The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-01-16
YANKEES MADE GREATEST DEAL
 ON DIMAGGIO
Got Him for $25,OOO and 5 Players; Not Popular in
 in New York
BY JOE WILLIAMS

world anyway, Joe DiMaggio, head ed for the armed forces, was the best buy the Yankees ever made. All he cost was $25,000 in cash.
 Maybe you never heard the full details before.
 He was @ product of the San Francisco sandlots and gravitated naturally to the professional ball club of that city. The Seals they are called.
 He started as a shortstop, played three games at that position before Charley Graham, the club owner, demanded he be shifted to the out- field "That guy will kill what few customers we've got" fumed Graham. DiMaggio's throws from short were high, wide and lethal.
 This was in '32. He had good sea- sons in '33 and '34 and the majors began to look him over. But 1t turned out he had hurt his knee in '34, wrenched 1t getting out of taxicab and couldn't play over long stretches. This scared prospective purchasers off-all except the Yank- ees.
 The Yankees have a scout on the west coast named Bill Essick It's his business to flush young talent for the Yankee farms, of which George Weiss is the director.
 Essick got Weiss on the phone: T don't know whether this kids knee will come back sound or not, but this much can guarantee you: If 1t does you'll have something more than @ good ball player you'll have great one"
 At Weiss suggestion, Essick took DiMaggio to e noted surgeon and bone specialist in Los Angeles. The surgeon was optimistic, He said he thought the knee would stand up.
 This was the beginning of the deal, a deal from which practically every club in tn etwo majors shied away. The Giants, for instance, ur- der Bill Terry, wanted no part of him. Simply weren't interested.
 "What can we get him forP" asked Weiss.
 Wanted Players
 "Well, Graham knows he can't get much money for @ ball player with a bad knee, so he's more inter- ested in making a deal for players, anything to round out o winning team for the home fans"
 Weiss was up to his ears in all types of job lot players, as he al- ways was in those days. so he listed five mediocrities named Cecil Q. Bananas, and said: "Tell Graham we'll give him these guys and $25,- 000." The deal was closed.
 But 1t had catch: If DiMaggio's knee didn't stand up, the Yankees were to get their $250o0 back. All they'd lose were the cast-off play CTS for whom they had no use and In the end one of these didn't report.
 That was all right with Graham. He'd keep DiMaggio through the '35 season, and If by September of that year the Yankees didn't want him, he'd return the dough. No' that isn't correct, because the Yank. ecs didn't put up any dough until they decided they were sold on the player.
 DiMaggio blossomed to full flower that season, He hit .398 and led the coast league in everything, includ- ing home runs By mid-July all the major league club owners who had given up on him the year before were frothing at the mouth. Ora ham wasn't any too pleased, either, He could have got $150,00O for him like breaking sticks,
 There is no getting away from the solid contributions DlMaggio made to the Yankees. either. 1m- mediately h. was what the boys call the difference. The Yankees had finished second three straight times before DiMaggio joined them. They won the very first year with him Tn the lineup, which was '36, and re- peated successively the following three years. He was the main req son why chronic second place club became a consistent pennant win- ner. He was with the club seven years and played in six world series.
 Considering these facts, we were not surprised at Joe McCarthy's petulance when he learned he was losing DiMaggio to the service. whatever he does is his affair. l have nothing to say," said McCar- thy, a war time commentary which will scarcely out-live Lincoln's Get tysburg addres.
 Bum Steer
 For all his greatness. DlMagglo wasn't altogether popular around here. This was probably due to his repeated hold-outs and the man ner in which he went about them He listened to persons who had nothing to do with baseball and the advice he received was not always inc W:sest. At one time he was sup. posed to be under the influence oi Joe Gould, a Broadway iight man ager. who had ostentacously at- tached himself to the ball player Anyway. the business relations be- tween DiMaggio and the Yankee front office we're somewhat on the strained side. The addicts seemed to resent this for some reason ana were begrudging In their acclaim.
 The most DiAEaggio ever got was al2 500. obviously a compromise Ioi' iowinR a controversy. This was as close as he ever came 10 hntn D fabulous e8O. GOO. He was nowhere hear the tlirnstile draw that bane was--and. of course. who wahT There was only one season tn which he left a definite imprint on tne commercial side and .hat was in al. when be hit safely in b6 consecutive eames. or before pitchers Smith and Bagby stopped him ct night n Cleveland. There appeared 10 De as much national interest 10 that streak as there ever had been ID one Of the aiambino'n home run sffeeks' lt was the fsEht time the ada'ess droupod their reserve and gave out