Joe DiMaggio Rookie Spring Training, 1936
Source: Sports Illustrated
Photo Subject: Rookie Joe DiMaggio batting against the St. Louis Cardinals in spring training at St. Petersburg’s Waterfront Park.
Fun Fact: In 1936, Joe DiMaggio, a native of Martinez, California was transitioning from the San Francisco Seals to the New York Yankees. For the 1936 spring training, Joe was given permission to drive cross-country from San Francisco to St. Petersburg with fellow San Francisco area teammates Tony Lazzeri and Frank Crosetti. Lazzeri remembers DiMaggio as not being much of a talker and after Day Three he asked Joe if he would be willing to take a turn at driving. DiMaggio answered, “I don’t know how” and those were the only words he uttered during this three-day trip.
While he may have been quiet during the car ride, rookie DiMaggio was not silent during spring training. On March 17, 1936 DiMaggio played his first game in a Yankee uniform against the St. Louis Cardinals. He was four for five, scored two runs and hit two RBIs. The next day he went two for four with a single and a triple.
Painting Detail: Printed on 13” x 19” canvas and painted using Schmincke Mussini and Marshall’s oil paints. Finer details, such as piping on the Cardinal uniform piping, were made using Prismacolor pencils.
Acknowledgement: Driving story is from “ESPN Classic” website