Good evening. This is Dead Legends. The Tom Cruise of baseball newsletters. We do all our own stunts research.

Let’s dive in.

Today’s story is about a baseball icon and the love of his life.

We all know Joe DiMaggio was a certified baller with the ability to inflict major pain on baseballs.

Not only did he average 28 bombs a year over a 13-year career, but he also won the MVP award three times.

But wait there’s more…

This BEAST also won the World Series nine times.

He is second only to Yogi Berra, who won 10 rings over his 19 seasons in the Big Leagues.

While all this is super impressive, Joe’s greatest love wasn’t baseball - it was a woman named Norma Mortenson.

You probably know her as Marilyn Monroe.

After a whirlwind romance, Joe and Marilyn decided to get married.

Without a doubt, the biggest wedding of the times.

There were rumors about the exact location and day that they would get married, and many thought they would do it in Vegas.

It was 1954, both had been divorced, and generally speaking - society looked down on that kind of thing at the time.

So much so that the archdiocese of San Francisco announced they would excommunicate Joe DiMaggio from the Catholic Church if he went forward with the marriage.

But DiMaggio wasn’t phased, he was head over heels and Marilyn was the love of his life.

Ultimately, they got married at a courthouse in San Francisco, and it was pure chaos.

Hundreds of journalists and fans showed up and mobbed them at City Hall, but they made it through the crowds and said their vows that day.

Unfortunately, the marriage only lasted 10 months and Monroe filed for divorce on ground of “mental cruelty.”

DiMaggio was a more private person, and Monroe had a very public and very sexualized image, which made him uncomfortable.

They both seemed devastated by the situation, and Joe almost immediately regretted it.

In a letter shortly after they split up, he wrote:

Joey D said it was the best relationship he ever had, and on a sexual level he described it like this:

Sounds pretty intense.

Monroe married Arthur Miller two years later, but they also got a divorce in ’61.

The next year she unexpectedly passed away, and DiMaggio made the arrangements for her funeral.

He loved her ‘til the very end, and afterwards, he never remarried.

He spent the rest of his life - 37 years - sending her roses three times a week.

In another life it would’ve been a happier ending, but for now, it’s a lesson about appreciating what you have while you’ve got it.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME

Nothing better than spending an afternoon at the ballpark.

Sun shining, mouth full of seeds, cold beer in hand - maybe even a crab mac & cheese hot dog.

It’s a vibe.

That’s why Seatgeek is giving Dead Legends subscribers $20 OFF MLB tickets.

Just use our code: DEADLEGENDS

Consider that hot dog on us, my friend.

STRANGE NAMES

If you're just joining us, we play this game every day where we try to find the weirdest names throughout baseball history.

Why? Don't ask us, it's just something we like to do.

If you've been rocking with us for awhile now, you know what time it is.

Today's winner is:

Sparky was one of the most dominant relief pitchers in baseball during the 70’s.

His accolades definitely speak for themselves.

But Sparky was also a prolific prankster as well.

One time he put a gold fish in the dugout water cooler.

He also loved hotfoots and cake sitting.

THE DEAD LEGENDS ARCHIVE

If you like this story, check out some of our past favorites:

• The Gambler: A deep dive on the notorious Hal Chase

• The Wild Thing: Ricky Vaughn’s real-life inspiration

• The Plaza Flood: Royal’s centerfielder saves the day

That's it for today. Tomorrow we're back at it like a bad habit. See ya!

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