On this day in history, March 8, 1999, Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio dies, 'cultural icon' on and off field
foxnews.comBaseball star Joe DiMaggio, a towering figure of American popular culture both on and off the field, died in Hollywood, Florida, after a battle with lung cancer on this day in history, March 8, 1999.
The New York Yankees legend was 84 years old. "Joltin' Joe" DiMaggio was a nine-time World Series champion, three-time American League MVP and, most memorably on the field, hit safely in 56 straight games in 1941 — an incredible record of consistency which has never been approximated since.
DiMaggio died, according to some accounts, whispering the name of his life-long love and ex-wife, also an American idol, Marilyn Monroe.
Others close to him disputed the deathbed claim. The National Baseball Hall of Fame has declared DiMaggio a "cultural icon" and "an American hero." His Hall of Fame biography says, "He married Hollywood starlets Marilyn Monroe and Dorothy Arnold and he was immortalized in Paul Simon’s hit song ‘Mrs.
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