Franklin Library leather edition of Richard Ben Cramer's " Joe DiMaggio: The Hero's Life," a Limited edition, PERSONALLY SIGNED by RICHARD BEN CRAMER, one of the SIGNED FIRST EDITION SOCIETY series, limited to 1400 signed copies, Illustrated by Fritz Yoos, published in 2000.  Bound in red leather, the book has paper end leaves, acid-free paper, Symth-sewn binding, hubbed spine, gold gilding on three edges---in Near FINE condition. Dimaggio spent his entire 13-year career in Major League Baseball for the NEW YORK YANKEES. Born to Italian immigrants in San Francisco, California, he is widely considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time, and had a 56-game streak, a record that still stands. DiMaggio made his major league debut on May 3, 1936, batting ahead of LOU GEHRIG in the lineup.  The Yankees had not been to the World Series since 1932, but they won the next four Fall Classics. DiMaggio was a three-time Most Valuable Player Award and an All-Star in each of his 13 seasons.  During his tenure with the Yankees, the club won ten American League pennants and nine World Series championships.  His nine career World series rings is second only to fellow Yankee YOGI BERRA, who won ten. At the time of his retirement after the 1951 season, he ranked fifth in career home runs (361) and sixth in career slugging percentage (579). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955 and was voted the sport's greatest living player in a poll during baseball's centennial year of 1969. DiMaggio played with several legendary men: George Sisler, Jimmy Caveney, Bill Dickey, Frank Crosetti, Joe McCarthy, Lou Gehrig, his brother, Thomas DiMaggio, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Phil Rizzuto, Red Rolfe, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Casey Stengel, Hank Greenberg, Dizzy Dean, Hank Bauer, and Larry (YOGI) Berra. Ted Williams wrote: "My first encounter with the DiMaggio family was in 1936 when Vince DiMaggio and I were teammates on the San Diego Padres.  He was a good friend as was his brother Dom with whom I share many memories from our years together on the Red Sox." In the Prologue Cramer wrote: "Nothing stopped him. Nothing turned his head." "For more than sixty years, Joe DiMaggio stood not only for winning baseball but as an icon of grace, dignity, and elegance. In his person, the nation found a mirror for its best self."  "In the hard-knuckled Thirties, he was the immigrant's son who came from nothing, made it big. In World War II, he became the "poster boy," sacrificed his best years, suffered personal loss, but came back a winner.  He was our Broadway Joe, squiring Miss Americas at the Stork Club---until he wooed and won MARILYN MONROE. When he was no longer voted an All-Star, he still led the list of the "Ten Best-Dressed." Frank Slocum who knew Dimaggio and his family for sixty years said: "You go out there and ask around. If you meet any guy who says, 'Oh, I know someone just like that DiMaggio, 'I'll tell you this: That guy is a liar." Richard Ben Cramer won the PULITZER PRIZE in 1979 for his work at the Philadelphia Inquirer. 546 pages, including an index.  I offer Combined shipping.