I couldn’t wait to read a new book called Dinner with DiMaggio by Dr. Rock Positano. The author is a New York podiatrist I consulted in the early 1990s for an excruciating heel injury I got from jogging on the sidewalks of New York. A specialist in non-surgical treatment of foot and ankle problems, Dr. Positano said I had plantar fasciitis, a common foot injury among runners. His treatment, which worked wonders, involved anti-inflammatories, foot massages and stretches, and orthotics. And more importantly, he told me to always wear cushioned shoes that have slightly elevated heels; shoes with recessed heels or flat shoes - even flat running or walking shoes — were no-no’s. I took his advice and the problem has never returned.

The other reason I was excited about reading Dinner with DiMaggio (which was co-authored by Dr. Positano’s brother John) was that during one of my appointments with Dr. Positano, I found myself in the same room with Joe DiMaggio, my childhood sports idol!! I was thrilled at this serendipitous meeting, and knowing his reputation as a very private person, I shyly said “Hi”. He politely acknowledged me with a nod and smile. Mr. DiMaggio was being treated for a different heel problem, chronic pain from a botched surgery that had ruined his baseball career. Dr. Positano’s treatment plan not only worked for me, but apparently for Joe as well! They became friends, dining and partying together whenever the “Yankee Clipper” (aka “Joltin’ Joe”) was in New York.