© Joe DiMaggio

Born 3/18/1929, traveled to the Superbowl in heaven on 4/27/2013.

Every once in a while when I’m chopping wood I miss a piece by an inch or two. It’s usually a relatively small piece and I hear myself screaming “Don’t give up on it!” and it’s the Coach telling me to never give up.  With one minute left in a game, whether we were ahead by 20 points or behind by 30 points, he would tell us “Always give one hundred percent all the time and when you don’t, that’s the time you’re going to get hurt. Not only physically, but mentally. The bottom line is, failure’s not an option; never give up and always give one hundred percent.” and the words absolutely, totally ring true. On Sunday morning, I gave a workshop at Grand Central Station and traveled across town to Bryant Park and Times Square. When I got the students together I told them “I’ve got bad news for you. I don’t want to be here, I don’t want to teach this class, and I was a millimeter away from just packing up and leaving.” (I had gotten there 2 hours prior). Then a voice came to me; it was the Coach and he told me “Big Joe, complete your responsibility and teach this class.” I told the students that because of what he taught me, it was going to be the best class I would teach all year. I think that it was. Thanks, Coach; you’re still motivating me and you will continue to motivate me until I join you.

Joe D

© Joe DiMaggio