Historian Scott Fortner reveals how Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's NFL romance echoes Marilyn Monroe & Joe DiMaggio's MLB love story
Kansas City Chiefs tight end and pop star Taylor Swift's romance have grabbed headlines throughout the NFL season. The duo makes up for a power couple never heard of, but there's one MLB love story that's on similar lines.
According to Scott Fortner, the love story of Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio is similar to the Swift-Kelce story.
"The comparison is very similar," Scott Fortner told Fox News Digital.
Marilyn Monroe was one of the biggest film stars in the 1950s and early 1960s. Joe DiMaggio played 13 seasons with the New York Yankees, winning nine World Series titles, three AL MVP honors and 13 All-Star selections.
Fortner highlighted the differences between the two power couples on the news platform.
"You’re talking about two high-profile couples," he said. "The difference is obviously that Marilyn was a film star and one of the most popular film stars of the day at that. And what’s a little bit different though, is that Joe was also a huge star in the world of sports.
"Travis Kelce is now more well known because he’s dating Taylor Swift, but before that, he wasn’t necessarily as well known. Whereas Joe DiMaggio, by the time he and Marilyn got together, his career had run its course. He had reached the heights and pinnacle of fame in the sports community, but he’d already retired when he met Marilyn. … He was already a sports icon in his own right."
How did Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio meet?
As per Fortner, the couple first met in 1952. Joe DiMaggio saw a photoshoot of Monroe with another baseball player, which left him intrigued.
Taking an interest, DiMaggio called Monroe's agent to set up a meeting as the two stars went on a date.
"Marilyn didn’t really have that much of an idea of who Joe was," said Fortner.
"She wasn’t following sports. She was just really interested in her career at that point. So, she didn’t have that much of an idea of who Joe was or how famous he was."
The duo dated for a year before tying the knot in 1954 at the San Francisco City Hall. However, their marriage didn't last long; as Fortner stated, the relationship was "tumultuous at best."
"Joe was very traditional," Fortner said. "He wanted a housewife that would be at home with him, cook for him — a traditional housewife. But Marilyn’s career was just starting to take off when they had just met.
"They both realized, but especially Marilyn, that it was just not going to work. They loved each other very much, but they were at different places in their lives. They each had expectations that were different, and they just couldn’t be met," he added.
According to Fox News, Monroe's infamous subway grate scene in 1954’s "The Seven Year Itch" was among many instances when DiMaggio couldn't sink in Monroe's profession, leading to a divorce filing, where the Yankees slugger was accused of "mental cruelty."
However, Fortner mentioned that, despite the divorce, the couple remained close. Monroe died in 1962 due to an apparent barbiturate overdose.