OTD July 16
DiMaggio set a MLB record for a consecutive game hitting streak, a record feat so notable that it is believed to be unbreakable.
OTD (On This Day) in 1941, Joe DiMaggio hits in his 56th straight game as his Yankees beat the Cleveland Indians 10-3. DiMaggio set a MLB record for a consecutive game hitting streak, a record feat so notable that it is believed to be unbreakable. Playing Left Field for Cleveland that game was Clarence Campbell, nicknamed “Soup” because of his last name.
Soup started his professional baseball career in 1937 playing for the Tarboro Serpents in North Carolina. Tarboro was a member of the Class D Coastal Plain League from 1937-1952. For two seasons (1937-1938), Soup played 144 games for Tarboro hitting .311 with 36 extra base hits. Soup entered the Army Air Force and served in WWII from 1942-1945 alongside Indian teammate Bob Feller. Soup even served as best man in Feller’s wedding in 1943. After his enlistment to the Army Air Force, Campbell eventually earned the rank of Major and served as a squadron executive officer with the 16th Bomb Group, 315th Bomb Wing of the 20th Air Force in Guam. He oversaw B-29 Superfortress missions to Japan in 1945.
Box score of DiMaggio’s game #56: https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE194107160.shtml