Joe DiMaggio

While walking through the small fishing village of Isola Delle Femmine, just west of Palermo, on the island of Sicily, I literally stopped dead in my tracks, as there above an old wooden door was the plaque shown above. It honors a gifted Italian, Joe DiMaggio, one of the greatest players ever in the American game of baseball. His father, Giuseppe Paolo Di Maggio, lived right here before emigrating to America in 1915, and today this place (this small museum) is an honored spot. What made the moment even more special was I watched the "Yankee Clipper" play the game in Chicago, and I think it was 1948. I was quite young, but I still remember my Dad saying that DiMaggio was his favorite player. During that game - while watching the Yankee's play - my life-long love of baseball was born.