PART THREE


The Latest Blonde
1951-1952

The photo’s caption read: “Chicago White Sox pitcher Joe Dobson checks over film starlet Marilyn Monroe’s form, as outfielder Gus Zernial does the catching. Marilyn, a long-time baseball fan, got some pointers when she visited the Chicago team at their training camp.” Marilyn Monroe, of course, didn’t know a fast ball from a catcher’s mitt, and the photo was only one of the blizzard of publicity photos she posed for. But it would prove extremely significant: baseball immortal Joe DiMaggio saw it in his local newspaper and inquired, “Who’s the blonde?”