Sports: Dom DiMaggio defends brother

Dom DiMaggio defends brother

By BRUCE LOWITT and Times wires

ST. PETERSBURG -- Dom DiMaggio called a magazine story purporting to reveal the private life of his brother, the late Joe DiMaggio, "a sick monologue" by the lawyer and confidant of the Hall of Fame outfielder of the New York Yankees.

The article in the September issue of Vanity Fair was based on a series of interviews with Morris Engelberg. Dom DiMaggio, an outfielder with the Red Sox in the 1940s and '50s, said he read the article prior to publication. It depicts the Yankee Clipper as a miserly, brooding loner who held grudges and demanded strict adherence to rules.

It alleges that Joe DiMaggio hated Frank Sinatra, who he believed introduced Marilyn Monroe to President John Kennedy and his brother, Robert, and that they were to blame for Monroe's drug and alcohol addiction and death from an apparent overdose.

Engelberg said DiMaggio never stopped loving Monroe even after their nine-month marriage in 1954 ended in divorce, and that his last words when he died of lung cancer at 84 in March 1999 were: "I'll finally get to see Marilyn."

"I've read the article," Dom DiMaggio said, reading a portion of his handwritten comments. "I believe it's a sick monologue of utterances delivered by a person that appears to have very serious problems. ...

"Mr. Engelberg professes a great love, affection and a very close friendship with and for Joe. Then he proceeds to destroy the privacy Joe so zealously guarded when Joe is no longer available to defend himself, and I think it's disgusting."

Dom DiMaggio, 83, is among several baseball celebrities, including Red Sox teammate Ted Williams, scheduled to appear Saturday at Tropicana Field for a Devil Rays Salute to the 100th Season of American League Baseball.

ALEXANDER IN TROUBLE: Police in Boston are seeking criminal charges against Red Sox infielder Manny Alexander after finding steroids in his car.

Police have filed an application for a criminal complaint charging Alexander with two counts of possession of anabolic steroids and hypodermic needles, the Boston Herald reported Thursday.

If a clerk magistrate issues the complaint, prosecutors have to decide whether to press charges. A court hearing will be Sept. 6.

REASON TO SMILE: Darryl Strawberry, recovering from cancer surgery, received an unusual get-well gift -- a World Series ring. Yankees manager Joe Torre delivered the 1999 championship ring Wednesday at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York.

Strawberry, suspended in February for testing positive for drugs, had surgery for cancer Monday.

PICKED TO TRAVEL: San Francisco's Barry Bonds and Seattle's Kazuhiro Sasaki were picked to play for a major-league All-Star team that will play eight games in Japan in November. The remainder of the roster will be filled out later this season, the commissioner's office said Thursday. The series opens Nov. 3 at the Tokyo Dome.

ASTROS: Second baseman Craig Biggio had surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament on his left knee. Biggio was hurt Aug. 1 when Florida's Preston Wilson slid into second base and caught Biggio's leg, tearing ligaments in Biggio's left knee. Biggio will wear a brace for six weeks and can start jogging in three months. General manager Gerry Hunsicker said he was optimistic Biggio will be ready for spring training.

MARINERS: Seattle sent left-hander Sean Spencer to Montreal as part of their deal for Chris Widger. The Mariners obtained Widger, a catcher, in a waiver trade from the Expos on Tuesday for two players to be named. Spencer, 25, had a 3-2 record with a 3.38 ERA in 42 relief appearances at Triple-A Tacoma.

PHILLIES Third baseman Scott Rolen was a late scratch from Thursday's starting lineup because of a sore left wrist. Rolen injured the wrist during a head-first slide on a run-scoring triple in Wednesday's eighth inning.