<P> In 1934, DiMaggio suffered a career - threatening knee injury when he tore ligaments while stepping out of a jitney . Scout Bill Essick of the New York Yankees, convinced that the injury would heal, pestered his club to give him another look . After DiMaggio passed a physical examination in November, the Yankees purchased his contract for $50,000 and five players . He remained with the Seals for the 1935 season and batted . 398 with 154 runs batted in (RBIs) and 34 home runs . His team won the 1935 PCL title, and DiMaggio was named the league's Most Valuable Player . </P> <P> DiMaggio made his major league debut on May 3, 1936, batting ahead of Lou Gehrig . The Yankees had not been to the World Series since 1932, but they won the next four Fall Classics . Over the course of his 13 - year Major League career, DiMaggio led the Yankees to 9 World Series championships . </P> <P> DiMaggio set a franchise record in 1936 by hitting 29 home runs in his rookie season . DiMaggio accomplished the feat in 138 games . His record stood for over 80 years until it was broken by Aaron Judge, who hit the 30th home run in his rookie season in his 84th game in 2017 . </P> <P> In 1939, DiMaggio was nicknamed the "Yankee Clipper" by Yankee's stadium announcer Arch McDonald, when he likened DiMaggio's speed and range in the outfield to the then - new Pan American airliner . </P>

How many home runs did joe dimaggio hit in his rookie season