DiMaggio Joe - Dinner with DiMaggio: Memories of An American Hero

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Praise for Dinner with DiMaggio

His baseball accomplishments, impressive and historic as they are, do not alone explain why DiMaggios name still resonates as it does. His importance is connected to a particular place and time in the history of the game and the country. Hemingway referenced DiMaggio. So did Paul Simon. A line from the early 40s song Joltin Joe DiMaggio by the Les Brown Orchestra goes like this: He lives in baseballs Hall of Fame, he got there blow-by-blow, our kids will tell their kids his name, Joltin Joe DiMaggio. Turns out that was true.

Bob Costas

So many special things about Joe DiMaggio are revealed by this bookhis love of children, his contempt of pretense, and his iconic place in American historyall brought forth here by his closest friend in New York, Dr. Rock Positano. Joe was quiet, not silent, about the pivotal events of the twentieth century, and he shared them with Dr. Positano: Marilyn, the Kennedys, Frank Sinatra, and so many fascinating anecdotes add flesh to the bare bones of this iconic American. This is an important book because Joe is the hero we need in these times: Joe, as Dr. Positano shows, did not compromise his principles for political correctness, hurt feelings, or the favor of the crowd. He was a true American original.

Arianna Huffington

Joe DiMaggio brought a unique excitement to New York City, his adopted hometown, which extended beyond baseball. Joes great friend Dr. Rock Positano conveys the excitement of DiMaggios reign beautifully in this book. It is a thrill to read from cover to cover.

David N. Dinkins, 106th Mayor, City of New York

Joe DiMaggio and Rock Positano were fortunate to have found each other, a genuine hero in need of a genuine healer, each an expert in his field. Rocks professional skills are matched by his kindness and generosity of spirit. There will never be another Joe. But we are all fortunate to have the equally singular Rock still exercising his skills as both doctor and friend.

Frank Langella

Joe DiMaggio loved and trusted Rock for all the reasons so many of us do: He is a friend who never shies away from your battles, but joins them instead. All of us face adversity in life. Having Dr. Positano as a friend is like having a thousand friends. DiMaggio recognized his ability to make people feel secure and safe from the challenges and stress of everyday life. Those of us, like Joe DiMaggio, who have Rock by our sides walk a little steadier, in more ways than one.

Keith Ablow, MD, Fox News Network

Dr. Rock Positano is not only a phenomenally gifted doctor, he is a hugely empathetic companion who understands and treats the whole person, not just the injury. Joe DiMaggio found in the good doctor an Italian-American brother and a confidant. The result is this strikingly intimate portrait of a man who has often seemed as private and remote as he is heroic. Paul Simon famously asked, Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? We have the answer now: You can find him right here.

Anthony DeCurtis, contributing editor, Rolling Stone

This book summarizes so many of the vibrant principles I espouse... the importance of being you... the critical need of sharing your authentic self undiluted by worry or criticism. I am pleased that this very genuine American hero was also a strong believer in being himself... Joe DiMaggio... without fail... and with no worries....

Tony Robbins, author of Unshakeable

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Copyright 2017 by Dr. Rock Positano and John Positano

All diary entries courtesy of the Estate of Joe DiMaggio

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Simon & Schuster Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition May 2017

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Interior design by Renato Stanisic

Jacket design by Jackie Seow

Jacket photograph by Michael Grossbardt Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Positano, Rock G., author. | Positano, John, author.

Title: Dinner with Dimaggio : Memories of an American Hero / by Dr. Rock Positano and

John Positano ; With a foreword by Francis Ford Coppola.

Description: First Simon & Schuster hardcover edition. | New York : Simon & Schuster,

2017. | Includes index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016051476| ISBN 9781501156847 (hardback) | ISBN 1501156845 |

ISBN 9781501156861 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: DiMaggio, Joe, 19141999. | Baseball playersUnited StatesBiography. |

BISAC: BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Sports. | SPORTS & RECREATION /

Baseball / General. | SPORTS & RECREATION / General.

Classification: LCC GV865.D5 P67 2017 | DDC 796.357092 [B] dc23 LC record

available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016051476

ISBN 978-1-5011-5684-7

ISBN 978-1-5011-5686-1 (ebook)

This book is dedicated to the team of people who made it possible:

Frances and Rocco Positano

Isabel and Angelo Positano

Antoinette and Daniel Bagnuola

Nonna Ninci and Tino

Rosalia and Giuseppe DiMaggio

Bill and Dolores Gallo

Joseph P. DiMaggio Jr.

Dominic P. DiMaggio

Vincent P. DiMaggio

Positano Clan

Morris Engelberg, Esq.

Marilyn Monroe

Dorothy Arnold

Cathy and Dick Burke

Mario Faustini

Nat Recine

Johnny Arcaro

Paula DiMaggio Hamra

Kathie DiMaggio Stein

Barry Halper

Fay Vincent

George Steinbrenner

Gianni Garavelli

Brotherhood and Sisterhood of Alpha Phi Delta (APD)

St. Athanasius Parish, Brooklyn, New York

W hen I was a boy of seven, I was a passionate baseball fan, a New York Yankees fan, as was my father. He had once met Babe Ruth, and I was so proud of that. My father was a classical flute player, but would volunteer to play piccolo with the band at Yankee Stadium to see the games for free. It was at that time that he met the Babethe Bambino, the Sultan of Swat!