Customer Reviews

Joe DiMaggio: The Hero's Life

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(43)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(25)

 

 

This book has already stirred up controversy over Cramer's portrayal of DiMaggio and no doubt that controversy will continue for quite some time. I have been a lifelong baseball fan and consider DiMaggio to be among the greatest of those who played the game. He combined natural ability in the five key skill areas (ie hitting, fielding, throwing, base running, and bunting) with a style and grace few others have. Also he was a winner, playing on nine world championship Yankee teams during a 13-year period. No one doubts the on-field achievements of "Jolting Joe." The controversy generated by this book is explained, rather, by Cramer's comments about DiMaggio off the field and especially after he retired.

According to Cramer, DiMaggio was unapproachable to anyone who could not (one way or another) feed his ego, increase his wealth, enhance his lifestyle, or protect his carefully crafted self-image. Throughout most of his life, DiMaggio seemed to ask "What's in it for me?" He not only craved but indeed required treatment normally reserved for heads of state. According to Cramer, he had very few close personal relationships (none with family members) and these were sustained only when in full compliance with the terms and conditions he established. DiMaggio trusted very few people, suspecting that anyone who tried to approach him had ulterior, self-serving motives. There is an old saying about "knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing." DiMaggio knew both.

One critic has suggested that Cramer is "hostile" to DiMaggio. Another critic has described this book as a "hatchet job." Cramer indicates no doubt about DiMaggio's greatness as a baseball player. That was one game he played superbly. Cramer also seems to have no doubt about another game DiMaggio played in his private life and in his post-baseball career. This second game also had very strict rules set by DiMaggio, rules with which he insisted that everyone else comply. Re Cramer's attitude toward this DiMaggio, I am reminded of Harry Truman who once observed "I just tell them the truth and they think it's hell." After reading this book, you may conclude that Cramer is "hostile", that he has done a "hatchet job" on the Yankee Clipper. Or perhaps you will agree with me that Cramer has accumulated as much information as he could and then portrayed DiMaggio as fully and as honestly as he could.

My guess (only a guess) is that Cramer's DiMaggio would not have objected to this biography if he received at least half (but preferably all) of the royalties from copies sold. No matter what Cramer or anyone else may say about DiMaggio's human imperfections (eg greed and vanity), he played the game of baseball with skills, style, and grace which -- like his 56-game hitting streak -- may never be surpassed.

I caught a glimpse of the great DiMaggio at a charity golf tournament in February of 1998. He was chipping his ball out of the sand onto the 18th green. The tournament was full of celebrities. No one batted an eye when Joe Namath or Bill Russell sauntered by, but the aged DiMaggio swinging a golf club drew everyone's attention. "Hey DiMaggio is playing 18!" His swing was weak, he had barely a year to live, but I was taken by the man, who with great effort, raked his own divot, despite the fact that anyone would have jumped at the duty. That was class. He still had it.

This book is a long history of why he still had it. It's also a history that makes DiMaggio more human. Like all histories, great men have shadow sides that the public learns about after their deaths. DiMaggio is no different.

Many reviewers have opined that Mr. Cramer has tarnished DiMaggio's image, but I think the opposite is true. Cramer has written of a private introverted man who was heartbroken by Marilyn Monroe and never recovered. DiMaggio wanted the security to remain a private man and for that he relied on making money. No shame to make money from one's own name, when one's life achievements make that name so valuable. It's also true that DiMaggio would be fickle with friends. His need for privacy sometimes drove friends away, but that was his right. He might not have been an easy person to know, but that makes him no less heroic to the public at large. He was a model citizen that went to war when his country called. He stayed out of jail, which isn't always an easy proposition for today's athletes. I like DiMaggio even more, now that I have read this well-written biography. I wish MLB was full of guys with his class.

When I met Cramer in January 1997, he said "I don't know whether I like [DiMaggio] or not." I was disturbed by that comment for when the biographer refuses to remain objective any research or revelations are suspect since he is prejudiced. This is not to say that icons should not be subject to critical treatments as long as there is balance, so what is written is consequential; not allowing the "flaws" to disproportionately submerge the "strengths" of the individual and vice versa.

I loaned Cramer my research (I was working on a DiMaggio book for the University of Nebraska.) When he told The Sporting News he was going "to blow the lid off" The Legend, I knew he would not be the objective observer he led me to believe. I faxed him to express my concerns and asked for a copy of the book. Cramer called back and snorted: "I don't have to answer to anyone, least of all, you!"

Space does not permit me to address the book's literally dozens of serious errors. Cramer provides only two footnotes, no page notes, and no apparatus of sourcing, aside from the Acknowledgments, making it impossible to verify his reportage.

The men behind Cramer's so-called "hero machine" were not DiMaggio's toadies. "Sport" noted in 12/50 reporters continually "questioned DiMaggio's conduct," citing him for his "childish indifference," and "acting like a spoiled kid." Even pal Ben Epstein in the 8/2/50 New York Mirror wrote DiMaggio "has fallen victim of incredible national worship, and... has 'grown too big for his breeches.'"

He says DiMaggio promised a dying boy he'd tie George Sisler's record and when he learned DiMaggio got the hit, he was cured. Cramer says the story was concocted by DiMaggio and the press. The fact is, the 7/1/41 Associated Press reported only DiMaggio and his teammates knew he had promised the boy the he would BREAK - not tie - Sisler's record and the boy had died before the game started.

He speculates he sold or traded his World Series rings for "services" without offering any proof. DiMaggio's 1951 World Series ring was auctioned at Sotheby's in 10/99, but it came to Barry Halper via the friend DiMaggio gave it to. The fates of the other rings beside his 1936 ring remain a mystery. I asked Cramer where his Pulitzer Prize was; I was stunned when he said he didn't know. Who's to say he didn't trade it for a gem-mint Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps rookie? I can't prove he did. But, since his Pulitzer is AWOL, he can't disprove it, either.

What was the name and number of this "Mob trust fund"? What branch of the Bowery Bank it was at? Are any records of withdrawals? Did the IRS know? Was DiMaggio asked to throw games? Cramer never tells us. He also doesn't tell us DiMaggio told the FBI he declined to front a Mob-run Havana casino in 1957 -- even as he uses excepts from that interview!

DiMaggio is shown carrying $600,000 in cash out of his home after the 1989 San Francisco earthquake, money Cramer says belonged to mobster Abner Zwillman. The 10/25/89 NY Times reported DiMaggio was not allowed home until ONE WEEK later. But let's assume he's right. How long had it been there? Was $600,000 the sum Zwillman left? He doesn't tell us nor how he knew there was $600,000 and it was Zwillman's.

Cramer says DiMaggio didn't attend "Lefty" Gomez's and "Lefty" O' Doul's funerals without mentioning he met with both families before their services. He says he discarded pal Reno Barsocchini and didn't attend his funeral. Ron Fimrite in his 11/6/00 review in Sports Illustrated: "I can personally testify that Cramer is wrong. Reno was a friend of mine, and he was one of the constants in DiMaggio's life. Far from eschewing Reno's funeral, Joe was, with his brother Dom, a weeping pallbearer. I know because I was there." He told the 11/15/00 NY Times Dom DiMaggio cooperated. If he did - and there are charges/stories only he can supply, confirm or deny - that would explain why he is the real hero of "The Hero's Life." Yet with the story of DiMaggio leaving his mother to die alone - a "story" he probably got from Dom or his family - Cramer demonstrates how he is so easily had. Newspapers reported 8 of Mrs. DiMaggio's 9 children were at her beside before she died. The one who wasn't -- Dom!

In his describing DiMaggio's relationship with Marilyn Monroe, he relies heavily on Maury Allen's biography on DiMaggio and Donald Spoto's biography on Monroe, each of which have numerous errors. He repeats Allen's story how their first date took place at the Villa Nova (in Monroe's autobiography, which he quotes, it was a dinner party at Chasen's) and how Mickey Rooney crashed it. In Rooney's autobiography, he never mentions his "role" on that fateful night. And how could've not known Monroe and Rooney did 1950's "The Fireball?" This kind of sloppiness sows seeds of doubt: if he's going to slack off on the little things, why should we believe him on the big ones?

He reports DiMaggio hit Monroe so hard, she had to see her plastic surgeon to see if her nose was broken. This is taken from Spoto's biography, but in Spoto's version, the culprit was Monroe's psychiatrist, Ralph Greenson. Both versions are impossible to verify; like Cramer, Spoto doesn't cite the sources of his allegations.

"Vince (Joe's older brother) was cut off from the family when he ran away to play baseball, met a girl, and got married against his father's wishes," Cramer told a 10/25/00 USA Today chat. "Joe never stuck up for Vince, though it was Vince who got him his first job in baseball." This is flat-out wrong. Vince (who died in 1986) told Jack Moore in "Joe DiMaggio: A Bio-Bibliography" when his parents wouldn't sign a baseball contract, he left home. He returned 3 months later with $1,500 in cash, proving there was money in baseball. Vince later got his manager to let Joe - who was playing semi-pro ball - play in the last 3 games of the SF Seals' 1932 season. He never hinted to Moore Joe was involved, much less, if he "stuck up" for him. Nor does he mention a marriage.

On the 11/14/00 "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel," Cramer responded to DiMaggio's lawyer's comments on the book with a tirade too disgusting to put here. Marilyn Monroe once said she felt those who wrote about her were saying more about themselves than about her. Now you exactly what she meant.

Like it or not Joe Dimaggio was human. Mr. Cramer does not try to lionize or demonize Mr. Dimaggio. He only has praise for the accomplishments of this Hall of Fame player on the field. His criticisms of the personal Joe are sometimes harsh but not a hatchet job. Those who give this book only one star do it out of emotion, not out of a fair review of the book. Yes, DiMaggio was larger than life, a hero on the field. But who among his worshippers knows the private Dimaggio, the shy, aloof man who feared a spot on his public image. Mr. Cramer is a quality writer, and my assessment is that of a fair, warts and all biography.

My only disapointment is the missing years from the mid 1960's to the late 80's. Surely Cramer could have given us a perspective on these years. He goes from Joe, the vital recently retired Dimaggio to Joe a cranky, bitter old man. What caused the great clipper to be such a pitiful character at the end?

Dimaggio fans should not attack Mr. Cramer for going beyond the baseball Joe. So what if Joe had flaws in his personal life. On the field he was everything his legend says he was and Cramer supports that. He has countless anectdotes on Dimaggios playing with pain because the team needed him. Does Dimaggio deserve to have only the hero worship biography. As an historian Mr. Cramer does his job in pointing out the flaws of Dimaggio. Fans of Joe do not like the flaws of selfishness, vanity, and temper ex[osed by Mr Cramer. That may be the harsh reality but should not diminish the respect Dimaggio deserves; a great player, a quiet leader for his teammates, and a man who earned his pay.

After reading this biography, I am left with the following impressions. The author is a tremendous researcher, along with a skillful storyteller. He takes us from the fog horns of Fisherman's Wharf to the cheering masses at Yankee Stadium. He describes the classic American success story, but in the end, can the reader say that they knew the real Giuseppe Paolo DiMaggio? Mr. DiMaggio refused to assist Mr. Cramer in this work; consequently, he has been tried in absentia. The crime being that he was a better ballplayer than a person.

Mr. DiMaggio was an American icon. What he may or may not have been off the diamond is subject to conjecture. This book reveals the thoughts and opinions of others; however, Mr. DiMaggio's views are buried with him. Part of that was his own fault. He guarded his privacy with the same intensity as he played baseball. Perhaps he wasn't a model husband, the best of friends, or an involved father. He should be judged for what he did on the playing field.

My father was batboy for the Washington Senators during the 1940s. He handed DiMaggio the bat on several occasions, and was able to observe him closely. Mr. Cramer's clubhouse description of DiMaggio reminded me of my father's recollections. My father said that he was a very quiet and private man, and dressed in impeccable suits. Well-liked by his fellow teammates. "We were told to treat them all the same, but with DiMaggio, it was hard. When he walked in the clubhouse, you knew that he was no ordinary ballplayer... He was very graceful for a big man, and rarely showed his emotions on the field." In those days, batboys earned money by selling broken bats or signed balls outside of the stadium. A signed DiMaggio ball would fetch about $1 in those days.

Thank you for the chance to review this book.

In "Joe DiMaggio : The Hero's Life" by Richard Ben Cramer we find a book filled with information on one of America's most beloved heros--Joe DiMaggio. DiMaggio has always fascinated me. I am too young to have seen him play, but my father met him when Joe was doing a USO tour in Vietnam in the late 60's. Dad sent me an autographed picture which still hangs on my wall (along with those baseball legends Milt Pappas, Mudcat Grant and Ron Swoboda). Since then, I've always been interested in the life of DiMaggio.

Read through the reviews, and you'll see EVERYTHING about this book. Some loved it, some hated it. Some loved Joe, some hated him. Is Cramer's account accurate? There's really only one person who would know, and Joe's gone now.

Despite reviews to the contrary, the book is certainly well written. It's entertaining, and exciting to read. That's what a lot of people buy a book for--entertainment and excitement.

Others buy biographies for the "real story". Personally, I think we got it here. Others may disagree. Cramer has his sources, quoting those who were closest to Joe when he played, and after he retired. I don't believe that Cramer just made this stuff up. he did his research as evidenced in his writing. If Cramer pops the bubble on a baseball legend, exposing him as a greedy and selfish man, then so be it. If you don't want to read of a greedy and selfish Joe, then don't buy this book. If you want insight and a different perspective, then by all means, read it.

Hmmmm. A greedy and selfish professional baseball player. Just why is that so difficult to imagine? Joe was without doubt, a great ball player. He was also a human being, and as such, he was not perfect. Cramer's book will show you those perfect moments on the field, as well as those imperfect moments off the field. It's interesting, entertaining, and informative. In my eyes, that makes for a pretty decent read...

This has proven to be a very controversial book. This DiMaggio might not be the same Yankee Clipper of our sacred memory, but there is no doubt that Cramer knows how to tell a good story. Just be warned that it might not be the story you want to hear.

This book is closer in tone to Gay Talese's Dimaggio than to Halberstam's more heroic figure from Summer of '49. Cramer tends to gloss over DiMaggio's sports achievements, spending a good half of the book on the post-retirement years with Marilyn Monroe and a succession of money grubbing lawyers.

What you get in the end is a handsome, but grumpy hero who could squeeze a penny till Lincoln screamed. Joe never stopped loving Marilyn Monroe, but he never stopped loving the idea of himself as hero either. To the end of his days he sent roses twice a week to Marilyn's grave and insisted on being introduced as "America's Greatest Living Ballplayer." He could hold a grudge like no one else. He was eternally jealous of Ted Williams. He loved getting stuff for free, and often insisted on it, be it hotel rooms, meals, airline tickets, or box seats at the World Series.

One particular image that sticks with me from this book is the garage full of unused golfbags and clubs DiMaggio accumulated from years of celebrity tournaments. When invited to a tournament, he would often insist he was "bringing a friend" so he would be given TWO new bags of clubs, but they all went straight to his garage.

More touching is the detail that DiMaggio travelled with a dogeared copy of Hemingway's The Old Man and The Sea in his limo and used to read the old fisherman's musings about "The Great DiMaggio" over and over. Apparently, Joe also liked Paul Simon's song, Mrs. Robinson, tho not at first (his initial reaction was "I oughta sue this guy, I havent gone anywhere!")

This is not a great book about Baseball, but it is a gripping picture about a great American Personality.

There are some negative reviews on here, and I'm not sure why. Granted this is probably the least sympathetic biography I have ever read. But I thought it was well reported. It was certainly a smooth read and provided a remarkable amount of insight into an iconic figure in American history. DiMaggio was obviously a moody and selfish superstar who was very concerned about his image and legacy in the big picture, but not nearly focused enough on being any kind of a humanitarian. My respect for DiMaggio the ballplayer was only increased by this book, but DiMaggio the individual left a lot to be desired.

It's not Cramer's fault that DiMaggio's behavior often ranged from uncooperative to downright nasty. I loved the book.

The private life of the man behind the public image can be a stark contrast. Regardless of Joe DiMaggio's wholesome image of grace, style, and manly courage, doubts and fears plagued him. He needed constant reassurance that he was the best. Author Richard Ben Cramer quickly gets on a first name basis with his subject, and writes as if he knows exactly what went on in Joe's head. Cramer's description of Joe's career as the Yankee Clipper is great baseball history. Cramer also writes honestly of Joe's dark side. To DiMaggio, money was the ultimate yardstick of success. His great fear was that someone was unfairly trying to make a buck by exploiting him, both on and off the field. Frequently, Joe's fears were right on target. These inner demons made DiMaggio personally unapproachable, and even downright hateful. But, heck, that didn't bother Joe. That was exactly the way he wanted it, as long as he was paid top dollar. Cramer's narrative includes juicy insider details and wry humor. Beyond baseball, the book examines DiMaggio's relationship with friends, family, and wives, most particularly Marilyn Monroe. Joe's need to be controlling doomed his marriage to Marilyn. Ironically, they were well on the road to reconciliation when she died. After Marilyn is gone, the narrative fast-forwards from her funeral in 1962 to 1989. This unexplained gap is the only weakness of this otherwise fascinating book. The last ten years of DiMaggio's life are presented as the final decade of a miserly crank who profits from baseball memorabilia events, for which he insisted on his own unforgiving rules and regulations. Considering the walls Joe DiMaggio built around himself the author's ability to dig out details is impressive. Cramer handles a difficult subject very well. This is highly recommended reading. ;-)

This book should come as no surprise to anyone who read DavidHalberstam's sumer of 49{or listened to Halberstam on Di Maggio],orthe insightful HBo Sports Documentary on Dimaggio.Still, the feelingyou get is a deep sadness. What a price Dimaggio paid to erect andkeep that persona which he so treasured{and we all clamored for]!Theauthor is no mere iconoclast,smashing idols for the sake ofdestruction. he carefully weaves in the era, the life and TIMES of JoeDimaggio, which, of course were so very intertwined. The parts onMonroe were actually sweet{she seemed to be, outside of money andfame,appropriately, the only thing Dimaggio ever loved.ho'ws that forirony.}The famous abound, and are dimissed quickly byDimaggio{surprsingly, at least to me, was his bile to Frank Sinatra.Itbares out.]How cheap and petty he was ,well, I dont think I reallyneeded to know.Diamggio was a product of his era, one of the halfdozen or so great ballplayers of the century. He escaped themicroscpoe of our modern times by playing in a time when ballplayerswere allowed to have private lives. Gay Talese's famous piece onDimaggio could be read as an introduction for what follows. Meticulouswith its research,this is a full bodied portrait of a an accidentalhero,who wanted the fame and fortune without the price.Sad,uncomforable,prescient. Well done.