All baseball fans will note the passing of Dominic DiMaggio, seven-time All-Star Boston Red Sox centerfielder and brother to Hall-of-Famer Joe DiMaggio. Known as "Little Professor" because of his glasses and small stature, Dominic was a true sports hero even though his career was overshadowed somewhat by the achievements of his older brother Joe.
The oldest of the three center field-playing DiMaggio brothers was Vince, who had a 10-year major league career with five National League teams. Joe died in March 1999, while Vince died in October 1986.Dominic DiMaggio was 92. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Emily, and three children, Dominic Paul, Peter and Emily.
Dom DiMaggio spent his entire career with the Red Sox, 10 full seasons plus three games in 1953, and was teammates and close friends with Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr and Johnny Pesky.
While Dom did not have the offensive numbers of Joe, he was generally regarded as a better defensive player with a stronger arm, although their career fielding percentages are identical.
He was a career .298 hitter with 87 home runs, while Joe was a .325 career hitter with 361 homers. Dom's baseball career was interrupted for three years (1943-45) by World War II when he served in the Navy, a military obligation that may have cost him induction into the Hall of Fame, Doerr once said.
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