Joe DiMaggio hit .346 with 46 home runs and 167 RBI in his second big-league season. He was 22 years old. Every one of those numbers represented a career high, and the home run total led the American League. His 1936 rookie year had proven he belonged in pinstripes. His 1937 campaign proved he belonged alongside Ruth and Gehrig in the conversation about the greatest players to wear the interlocking NY.
The Numbers Don't Lie
DiMaggio's sophomore stats read like a greatest-hits compilation from somebody's entire career, not a single season from a 22-year-old.
| Batting Average | .346 |
| Home Runs | 46 (led AL) |
| RBI | 167 |
| Total Bases | 418 |
| Runs Scored | 151 |
| MVP Voting | 2nd (lost to Charlie Gehringer) |
The 418 total bases captured the full picture. DiMaggio didn't just hit home runs -- he doubled into gaps, tripled to right-center, singled through holes. He produced from everywhere in the strike zone with a swing that looked effortless and a discipline that belied his age. He was the complete package at a position where the Yankees had fielded Babe Ruth not long before.
43 Games Without a Collar
Starting June 27, DiMaggio hit safely in every game for nearly seven weeks. Forty-three consecutive games with at least one base hit -- a stretch of sustained excellence that captivated sportswriters and fans across the American League.
This wasn't the famous 56-game streak that'd transform him into a national obsession in 1941. But it served as a preview (and a pretty compelling one at that). DiMaggio showed the same relentless consistency during those 43 games that he'd later carry for 56 -- the ability to find a hit somewhere in the game, no matter the pitcher, no matter the situation.
The streak ended August 12. By then, DiMaggio's stat line already looked like something from a different era of baseball -- or more accurately, it looked like Ruth's numbers dressed up in a center fielder's frame.
The MVP That Got Away
DiMaggio finished second in AL MVP voting. Charlie Gehringer of the Tigers took the award on the strength of a .371 batting average and 209 hits. It's one of those era-specific outcomes that favored contact and average over the kind of power production DiMaggio brought. Gehringer had a fine season (nobody's arguing otherwise), but DiMaggio led the league in home runs and drove in 167 runs on a team that scored 979 -- the most in baseball.
The voters picked Gehringer. History picked DiMaggio.
The Partnership That Powered a Dynasty
DiMaggio's breakout didn't happen in isolation. He batted alongside Lou Gehrig, who hit .351 with 37 home runs and 159 RBI at age 34. The two of them sitting three-four in McCarthy's lineup created a problem no opposing pitcher could solve. Walk DiMaggio, face Gehrig. Pitch around Gehrig, somebody else in that stacked order would make you pay.
Together they powered a lineup that scored 979 runs -- more than any team in baseball. They formed the connective tissue between eras, the old guard (Gehrig, entering his twilight) and the new standard-bearer (DiMaggio, just beginning his ascent). The 1937 season was the last year both men produced at peak levels simultaneously. It wouldn't last, and that makes the season feel more precious in hindsight.
The Rookie Arrives
DiMaggio debuts with the Yankees and hits .323 with 29 home runs -- impressive, but a warm-up for what's coming.
Hitting Streak Begins
DiMaggio starts hitting safely in what becomes a 43-game hitting streak, captivating the baseball world.
The Cycle Game
During the streak, DiMaggio hits for the cycle with two home runs -- displaying every offensive weapon in his arsenal in a single afternoon.
Streak Ends at 43
The hitting streak concludes after 43 games. DiMaggio's season stats sit at .346/46/167.
World Series Champion
DiMaggio and the Yankees beat the Giants in five games for their second straight championship.
He's the best young ballplayer I ever managed. Everything he does looks easy, and that's the hardest thing in baseball -- making it look easy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many home runs did Joe DiMaggio hit in 1937?
DiMaggio hit 46 home runs in 1937, leading the American League. It was a career high and came in just his second major league season. He also hit .346 with 167 RBI, 151 runs scored, and 418 total bases -- all career bests.
Did Joe DiMaggio have a hitting streak in 1937?
Yes. DiMaggio hit safely in 43 consecutive games from June 27 through August 12, 1937. While less famous than his record-setting 56-game streak in 1941, the 43-game streak demonstrated the same relentless consistency that would later define his legacy.
Why didn't Joe DiMaggio win the 1937 AL MVP?
DiMaggio finished second in 1937 MVP voting behind Detroit's Charlie Gehringer, who batted .371 with 209 hits. The award in that era favored batting average and contact hitting. DiMaggio's superior power numbers -- 46 home runs and 167 RBI -- weren't weighted as heavily as they would be in modern MVP balloting.