"I'm just a ballplayer with one ambition and that is to give all I've got to help my ball club win. I've never played any other way." - Joe DiMaggio

From 1936 to 1951, sans three years due to service in World War II, Joseph Paul DiMaggio gave his all to the New York Yankees, leading them to nine World Series championships in his thirteen seasons in pinstripes. Often described as the “picture-perfect” player, DiMaggio was the ultimate winner and a master of his craft, whether at bat or in center field. Known for an unusually wide stance, Joltin’ Joe won two American League batting titles and three MVP awards, averaging 118 RBI per season and hitting .325 lifetime with 361 home runs and 131 triples. Of course, his incredible 56-game hitting streak in 1941 stands out and will likely never be matched. Perhaps more impressive, though, were his 369 career strikeouts, an average of just 28 per season. Today's players strike out that many times in a month!

The numbers and accolades only tell part of the story. “He is best remembered for the persona of Joe DiMaggio,” wrote Ira Berkow of The New York Times. “He remains a symbol of excellence, power and, to be sure, gentleness.” DiMaggio became an American hero at a time when Americans weary from the Great Depression had little to feel heroic about. The son of first-generation Italian immigrants whose brothers Vince and Dom also had successful Major League careers, Joe was an idol when America struggled with idealism. Years after his retirement, baseball fans and purveyors of history marvel not only at his exploits on the diamond but also at his inspiring traits as a prodigy of the American Dream.

In 1950, DiMaggio was eager to make up for a rather lackluster ’49 campaign due to missing 65 games with bone spurs in his heel. In a full season, the 35-year-old put together another monster season with 32 homers and 122 RBI. He led the AL in slugging (.585) and batted .301 for the pennant-winning Yankees who went on to beat the Phillies in the World Series. If going back-to-back wasn’t impressive enough, imagine doing it five straight years. That’s the unprecedented streak the Yankee Clipper helped deliver to the Bronx Faithful as he passed the baton to an "Oklahoma Kid" for the next generation of dominance.

Surfacing for the first time in two decades is Joe DiMaggio’s 1950 New York Yankees World Series ring. It is well-documented that a large portion of Joe’s personal jewelry and World Series rings were stolen from his hotel room in the early 1960s. On September 27, 1998, DiMaggio was invited back to Yankee Stadium one last time for “Joe DiMaggio Day” during which Yankees owner George Steinbrenner presented the 83-year-old legend a replacement set of all his stolen rings. This is the 1950 ring issued to Joe that special day.

Made to look exactly like his original 1950 ring, the face features "New York Yankees World Champions" encircling a baseball diamond that surrounds an inset diamond (approximately .3 carats). Both shanks have the Yankees logo surrounded by laurel decor in relief with "1950" in raised numerals. An "LGB 10K" hallmark and "JOE DIMAGGIO" are engraved inside the band. Coming in size 11, the ring weighs 36 grams and remains well-preserved in outstanding condition. It was first sold in May 2006 directly from “The Joe DiMaggio Collection”, a highly publicized auction in which the DiMaggio Estate listed several hundred keepsakes from his personal collection. Incredible opportunity to own a museum-worthy piece of baseball history.