Joe DiMaggio and Phil Rizzuto, 1941
It was once called Decoration Day. Later, Congress designated May 30 as Memorial Day, a time to honor all Americans who had fallen in battle while protecting our nation.
Because it was a national holiday—this year falling on a Friday—Major League Baseball took the opportunity to cement its iconic position.
At this point in the game’s history, every team played Memorial Day doubleheaders. Today was no different, as 34,500 Boston fans were geared up for the New York visit to Fenway Park.
The Yankees were a big enough draw. But with Joe DiMaggio in the lineup—and the comparisons between Joltin’ Joe and the Red Sox’s Ted Williams a subject of constant banter in newspapers—these two games were huge.
And probably unkind to the Yankee Clipper…
Memorial Day brought out patriotism. But because war was at hand (and Italy was part of the Axis demon), players like DiMaggio heard their share of slurs from fans and opponents. Even in the press, DiMaggio would be referred to as Dago, Giuseppe or the Walloping Wop.
Boston, not known for its ethnic etiquette, could be brutal—especially when a guy like DiMaggio waited in the on-deck circle or took his place in center field.
But therein lay an emotional and professional separation of Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams. Joe wouldn’t react to the names, the slights and slurs. Williams—a spectacular player—was mercurial. People could get into his head, and he could come off looking bad in retaliation.
But today, Teddy Ballgame was home. DiMaggio was literally in enemy territory.
On an afternoon during which first-place Cleveland dropped both games to Chicago, the Yankees picked up a game by splitting with Boston.
A 4-3 New York win in the opener was a mixed bag for DiMaggio: He had an error, two walks and extended his hitting streak with a ninth-inning double that fueled a three-run Yank rally.
The nightcap was a disaster…
DiMaggio—as his brother Dom watched—committed three errors. He had a meaningless double, one of two not-so-Bomber hits. Boston won 13-0. The Splendid Splinter, as the angular Williams was known, went 3-for-5 in the two games.
He was hitting .429. The Streak went to 16 and got a mention in most papers.
No matter. The Yankees were bound for Cleveland. They had a day off and just picked up a game on the Indians. Only four games out of first, there was a big doubleheader coming up Sunday.
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