Dominic DiMaggio dies at age 92

~ The Red Sox all-star was the younger brother of Joe DiMaggio.

BOSTON -- Dominic DiMaggio, the bespectacled Boston Red Sox center fielder who made his own mark on the major leagues despite playing in the shadow of Hall of Fame brother Joe and teammate Ted Williams, died early Friday at his Massachusetts home. He was 92.

DiMaggio died at about 1 a.m. with the Red Sox television replay of Thursday night's game on in the background, said his son, Dominic Paul.

"He was in and out of consciousness, but he was acknowledging it. He was a Red Sox fan until the end," his son said.

DiMaggio was surrounded by his family, according to his wife, Emily. He had been battling pneumonia, the Red Sox said in a statement.

"He was the most wonderful, warm, loving man," his wife of 61 years said. "He adored his children, and we all adored him."

DiMaggio was a seven-time All Star who still holds the record for the longest consecutive game hitting streak in Boston Red Sox history. Known as the "Little Professor" because of his eyeglasses and 5-foot-9, 168-pound frame, DiMaggio hit safely in 34 consecutive games in 1949.

The streak was broken Aug. 9 when his big brother caught a sinking liner in the eighth inning of a 6-3 Red Sox win over the Yankees. Joe set the major league record with a 56-game hitting streak with the Yankees in 1941.

The Red Sox paid tribute to DiMaggio with a moment of silence before Friday night's home game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The nickname was about more than just appearance, his son said. Dom DiMaggio was a mathematics whiz who was offered a scholarship to Santa Clara College. He parlayed his numbers skills into a successful post-baseball business career and loved to play the stock market.

"That was his passion," his son said. "He'd watch the stock ticker all day and the Red Sox all night."

The oldest of the three center field-playing DiMaggio brothers was Vince, who had a 10-year major league career with five National League teams. Vince died in October 1986, while Joe died in March 1999.

"Dad had a great deal of respect for Uncle Joe and what he did," his son said. "But he never felt inferior. He was a competitor and a strong competitor."

Dom DiMaggio spent his entire career with the Red Sox, 10 full seasons, and was close friends with teammates Williams, Bobby Doerr and Johnny Pesky.

"He was a great player, and most of all, a great friend," Pesky said. "I will miss him terribly." Doerr called him a "class guy and a great teammate."

"His loss saddens us all, but his contributions to the glory and tradition of our ballclub will forever be etched in the annals of Red Sox history," principal owner John Henry said in a statement.

While Dom did not have the offensive numbers of Joe, he was generally regarded as a better defensive player with a stronger arm. The younger DiMaggio led the American League in assists three times, putouts twice and double plays twice.

He was a career .298 hitter with 87 home runs, while Joe was a .325 career hitter with 361 homers. Dom's baseball career was interrupted for three years (1943-45) by World War II when he served in the Navy.