Friday, July 12, 2013

Of Yasiel and Joltin' Joe

Even with the one remaining All-Star roster spot settled for  the National League squad, the talk comparing the fast start of Dodgers' young outfielder Yasiel Puig to that of Hall of Fame legend Joe DiMaggio's continues in the media.
Puig finished second to Atlanta's Freddie Freeman in the popular vote by the fans, but Puig and DiMaggio are two names that are now linked together, at least for this season.
DiMaggio was voted to the American League team in his rookie year in 1936 after playing in 57 games. The fans voted on Puig's chance  after his first 34 games. The Dodgers brought him up from the minor leagues on June 3 and their marketing department is taking full advantage of his spectacular start, including scheduling a promotional Puig T-shirt night for an upcoming game. I am sure not even the great DiMaggio was the subject of a giveaway night at Yankee Stadium.

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add DiMaggio: He had the good fortune of starting his career on a Yankees team that included Hall of Fame members Lou Gehrig, Bill Dickey and Lefty Gomez. In 1936, he hit for an average of .328, had 206 hits, scored 132 runs, socked 29 home runs and knocked in 125 RBIs. He made every All-Star team for the rest of his career with the exception the three years he spent in the Army during World War II.

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add fast starts: In 1954, Hank Aaron began his illustrious career with the Milwaukee Braves by batting .280, with 131 hits, 58 runs, 69 RBIs and 13 home runs in 122 games. Aaron was 20 years old, DiMaggio started at 22.



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