Saturday, November 20, 2010

Joe DiMaggio: The Hero's Life by Richard Cramer

Joe DiMaggio: The Hero's Life is a biography written by the author Richard Ben Cramer. This novel chronicles the entire life of one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Joe DiMaggio, an Italian immigrant, began his American life on the Pacific coast. Raised in the Californian city of San Francisco, Joe lived in the Marina District. The area, composed mostly of other Italian fishermen, the DiMaggios fit right in. As with most young kids,Joe was interested in more with play than work. Skipping out on his turns on the boat, Joe stole a broken oar and turned it into a bat. Countless afternoons Joe would play outside, getting every one of his brothers to pitch to him. Seemingly in love with baseball, Joe practiced hitting for hours, honing his skills. Against his fathers wishes, Joe decided to tryout for a minor league team. Originally a shortstop, Joe was by far the best athlete on the field. Although not the best fielder, Joe was by far the best hitter. He could hit for power, hit for average, and he was fast enough to beat out infield hits. Sadly, all his success was not appreciated by his father. Mr. DiMaggio could not understand as to why his son was in love with something that was merely a game. Making very little money did not help Joe to convince his dad that baseball would be a great way to make a living. He felt Joe should be helping on the fishing boat full time. For as much as Mr. DiMaggio ignored Joe, the Yankees seemed to pay more and more attention. At an early age, DiMaggio signed a contract to play Centerfield for the New York Yankees, the most prestigious team in Major League Baseball. Here, Joe flourished. Dominating pitchers and running down balls in Centerfield, Joe quickly rose through the ranks, becoming known as the premier baseball player of his era. The "Yankee Clipper", as Joe was often referred to as, still holds records in the MLB today most famously his 56 straight game hitting streak. As #5's resume grew, so did his celebrity status, as Joe became a constant public figure. The media attention only worsened when Joe wed the legendary actress, Marilyn Monroe. Two of the biggest celebrities of the era caused quite the buzz around NYC. This buzz took a toll on Joe. As Joe got older and his skills diminished, he started to retreat back to a quiet lifestyle. This did not exactly agree with Marilyn who eventually split from Joe. Till the day of her death, Joe and Monroe remained close, and he consistently put flowers on her grave after her passing. As Joe reached the twilight of his own life, he was eventually honored in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. Here, the "Yankee Clipper" and his retired number 5 jersey forever remain in the hearts and minds of the Yankee faithful.



Questions:

1: Is it OK to go against parental wishes if it is what you have to do to follow your dream?


2: With consistent celebrity media coverage in today's society, do you feel as though the constant attention has gone too far? If so, where should the paparazzi stop?


13 comments:

David G. 13-14 said...

I think that it is alright to go against parental wishes if it is what needs to be done to follow a dream. Everyone is their own person and deserves to control their own lives, especially in a situation like Joe DiMaggio's. Joe was blessed with amazing amounts of talent and in my opinion it's always sad to see talent go to waste, even if one's parents disagree.

tyler k 13-14 said...

Answering the first question, I feel since that it is your life to live and it is only wrong if you feel it is, going against others should come naturally. Especially against parents since you are the only one that knows what you want in life.

Joe K. 11-12 said...

I agree, sometimes you have to take risks to get ahead. It is your life to live and you can't let others define you. I know parental influence is persuading, and it is obviously more meaningful than just what your friends think, but at the end of the day you'll have alot of regrets if you don't take that chance. As a parent too they should understand that kids need to have that freedom to follow their dreams. In Joe's era obviously circumstances were different, but as a parent I feel like there should always be that desire for your son or daughter to chase their dreams.

Anonymous said...

1. of course it is ok to go against your parents! well in some cases at least. if you have a dream and you are so focused on making that happen then you should not let anything get in your way.
2.yes the paparazzi is a big group of idiots who do not allow celebrities to have privacy. however being famous comes with people always wanting to know your business. i find the media funny and i enjoy watching them ruin celebs private life. and also, the pap are just doing their job. they need money too.

Joe K. 11-12 said...

In regards to question 2 I agree that the paparrazzi are just doing their jobs. With that being said though there has to be a stopping point. This free reign system in place does not allow any privacy for celebrities. The paparrazzi should understand their moral and ehtical guidelines and be able to gauge when they can document and when they cant. With that being said though, if you as a celebrity and you put your business in the street, theres no complaining when you dont like the consequences. In Joe DiMaggio's era the paparrazzi was just starting out, and I dont think Joe specifically was ready for the same kind of attention that his wife Marilyn wanted. In that kind of situation your kind of at the behest of your other half. If they both wanted to live a private life it could have worked out, but with Marilyn loving the limelight, Joe had to accept the constant coverage as well.

Heather M. 13-14 said...

To answer question 1, i do believe it is ok to go against your parents wishes. If you have a dream or desire to do something, then you should do whatever you have to in order to accomplish that and not let want your parents want for you hold you back. Every parent has a wish for their child as to what they want them to become as they grow older, but their dream for their child may not be what their child wants for themselves, even though most of the time the parents just want whats best for their child. You should be whoever you want to be and do whatever you want without letting anyone get in your way.

SeanK56 said...

If everybody did what was wanted of them and expected of them based on their family, this would be a boring world. The fun and mystery of growing up would be gone because you would know exactly what your life will be like. If your parents wishes are for you not to become a drug addict, then yes it is wrong. But if your parents are trying to pressure you to do a certain career like in this situation, go out on your own and do what you feel is right.

Greg P. 13-14 said...

Is it OK to go against parental wishes if it is what you have to do to follow your dream?
Parental wishes are nothing more then "wishes" or a preference. In the end, it is your life and you should do whatever truly makes you happy.However, dont disregard your parents requests to quickly because they most liekly only want the best for you.

Steve S 13-14 said...

Of course it is okay to go against your parents wishes. While they want what they think is best for you, it may not be what you believe to be best for yourself.

I think that it has gone too far, but it is our own faults. Why the heck should we care what some random person that sings or acts does on a daily basis?

Rachael B MOds 5-6 said...

I do think it is acceptable to go against your parents' wishes to follow a dream assuming that it isn't something completely ridiculous. If your parents are warning you not to join a brothel, they are probably making the wiser decision. Meanwhile, if they want you to become a lawyer but you would rather pursue the arts? I think this is acceptable. Secondly, I do think the paparazzi has gone too far. Not every detail of someone's personal life should be posted out on the internet for the world to see. Every human is vulnerable, no matter how strong they appear. In this way, someone can only endure so much humiliation and public harrassment before they snap. I think the media should publish information on careers and major incidents, but tagging onto relationships and personal health problems day after day is certainly crossing the line.

Kara K. 5/6 said...

1)I feel that it is your right to follow of disapprove of your parents wishes. Every person has their own freedom. You do not have to by law follow what your parents tell you to do. If you have a dream, you should strive as hard as you can for that goal. Sometimes it means upsetting people along the way, but if those people truely care about you, then when you reach your dream they will be very proud.

Matt P. 13-14 said...

I think that you should take into consideration what your parents have to say, because they are only trying to get you to be your best and do what they feel is best for you. However, if you feel their wishes are not for you, then you should disregard their advice and be what you want to be. In the end, you have to do what makes you feel happy, not what your parents tell you to do.

Mike B 13-14 said...

I believe it is ok to go against parental wishes in order to achive a dream. You cant let other people tell you how to live your life. Everyone has dreams and it is up to you if you should chose to give up your dream. You alone must live with the sucess and failure in your life. Your parents have wishes for you but you have the final say. Parents should except the dreams of thier children and back them 100% because they to once had dreams.