Joe DiMaggio was one of the most legendary baseball players of all time, known for his exceptional talent on the field and his humble demeanor off of it. One of the most famous stories about him involves his incredible hitting streak in 1941.
That year, DiMaggio was playing for the New York Yankees, and he embarked on a streak that would go down in baseball history. He hit safely in 56 consecutive games, breaking the previous record of 44 games set by Willie Keeler in 1897. The streak captivated the nation and brought tremendous attention to the game of baseball.
But what many people don't know is that DiMaggio's streak almost ended before it even began. On May 15, 1941, in the first game of a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox, DiMaggio went 0-for-3, leaving him with a streak of just one game. In the second game, he came to the plate in the first inning and hit a hard ground ball that looked like a sure hit. But White Sox third baseman Ken Keltner made an incredible play, diving to his left to snag the ball and throwing DiMaggio out at first.
After the game, Keltner was asked about the play, and he famously said, "I got him out once. That's something nobody else can say." But DiMaggio didn't let the close call deter him. He kept hitting game after game, racking up base hit after base hit and setting a record that still stands to this day.
DiMaggio went on to have an incredible career, winning nine World Series championships with the Yankees and earning the nickname "The Yankee Clipper" for his smooth and effortless style on the field. But it was his hitting streak that cemented his place in baseball history and made him a legend in the eyes of fans around the world.
