Lariccia: Hall of Famers Feller, DiMaggio created a rivalry for the ages
From Tony Lariccia at the Cleveland Plain Dealer on May 21, 2018:
In just its first 12 years, Yankee Stadium had already woven its way into baseball lore. The grandest ballpark in the nation’s largest city was home to five of the Yankees’ seven American League pennants and four World Series crowns, and the genesis for a growing parade of Hall of Fame careers. This was, after all, the House that Ruth Built.
Thus, if there was ever a perfect place for Cleveland’s Bob Feller to first face New York’s Joe DiMaggio, it had to be here, enjoining persons with place in a testament to youth, power and possibility.
Before meeting each other on Sept. 3, 1936, the rookies had already boldly introduced themselves to the baseball world. Feller — all of 17 years with apple cheeks and a flamethrower for a fastball — struck out 15 in his first start for the Indians. DiMaggio — 21 and as handsome as his smooth swing — was already an All-Star on his way to becoming the next Yankee legend.
Read the full article here: https://www.cleveland.com/sports/index.ssf/2018/05/hall_of_famers_bob_feller_and.html
Originally published: May 22, 2018. Last Updated: May 22, 2018.