Review of "Where Have You Gone, Joe DiMaggio? The Story of America’s Last Hero," by Maury Allen

 Review of

Where Have You Gone, Joe DiMaggio? The Story of America’s Last Hero, by Maury Allen ISBN 0525232656

Four out of five stars

Over laudatory presentation of Jolten’ Joe

 While there is no question that Joe DiMaggio was one of the smoothest, most natural baseball players of all time, these descriptions of his life in and out of baseball often go over the top. This book is largely a collection of retrospectives of people that knew and played with him. From club owner Toots Shor to his fellow Yankees, they universally praise DiMaggio, his skill in all aspects of baseball to his behavior off the field.

 There is some mention of his marriage to Marilyn Monroe, which is where there is some negativity. DiMaggio is depicted as a very jealous husband that resented the attention Marilyn received as well as the expectations her managers and the public expected of her. There is even a hint that he physically struck her.

 This book was published in 1975, before the sports books describing professional athletes reached the complete tell-all phase. DiMaggio is depicted as a hero that did little wrong, both on and off the field. There is almost no mention of the times when he was booed by the fans at Yankee Stadium, something that happened to all of the stars, including Mickey Mantle.