Joe DiMaggio's 95th Birthday Celebration

Joe DiMaggio’s 95th Birthday - November 25, 2009

Joe DiMaggio, one of baseball’s legends and a San Francisco favorite, would have been 95 years old this year.  Francis “Lefty” O’Doul, a San Francisco native, baseball legend, and friend of DiMaggio’s, started his own restaurant here in 1958—so it was only appropriate that Lefty O’Doul’s commemorate DiMaggio’s birthday in true San Francisco style!

Lefty O’Doul’s invited GOTC to join the celebration by bringing out a couple of historic SF Fire Department vehicles: a 1942 Chevy Coffee Unit No. 1 and a 1956 Seagrave Tank Wagon. Members of the GOTC, including Paul Barry, Mike Braun, and Jamie O'Keefe, were on hand to answer questions about the vehicles and to share information about the SFFD Museum, where other interesting vehicles are stored.

Also in attendance was Giants/A's baseball legend Tito Fuentes, Bill DelMonte, a 104-year old survivor of the 1906 Earthquake, Marilyn Monroe and Dean Martin impersonators, and a handful of kids from Willie Brown, Jr. Elementary School's baseball team! (Their baseball team is sponsored by Lefty O'Doul's.) 

Everyone hopped aboard the fire truck to take a ride around Union Square! The passengers shouted and waved, as Mr. Del Monte rang the bell. Tourists waved and looked confused as they tried to figure out what was going on.

In the meantime, Lefty’s staff dispensed free samples of non-alcoholic Bloody Mary mix to passersby out of the Coffee Unit.  The Coffee Unit had been used for many years to provide refreshments to firefighters while they were working at fires, so it was the perfect way to hand out drinks to toast to the memory of the Yankee Clipper!

Thanks to all those who made this a memorable event!