This Day in Sports History: Joe DiMaggio Begins 56-Game Hitting Streak

A one-for-four game against the Chicago White Sox was the spark of a special run for the New York Yankees' Joe DiMaggio as he began his MLB record 56-game hitting streak 79 years ago today. 

After back-to-back hitless games, DiMaggio began his offensive hot streak by hitting a single into left-centerfield off the White Sox' Eddie Smith on May 15, 1941. The Hall of Famer did not record a hitless game for another two months, an MLB record that stands to this day.

When the streak began, the Yankees were in need of a boost. The team lost the game 13-1 and fell to 14-15 on the season. DiMaggio HAD a .306 batting average on the year. 

By the time DiMaggio's hitting streak ended on July 17, the Yankees rocketed as the clear leaders in the American League with a six-game advantage. New York went on to win the 1941 World Series. DiMaggio led the team and lifted his batting average to .357 for the season. He was named MVP for the second time in his career. 

DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak set a standard that no MLB player has yet to approach in the 79 years since. The Cincinnati Reds' Pete Rose came closest to the mark when he recorded a hit in 44 consecutive games in 1978.

The longest streak by a Yankee following DiMaggio's mark was 29 games, set by Hall of Famer Joe Gordon in 1942. Derek Jeter also recorded a 25-game hitting streak in 2006. 

A 26-year-old DiMaggio ended his streak with an 0-for-3 showing on July 17 against the Cleveland Indians after two plays by Ken Keltner kept him off the bases. In the 56 games prior, DiMaggio recorded a .408 batting average with 15 home runs and 55 RBI. The Yankees also went 41-13-2 during the timeframe. 

DiMaggio's streak was nearly ended prematurely when he faced the St. Louis Browns (now known as the Baltimore Orioles) 35 games in. On June 24, DiMaggio entered his final at-bat 0-for-3 in the game, and St. Louis pitcher Bob Muncrief was told to walk him. Muncrief refused, though, and DiMaggio got on base with a single to extend his streak. He ended up hitting off St. Louis 22 times in 12 games that season, a high against any team during the streak. The instance was also one of four games in which DiMaggio recorded a hit in his final at-bat. 

Though DiMaggio's 56-game streak ended on July 17, he started another one in the following game. He went on to record an additional 16-game hitting streak, marking a total of 72 out of 73 games during which he recorded a hit. In the extended stretch, DiMaggio recorded 120 hits, 20 home runs and six strikeouts. Following that season, he never recorded 20-game hit streak again, reaching 19 games as his second-highest in the 1950 season. 

During his run, DiMaggio recorded hits off four future Hall of Fame pitchers: Lefty Grove, Hal Newhouser, Bob Feller and Ted Lyons. He held the highest batting average in the league twice in his career in the 1939 and 1940 seasons. 

Prior to reaching the major leagues, DiMaggio recorded a 61-game hitting streak as a member of the Pacific Coast League's San Francisco Seals in 1933. Tha streak stands as the second-longest in minor league history. 

DiMaggio ended his 13-year Yankees career as a three-time MVP, 13-time All-Star, nine-time World Series winner and Hall of Famer.