Dom Dimaggio

Some people might call this borderline, and I guess it's just a question of where you stand. But, being Italian American and a sports fan, "the little professor" is a home run. Plus, I think it gives hope to Jermaine Jackson, Eric Roberts, and any number of Baldwin brothers.

It also marks two "Dom's" in a row, a fact duly noted by fellow Italian Stace Caseria who tipped me on this death. If I were actor Dominic Zamprogna, I would be very concerned.

I was hoping to get a little perspective, a little color commentary from my 82 year-old father, so I called him up.

"Center Fielder."

And then he went on a long diatribe about the empty seats at Yankee Stadium, about how he almost hit the Triple at the Kentucky Derby, and about buying a bicycle for my oldest son.

I could have pushed him on it.

"I do this blog about dead celebrities and I was really hoping you would have a memory, ... a sweet little anecdote about the other Dimaggio brother. Maybe a little something about the tension that must have existed with two brothers playing for bitter rivals. How about the fact that not only was he second fiddle in his family, but also in his own outfield to a man who is most recently famous for having his decapitated head frozen?

But, I decided to let it be. It was sort of nice that he didn't say, "Joe's brother." Just "Center Fielder."

So, how about this? Dom Dimaggio, according to this random Internet list is the 14th best Center Fielder of all time. Among the other dead people on the list are Mickey Mantle, Ty Cobb, and aforementioned famous brother. Not bad company. I have to question Bernie Williams being #7 on this list, but perhaps he will get extra credit for his jazz guitar work. It's hard even for me to write about a Red Sox player without invariably talking about the Yankees.

And, therein lies the importance of Dom Dimaggio. He is a meaningful thread in the ever-growing Yankees - Red Sox tapesty. And, as far as having a place in history, you could do a lot worse.