Damn Yankees by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview

Damn Yankees

Page 330

advertising campaign. DiMaggio's spots were successful with consumers. In a 2007 interview with “The Columbus Dispatch,” Marotta joked that "millions of kids grew up thinking Joe DiMaggio was a famous appliance salesman."

In 1972, DiMaggio became a spokesman for the Bowery Savings Bank. Except for a five year hiatus in the 1980s, he regularly made commercials for them until 1992. In 1986, he became a spokesperson for Florida's Cross Keys Village, an active retirement community.

Beginning in April 1952, DiMaggio had ten minute programs on Channel 11 in New York City before and after each Yankees' home game. Episodes included interviews with guests and DiMaggio's comments about baseball. The team owned the program, with

DiMaggio under contract to the Yankees. He also did Joe DiMaggio's Dugout on Channel 4 in New York City, a weekly filmed program unrelated to the pre and post-game shows. It featured instructional sessions and quizzes for young people.

On April 13, 1998, DiMaggio was given the Sports Legend Award at the 13th annual American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame Awards Dinner in New York City. Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State and a longtime fan of DiMaggio made the