Tales of the Yankee Clipper Guest Post #GoddessFish

 

TALES OF THE YANKEE CLIPPER

by Jonathan Weeks

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GENRE: NonFiction Sports Biography

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BLURB:

There has probably never been a professional baseball player more of a puzzle than Joe DiMaggio. DiMaggio had a talent for keeping his emotions suppressed and his innermost thoughts to himself. Few could say that they really knew him. And even the ones who did found him to be unpredictable. He was a walking contradiction. He was quiet, but not necessarily shy. He could be both gracious and abrupt, approachable or aloof depending on the situation. Although he came across as humble, he had a tremendous sense of entitlement. He was complex, secretive, inscrutable. There were many layers to the man who came to be affectionately known as the “Yankee Clipper.” DiMaggio always felt that his actions on the field should do the talking for him. And for the most part, they did. To many, DiMaggio personified elegance, style, and grace. An impeccable dresser, he was married to two glamorous actresses. On the field, he glided almost effortlessly, never having to dive for a ball and rarely (if ever) making a mistake on the basepaths. He became the living embodiment of the American dream and a symbol of the country’s so-called “greatest generation.” But as time marched on, DiMaggio grew increasingly distrustful of the people around him. It was understandable—inevitable even. The third book in Jonathan Week’s Yankees trilogy contains an abundance of anecdotes, statistics, and other little known facts about the Yankee Clipper.

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Excerpt 

THE MEANING BEHIND MRS. ROBINSON

Among the most popular folk-rock duos of the 1960s, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel began writing songs together when they were in grade school. By the time they embarked upon solo careers during the 1970s, they had won ten Grammy Awards. Some of their highest charting hits included “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “The Sound of Silence,” and “Mrs. Robinson.” The latter song, which contains multiple lines about Joe DiMaggio, deeply offended the Yankee idol until he understood the meaning of the lyrics.

Released in 1968, “Mrs. Robinson” was written in reference to Eleanor Roosevelt, who Simon greatly admired. The tune was actually entitled “Mrs. Roosevelt” until the popular duo changed the name to make it fit the Academy Award-winning movie it was being featured in (The Graduate, starring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft). “Mrs. Robinson” was a smash hit for Simon and Garfunkel, peaking at number-one on the Billboard charts and remaining there for several weeks. The four-minute musical masterpiece, which is about better days gone by, suggests that DiMaggio faded from the spotlight at a time when the American public needed him most. When the retired Yankee slugger heard about the lyrics, he believed that Simon was making him out to be some sort of deadbeat and threatened to sue.

As fate would have it, the two American icons had a chance encounter in Lattanzi’s restaurant on West 46th Street in New York. Simon, who was a lifelong Yankee fan, had heard about Joe’s beef with the song. Upon spotting the legendary Hall of Famer at a nearby table, he worked up the courage to say ‘hello.’ DiMaggio invited him to sit down and immediately started talking about Simon’s lyrics.

“What I don’t understand,” said Joe, “is why you ask where I’ve gone. I just did a Mr. Coffee commercial. I’m a spokesman for the Bowery Savings Bank and I haven’t gone anywhere.”

“I don’t mean it that way,” Simon explained. “I mean, where are these great heroes now?”

When DiMaggio realized that Simon considered him a hero and that the song was actually about how much he meant to people, he was flattered. The two shook hands and remained in each other’s good graces from that day forward. Interestingly, Simon was forced to explain himself to Mickey Mantle while taping an episode of The Dick Cavett Show. Mantle, who was actually Simon’s favorite player while growing up, asked the singer why he hadn’t used his name in place of DiMaggio’s. Simon explained that Mickey’s name had the wrong number of syllables.

Guest Post

THE GREATEST YANKEE PLAYERS

OF ALL-TIME

When I decided to write a trilogy of New York Yankee biographies, I had my work cut out for me in choosing which players to include in the series. The Yankees are the winningest franchise in major league history with 27 championships to their credit. They have also sent more players to the Hall of Fame than any other team. Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, and Joe DiMaggio were obvious choices for my project because of their enduring popularity and their contributions to the club. But there were a few other players who almost made the list.

LOU GEHRIG

Every reasonably informed baseball fan knows a little something about Gehrig—how he played in a record-breaking 2,130 consecutive games before he was struck down by a rare neuromuscular disorder. He is the all-time franchise leader in runs batted in. Nicknamed “The Iron Man” for his durability, he won two American League MVP awards and holds more than a dozen major league records.

YOGI BERRA

Berra won more World Series rings than any player in Yankee history (10) and was a three-time AL MVP. His affable personality and penchant for delivering unforgettable quotes transformed him into a pop culture icon. Even today, some of his memorable sayings are part of the American vernacular, such as “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over” and “No matter where you go, there you are.”

DEREK JETER

In addition to being a member of the elite 3,000 hit club, Jeter appeared on 14 All-Star teams and won five Gold Gloves. He also helped the Yankees to five World Series titles. A consummate professional on and off the field, he enjoyed a long stint as team captain. He is baseball’s all-time postseason leader in hits, doubles, and runs scored.

WHITEY FORD

Ford won more regular season games than any other Yankee pitcher (236). He also holds the record for most World Series victories with 10. Known for his ability to rise to the occasion in high-pressure situations, he helped the Yankees to six championships. He was a 10-time All-Star and Cy Young Award winner (in 1961).

MARIANO RIVERA

For more than decade, fans at Yankee Stadium were comforted by the sound of Metallica’s heavy metal anthem, “Enter Sandman.” It meant that Rivera was coming into the game and whatever trouble the Yankees were in would soon be over. Rivera gathered 652 saves during the regular season and added 11 more in World Series action. None of the active relief pitchers in the majors today are even close to breaking those records. Few would disagree that Rivera was the greatest reliever of all-time.         

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Jonathan Weeks has written several sports biographies and two novels, one of which was a posthumous collaboration with his father. He grew up in the Capital District region of New York State and currently works in the mental health field.

BLOG: http://www.jonathanweeks.blogspot.com

GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/5862273.Jonathan_Weeks

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Yankee-Clipper-Reflections-DiMaggio-ebook/dp/B0CKBLVMM5/ref=sr_1_1

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Jonathan Weeks will award a randomly drawn winner a $25 Amazon/BN gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway