On Wednesday, the Martinez City Council will discuss the potential Joltin’ Joe transfer at the request of the Joe DiMaggio Hometown Hero Project non-profit organization.
At the meeting, the council will receive report, hold discussion, and provide direction to staff regarding the terms and conditions under which the City should transfer transferring the Joltin’ Joe to the Joe DiMaggio Hometown Hero Project non-profit organization.
Background:
The “Joltin’ Joe” boat is a 22-foot Chris-Craft Sportsman pleasure boat gifted to Joe DiMaggio during a “Joe DiMaggio Day” ceremony in front of 69,551 fans at Yankee Stadium held on October 1, 1949. The vessel was eventually donated to the City of Martinez in 1994 and a partial restoration project was completed that year.
On March 24, 2010, the City kicked off a major restoration project in collaboration with the Sons of Italy Diablo Valley Lodge #2167 and Carpenters’ Union Local 152 that involved thousands of hours of donated labor and tens of thousands of dollars. The restoration project was completed in 2015 and in the years that followed, the “Joltin’ Joe” has been displayed at various community events, as well as used annually during the 4th of July Parade as a float for the City Council.
Today, numerous factors including a lack of quality storage options, staff expertise, and funding prevent the City from adequately preserving the boat in its restored condition. In August 2023, the City in partnership with the City’s insurance provider, the Municipal Pooling Authority coordinated an appraisal by PAC Captain Services, LLC, which valued the boat at $246,500.
The request Letter:
April 2,2024
Michael Chandler, City Manager
City of Martinez
525 Henrietta Street
Martinez, CA 94553
Dear Mr. Chandler:
I hope this finds you well. As President of the Board, I am writing to you on behalf of the Joe DiMaggio Hometown Hero Project (JDHHP), a dedicated and passionate Martinez organization in good standing, committed to preserving the legacy of Joe DiMaggio and the goals set by this non-profit established in 20 14 which include the following:
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- A statue that highlights Joe DiMaggio’s Italian heritage from a fishing family in Martinez;
- A mural on the south wall of a City-owned building located at 330 Ferry Street that would welcome visitors to historic Martinez and recognize Joe DiMaggio along with the City’s other famous icons (an application has been accepted by the City and is pending further reviews);
- A walking tour of places in Martinez with a Joe DiMaggio connection, including the original DiMaggio home, the local murals that depict Joe DiMaggio, the future statue, the Joe DiMaggio ballfields, and the Marina; and
- A Joe DiMaggio museum in Martinez that would be a permanent, safe, and environmentally friendly space to display the Joltin’ Joe along with a trove of Joe DiMaggio artifacts and memorabilia.
As you know, the City of Martinez, which owns the Joltin’ Joe, has a responsibility for stewardship of the boat after the significant effort and financial resources put into its restoration by the community. You will recall that the Sons of Italy Diablo Valley Lodge
#2167, the Carpenters Local 152, and several Public Works employees collaboratively put more than 4,000 manhours and tens of thousands of dollars into the restoration of the Joltin’ Joe over several years from 2010-2015. The result of their work is a museum-quality national treasure that signifies both the exemplary career of Joe DiMaggio with the New York Yankees and his roots in the fishing village that was once Martinez.
The JDHHP shares the stewardship responsibility for the Joltin’ Joe and believes that it can be better cared for and displayed under our guardianship. We recognize the financial impacts of its preservation, maintenance, and display on the City of Martinez and look to relieve that burden while providing the community an improved experience and access to this treasure.
The JDHHP was launched on November 18, 2014 at a centennial celebration of Joe DiMaggio’s birthday in Martinez and became a legal, non-profit organization shortly thereafter. With several ambitious goals for the organization, at the forefront is finding a
permanent home for the Joltin’ Joe. Now, having secured a gracious offer from Bill’s Ace Hardware for space at their facility, we have located a semi-permanent, safe and accessible location that will allow us to create a prototype of what our final location would look like. Consequently, we are requesting that the City transfer the Joltin’ Joe to the Joe DiMaggio Hometown Hero Project.
We realize that our request for the Joltin’ Joe is a significant commitment, but the trade-off will be a dedicated group that will prioritize and commit to the preservation of a valuable piece of sports memorabilia and Martinez history. The transfer of responsibility will also create more opportunities to seek corporate and private donations to complete our goals, which we believe are aligned with the economic development and historic preservation of the City.
Thank you for considering our request. We are immensely grateful for your support, and we look forward to working with the City going forward. If you have any questions about this request, please do not hesitate to contact me at (925) ——-.
Sincerely,
Bob Cellini, President
Joe DiMaggio Hometown Hero Project
Documents:
- Staff Report – click here
- Attachment A – Joe DiMaggio Hometown Hero Project Request Letter
If You Go
Martinez City Council Meeting
May 1, 2024 at 7:00 PM
25 Henrietta Street, Martinez, CA 94553
Full Agenda – click here