Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees saw his record 56-game hitting streak end on this day in 1941 in a game against the Cleveland Indians. The streak has not been matched in the 85 years since. Nicknamed the "Yankee Clipper," DiMaggio helped the Yankees win four straight World Series championships from 1936–1939. On July 2, in his sixth season with the Yankees, DiMaggio broke the previous hitting streak record of 44 games. (The closest anyone has come since is Pete Rose's 44-game hitting streak for the Cincinnati Reds in 1978.) His success was so celebrated that the Les Brown Orchestra released the nationally popular song "Joltin' Joe DiMaggio."
Had the streak reached 57 games, DiMaggio would have received $10,000 thanks to an offer from Heinz ketchup (Heinz has the number 57 on its labels). That year, he was named the American League Most Valuable Player. He retired in 1951 after helping the Yankees win 10 American League pennants and nine World Series championships.
