no less, ran onto the field in the midst of a game to shake his hand. DiMaggio was 18 then. DiMaggio's funeral and burial is scheduled for Thursday in San Francisco.

"In this century, there have been three baseball players who transcended their sport to become part of American legend," Vice President Gore said in a statement. "Where Babe Ruth was known for his power and Jackie Robinson was known for his courage, Joe DiMaggio was known for dignity and grace."

Special correspondent Pete Williams contributed to this report from Tampa.