Marilyn Monroe Chased Joe DiMaggio, Not the Other Way Around, New Book Discloses

According to a new book titled "Dear Marilyn: The Unseen Letters and Photographs," the relationship between Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio was quite different from what has been widely believed. The book, created by the family of photographer Sam Shaw, a close confidante of Monroe, sheds light on the inner workings of the high-profile marriage.

Contrary to the common perception, it was Monroe who actively pursued DiMaggio, even though she was not yet a star with lead roles at the start of their romance. When the couple married in January 1954, Monroe knew little about baseball, despite DiMaggio being a legendary player for the New York Yankees. She had to ask him to explain the sport to her, and she never fully grasped the intricacies of the game, even though DiMaggio took her to games.

The book also reveals that even after Monroe's profile grew, men would often ignore her when DiMaggio was around. However, Monroe was always gracious and proud of her husband, never upstaging him. Their marriage, however, only lasted for 9 months before they split, with the reasons for the split remaining unknown to Shaw, who became close with DiMaggio.

Despite the split, the two remained friends until the end, with DiMaggio always being in Monroe's corner. Their "off-screen romance" is described as a "deeper, more profound, bittersweet romance than romance invented for the screen." Tragically, Monroe passed away in August 1962 at the age of 36.