European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 18, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                In. Joe Dimaggio talks to the Oakland coliseum crowd on the 50th anniversary of the end of his 56-game hitting Streak. Dimaggio relives Streak Oakland Calif. A Joe Dimaggio spent the 50th anniversary of the last game of his historic 56-game hitting Streak watching the Oakland athletics play Cleveland the team his new York Yankees faced on july 16,1941. A this summer has been quite hectic and in a not one who likes to have All this attention a Dimaggio said tuesday night As he was honoured in a pre game ceremony by the athletics. A a in be never seen so Many interviews in be had Over the years being replayed. In fact i done to watch any of them anymore.�?�. Dimaggio a Streak ended on july 17, 1941, when he went 0 for 3 with a walk in a 4-3 Yankees Victory Over Cleveland. He hit into a double play against Cleveland a Jim Bagby in his final at Bat and Dimaggio gave credit to two great defensive plays by indians third baseman Ken Keltner. He had extended his Streak to 56 games by going 3 for 4 with a double. During the Streak Dimaggio went 91 for 223, a .408 average. In the ceremony organized by athletics owner Walter Haas Dimaggio returned to the san Francisco Bay area his boyhood Home. Dimaggio was born in nearby Martinez and moved to san Francisco at age 6. A while playing for the san Francisco seals of the Pacific coast league Dimaggio had a 61-game hitting Streak still a modern Day professional record. Dimaggio said the intense interest around the country of his streaks 50th anniversary has taken him by Surprise. A i think it really took off when Ted Williams and i were received at the White House a Dimaggio said of the ceremony which took place the Day of All Star game on july 9. A a in be never experienced anything like this. A we were not Only signing balls at the White House we were on air Force one signing balls for All of these special agents and they All had  Dimaggio took time to comment on Pete Rose whose 44-game hitting Streak for Cincinnati in 1978 is the closest anyone has come since to breaking the record. A i thought Pete would do it a dimag Gio said. A the had things going for him. But the one thing i did no to appreciate is that when he did get stopped he blamed the Pitcher for not throwing him a strike Down the Middle. That upset me More than  the athletics presented Dimaggio with a plaque made up of 56 baseballs commemorating his achievement. The crowd was treated to a Brief video documentary on the Streak followed by a 5-minute speech by Dimaggio. A i used to play Golf with Walter a Dimaggio said referring to the athletics owner a and now that he has a baseball team i spend a lot of time up there sitting with him in his Box. Watching him suffer with his team sometimes i think he should just spend More time in  Haas owns a Home in Montana. Dimaggio said he does not necessarily agree with those who say that his record May never be broken. A anybody who sprays the Ball around has a Chance a he said. A i just happened to be one who went for the  a distance of 56 games. The stars and stripes july 18,1991 b Page 24 pirates Pittsburgh a Gary Varsho a two run Pinch Homer broke a sixth inning tie and Jose Gonzalez hit his first Homer As a pirate hiking Pittsburgh a winning Streak to seven with a 6-4 Victory Over the Houston astros on tuesday night. The pirates have won 14 of their last 18 to withstand new Yorkus recent 10-game winning Streak and maintain their Lead in the National league East. The last place astros not Only dropped other no games on Page 22 their fifth in a Row but lost starting Pitcher Jim Deshaies to a first inning bruised Arm and reliever Darryl Kile to a sixth inning ejection. Kile was tossed after hitting Gary Redus with a pitch immediately following Varsho a Homer but no fight erupted although both benches emptied. Zane Smith 10-6 won his third consecutive decision by allowing six hits and three runs two of them unearned Over six innings before Pittsburgh a bullpen finished up. Stan Belinda pitched 2% innings for his eighth save. Gonzalez whose .030 batting average was the lowest of any player on an open ing Day roster gave the pirates a 3-0 Lead with a two run Homer off reliever Jim Clancy in the third. The astros got a run Back in the fifth on Mark Davidson a Solo Homer then made it 3-3 in the fifth on third baseman Bobby Bonillas throwing error on Craig Biggio a grounder Ken Caminiti sri single and Davidson a double. Don Slaught singled with one out in the Bottom of the inning before Varsho homered Over the right Field Wall his third of the season off Kile 3-4. Deshaies left after throwing just three pitches when Redus lined a single off his left forearm. A rays proved  Bergman propels tigers to win Detroit a forget the 115 Home runs the 607 strikeouts the White haired manager. A better Symbol for the Detroit tigers is Dave Bergman. He a 38 years old. He sits on the Bench most of the time waiting his turn. When he a called he a ready. Bergman Pinch hitting with the bases loaded in the ninth inning lofted a sacrifice Fly to Center Field that scored Skeeter Barnes with the winning run tuesday night As the tigers beat the Texas rangers 6-5.-----------other Al games on Page 22 we done to have a great team. But we re always prepared to play and we play hard every  it was another Tough loss for the rangers who have dropped five of six games since the All Star break to fall from first place. The rangers have lost seven times on the Road in the Bottom of the ninth or later Brown 7-8 in the ninth and Barnes ran for him. Former Ranger Pete Incaviglia followed with his first major league sacrifice. A they its the ninth inning and the games on the line a Incaviglia said. A when he flashes me the sign i want to play the game the Way its supposed to be  after an intentional walk to Lloyd Mose by Jeff Russell relieved and Travis Fryman loaded the bases when Gary Pettis mis played his Fly to Center for an error. He has Only 75 at bats for the season. Life a like that when you play the same position As Cecil fielder. A Bergy is something a said Tony Phillips who made a crucial play to Cut Down a Texas run in the top of the ninth. A a he a always ready. Our whole club is like that. A a that a our Edge you know because Detroit led 4-0, but Texas took the Lead with a run in the sixth and four in the seventh. Rob Deer tied the score 5-5 in the eighth with a two out Homer. It was the 18th Homer for Deer who had been in an 0-for-18 slump since the All Star break. Mickey Tettleton singled off Kevin i not making any i Bergman batting for Milt Cuyler lifted a Fly Ball to Pettis and Barnes trotted Home with the winning run. Mike Henneman 7-2 pitched the ninth for his second Victory in two nights and increased his record to 32-6 in Tiger stadium. Henneman now is 7-0 against the  sports de la Hoya punches Way to Gold Page 18 lady rams open with twin wins a Page 20 British open preview a Page 21 royals use Siow knuckle re to beat jays a Page 22 mets top giants but fail to gain on bucs a Page 22 Foreman files $100 million lawsuit Page 23