Joe DiMaggio was born in Martinez, achieved his greatest fame in New York and died in Florida.
But San Francisco was his home, the city he loved more than any other. “He became New York City’s face,” old pal Don Russo said. “But I don’t think there was ever any doubt. He never thought of himself as anything but pure San Francisco.” DiMaggio grew up in North Beach and achieved regional fame playing for the storied San Francisco Seals of the old Pacific Coast League. He played at Seals Stadium for three years, then signed with the Yankees in 1936. He became a national icon during his 13-year career (he took off three years for service in World War II). After he retired in 1951, he returned to the family home in the Marina. His older brother Tom said, “He quit because he couldn’t be Joe DiMaggio anymore.” The skinny kid from the family of a poor fisherman with little formal education was now a man of the world, schooled by Manhattan cafe society and as elegant off the field as he had been as the player with a lifetime batting average of .325.
“He was very dignified, very polished,” Russo said.