First published 2013
The DiMaggio family produces three major league stars from their immigrant household. Joe DiMaggio becomes an American icon and one of the twentieth century's greatest athletes. His brother Dominic, nicknamed "The Little Professor," earns seven All-Star selections with the Boston Red Sox. Eldest brother Vince makes two All-Star teams playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Thomas Clavin follows these three kids as they climb from their working-class origins to the top levels of American sports and popular culture. The book examines how their changing fortunes and social status affect their family bonds. Clavin uses baseball as a window into American society during the twentieth century, showing how the sport reflected broader cultural shifts. The narrative captures both the individual achievements of each brother and the collective story of a family navigating success and fame in America.
Genres: biography, family, 20th-century, american, sports, baseball, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-saga, rags-to-riches
Setting: Boston, Pittsburgh
Period: 20th Century
496 pages · Paperback · Harper Large Print