Chasing 56: Dimaggio's Record, Rose's Pursuit and Nine Other Contenders for Immortality (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781476695716)

Eighty-five years have passed since the Summer of 1941, when a tall, lean Italian American, wearing the famous New York Yankees pinstripes, captivated a nation in the lead-up to World War II. Joe DiMaggio set the baseball world on fire with his prowess, obliterating the record for consecutive games with a hit, with 56.

In the decades that followed, no player has approached within even ten games of that mark. The all-time "hit king" Pete Rose came closest with 44, and thousands of other batters succumbed to the pressures of the chase and the well-established difficulty of hitting a round ball with a round bat.

This book profiles DiMaggio, Rose and the men with the nine other longest hit streaks since 1941. Their life stories feature detailed coverage of their particular streak and how they reacted during and after their pursuit of history.