Jimmy, Good call on picking up that one of him changing diapers. I recall seeing the one where he's carrying his son, in an ad in SCD.
<img src="http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc120/CarltonHendricks/HoldingBaby.jpg">
As I recall the best of the photos were all fairly serious money, like $300 a piece. I knew when I saw all those photos it was an event...you just don't come across a ton of DiMaggio's personal photos like that. I mean it was a little weird just rummaging thru his personal effects unhindered. You can see more of the photos I posted on this page (http://www.sportsantiques.com/05natphoto2.htm) if you scroll down a ways.
Your photo of his luggage reminds me of the time I escorted him to his room at the hotel I work at. I wrote a story (http://www.sportsantiques.com/JoeDAutogrStory.htm) about once when I got his autograph, which is old news most of you are probably familiar with...but this was another time I actually roomed him. He was with his grand daughter and her kids, at least I think that was the family connection. Anyway, they had a bunch of luggage and I as a bellman was escorting them all to their rooms.
We were expecting him and I had it worked out with my supervisor that I wanted to check him in when he got there. Turned out, wouldn't you know it...I was way on the opposite side the property doing a check in when I got the call on the radio he was there, about 2 mile distance. I wrapped up that check in a a matter of minutes and hit the accelerator. When I got back to the bell desk the supervisor had it all worked out....they were waiting for a bellman in the parking lot....I hopped on one of our big people mover bell carts and headed for the parking lot...there he was non chalant waiting with his family for a bellman. I loaded up all their luggage and drove them all to their rooms.
Using the ol noggin, I prudently asked Joe if he wanted to take his granddaughter and kids to their room first...which of course he said yes to...If I was going to impose for an autograph, I didn't want to do it in front of his family...I had an old Yankee's popcorn vendors hat I brought with me, which I'd picked up at a card show once.
Once the family was ditched, we headed to Joe D's room. Other than I was nervous inside, but cool on the outside, it was just a typical check in....he didn't have much luggage...and I recall the one suitcase he had was strikingly old..like late 1960's old..and I mentioned to him something to the effect, "that's a pretty old suitcase Mr. DiMaggio". He boasted back the the effect "That suitcase had been all around the world"..and that he'd just gotten back from Japan. As I recall, somehow we ended up back outside his room next to the cart when he gave me my tip...which I should have framed darn it. And then I went for it....I very nicely and politely pulled out my vendors hat and asked if he could autograph it. Now that I think about it, I remember the way he handled it...without looking at me he held out his hand open palm for a pen...like he was so jaded by years of giving autographs he knew the routine very well had it down...like hey buddy, have the pen ready if you're gonna bug me!...it was kind of striking....but I didn't say a word, I always have a pen on me and handed it pronto. I don't think he remembered me from the time before I got his autograph...and he didn't seem surprised I asked...but he did seem a little puzzled by the vendors hat. I guess it wasn't the usual thing people asked him to sign..he signed it and kind of looked at it, and asked me if it had been my hat...like did I used to sell popcorn at Yankee Stadium kind of question. I told him no I'd just gotten it at a card show. I'm pretty sure I politely asked him to date it. It looks like he signed it on the 21st. It's interesting the way he wrote the date. It looks like he started to write it 8/21/95....but stopped at the slash after the 8, then put the slashes under, and down...like he intentionaly wrote the date between the word peanuts and the red Yankee logo. He also wrote his name around the top of the red circle instead of thru it, which is interesting. That was nice he did it with some precision.
And that was it, I was outa there...mission accomplished!....he did yell at me as I was driving off..."that's the last one Carlton"....just kidding he didn't do that. But that was the last one...I never saw him again. He died about four years latter in 1999.
<img src="http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc120/CarltonHendricks/DiMagPopVend.jpg">
<img src="http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc120/CarltonHendricks/DiMagPopVendClose.jpg">