# Was joltin' Joe Really Jolting??? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 1, 2018, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981 "2018-02-01T20:54:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2018, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/1 "2018-02-01T20:54:07Z")
With a nickname like “Joltin’ Joe”, I thought for sure Joe DiMaggio must have an impressive number of stolen bases (SB). According to [Joe’s stats](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dimagjo01.shtml), Joe had 30 SBs in 13 years. In contrast, Baltimore Oriole [Al Bumbry](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bumbral01.shtml) had 252 SBs in the same number of years! The only variable here is the respective lengths of baseball seasons that (as I understand it) changed from one era to the next. So…why was Joe DiMaggio called “Joltin’ Joe”? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2018, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/2 "2018-02-01T20:56:16Z")
Joltin’ refers to hitting, not stealing bases. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2018, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/3 "2018-02-01T21:05:46Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Joltin’ refers to hitting, not stealing bases. This. He was also known as the Yankee Clipper, [as per Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_DiMaggio#Major_league_career): > [@Wikipedia](#): > > In 1939, DiMaggio was nicknamed the “Yankee Clipper” by Yankee’s stadium announcer Arch McDonald, when he likened DiMaggio’s speed and range in the outfield to the then-new Pan American airliner. Note that even that nickname apparently wasn’t in reference to baserunning or base stealing. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2018, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/4 "2018-02-01T21:55:33Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > According to [Joe’s stats](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dimagjo01.shtml), Joe had 30 SBs in 13 years. In contrast, Baltimore Oriole [Al Bumbry](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bumbral01.shtml) had 252 SBs in the same number of years! The only variable here is the respective lengths of baseball seasons that (as I understand it) changed from one era to the next. Another variable is style of play over the years. The [stolen base](http://www.baseball-almanac.com/hitting/hisb3.shtml) was popular up until about 1917, then began to decline. It was at a low ebb during DiMaggio’s career from 1936-1951. It rose again during Bumbry’s career from 1972-1985. I don’t know why you would think “Joltin’” had anything to do with stolen bases. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2018, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/5 "2018-02-01T22:25:24Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Another variable is style of play over the years. The [stolen base](http://www.baseball-almanac.com/hitting/hisb3.shtml) was popular up until about 1917, then began to decline. It was at a low ebb during DiMaggio’s career from 1936-1951. It rose again during Bumbry’s career from 1972-1985. Excellent point, though the numbers in that table can be a little misleading once you get to the Expansion Era (1961 and on); the table shows stolen bases for the entire AL and NL, but more teams were added to each league over time. That said, stolen bases definitely were more common in the 1970s and 1980s then they were during DiMaggio’s era, as well as being more common than they are today. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2018, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/6 "2018-02-01T22:39:40Z")
Given the Yankees love for power hitters that started with Babe Ruth, base stealing was not considered a particularly valuable skill. In 1936, DiMaggio’s first year, the entire team had only 76 stolen bases, less than 1/2 per game. In DiMaggio’s final season, 1951, the total was 69. In 1947 the Yankees were world champions with a total of 27 stolen bases for the entire season. Phil Rizzuto led the Yankees in stolen bases most years, but his total was only 149 over 13 seasons. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2018, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/7 "2018-02-01T22:52:50Z")
Joe DiMaggio set the major league record for hitting safely in 56 consecutive games. Just as impressive, after going hitless in game #57, he hit safely in an additional 18 consecutive games. That’s a streak of 74 games out of 75 with at least one base hit. Sounds pretty joltin’ to me. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/8 "2018-02-02T11:15:10Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I don’t know why you would think “Joltin’” had anything to do with stolen bases. I’m with **Jinx**. It’s a clear reference to speedster Usain Jolt. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/9 "2018-02-02T13:26:48Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I’m with **Jinx**. It’s a clear reference to speedster Usain Jolt. No, it refers to the vast amounts of coffee and cigarettes that DiMaggio consumed.\* \*he _was_ a heavy smoker. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/10 "2018-02-02T13:37:10Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Another variable is style of play over the years. The [stolen base](http://www.baseball-almanac.com/hitting/hisb3.shtml) was popular up until about 1917, then began to decline. It was at a low ebb during DiMaggio’s career from 1936-1951. It rose again during Bumbry’s career from 1972-1985. > > I don’t know why you would think “Joltin’” had anything to do with stolen bases. This ^ Nothing more needs to be written or read. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/11 "2018-02-02T13:37:40Z")
And now he’s left and gone away, hey. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/12 "2018-02-02T13:50:25Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I’m with **Jinx**. It’s a clear reference to speedster Usain Jolt. No, it’s about his consumption of Jolt Cola. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/13 "2018-02-02T14:12:38Z")
I thought it was from his side business as a residential electrician. Man had to pay the rent somehow. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/14 "2018-02-02T15:13:34Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > I thought it was from his side business as a residential electrician. > > Man had to pay the rent somehow. Nah, man. He was just a particularly poor Uber driver in the off season. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/15 "2018-02-02T15:23:56Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Joe DiMaggio set the major league record for hitting safely in 56 consecutive games. Just as impressive, after going hitless in game #57, he hit safely in an additional 18 consecutive games. That’s a streak of 74 games out of 75 with at least one base hit. Sounds pretty joltin’ to me. [72 of 73.](http://www.espn.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/121488/by-the-numbers-remembering-joe-dimaggios-hitting-streak) Most amazing stat:in those 73 game, only six strikeouts. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/16 "2018-02-02T15:51:43Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > No, it refers to the vast amounts of coffee and cigarettes that DiMaggio consumed.\* Probably why he was picked to be the spokesman for Mr. Coffee.😉 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/17 "2018-02-02T19:44:57Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [72 of 73.](http://www.espn.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/121488/by-the-numbers-remembering-joe-dimaggios-hitting-streak) > Most amazing stat:in those 73 game, only six strikeouts. You’re right. I mis-remembered the games after the first 56 as 18 rather than 16. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/18 "2018-02-02T19:47:16Z")
Wasn’t “Joltin’ Joe” Marilyn Monroe’s nickname for him? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/19 "2018-02-02T19:56:08Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > And now he’s left and gone away, hey. I’ve always hated the redundancy of that line. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981/20 "2018-02-02T20:22:02Z")
Interesting side note: DiMaggio, playing in the Pacific Coast League as a 19 year old, hit in 61 straight games. So, not a one hit wonder. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-joltin-joe-really-jolting/807981.md?page=2)