Following a Yankee off day, columnist Richards Vidmer took stock of DiMaggio in the Herald Tribune on June 24, offering "Pals for performance - To Joe DiMaggio ... who was being overshadowed by the spring sprinting of his brother Dom ... Through the last month and more he has been hitting against every team he has faced, swinging the war club with a steady beat..." But Vidmer also took notice that it was not just Sisler's mark that stood before DiMaggio, but Wee Willie Keeler's 44-game streak set in 1896 when foul balls didn't count as strikes. DiMaggio's task would be just a little tougher.

Later that day, St. Louis Browns pitcher Bob Muncrief retired DiMaggio in his first three plate appearances, the last on a deep drive to left that caused Tommy Henrich to be doubled off base. In the eighth, with the Yankees leading 4-0, Henrich cracked a two-run homer, clearing the bases for DiMaggio. Muncrief pitched carefully. Joe worked the count to 2 balls and 1 strike, then slammed a line single to left, starting another rally that led to three more Yankee runs in the eventual 9-1 win. After the game, St. Louis manager Luke Sewell asked Muncrief why he hadn't walked DiMaggio. A weary Muncrief reportedly replied, "That wouldn't have been fair, either to him or me. Hell, he's the greatest player I ever saw."

On June 25, DiMaggio homered in the fourth inning to lead New York to a 7-5 win over the Browns and run the streak to 37 games. Moreover, the Red Sox beat the Indians, and for the first time since April, the Yankees were in first place.

DiMaggio had another exercise in brinkmanship the next day. The Browns' Eldon Auker again held DiMaggio hitless in his first three at bats. His first time up, McCarthy let Joe swing with the count 3 and 0 and DiMaggio flied to left, and in his second at bat, with the count 3 and 2, DiMaggio grounded ball four sharply to second baseman Johnny Berardino, who muffed it. Joe's teammates stepped from the dugout and looked up to the press box, awaiting the call from official scorer Dan Daniel. But this time DiMaggio received no assistance from the scorekeeper, who ruled the hit an error. In his next appearance, in the sixth, DiMaggio grounded to third.

With the top of the order due up in the eighth and the Yankees leading 3-1, DiMaggio, hitting cleanup as usual, needed help to get another at bat. Leadoff man Johnny Sturm popped up, but Red Rolfe worked Auker for a walk. Tommy Henrich came to bat, and DiMaggio waited on deck.

Henrich knew that if he hit into a double play, DiMaggio's streak was likely over. He stepped away from the batter's box, returned to the Yankee dugout, and asked McCarthy if he could bunt. The manager thought for a moment, weighing the strategy, then agreed. The Yankees were only up by two, and the way DiMaggio was hitting, if Rolfe made it to second there was a good chance DiMaggio could bring him in. Besides, DiMaggio deserved every chance he could get.

Henrich bunted foul in his first attempt, and the New York crowd, now aware of what was happening, started to roar. Rolfe took off on the next pitch, and Henrich pushed the ball to first baseman George McQuinn, who fielded the ball and had no choice but to step on first. DiMaggio had one more chance.

He swung at Auker's first pitch and knocked it into the left-field gap for a double, driving in Rolfe. The Yankees won, 4-1.

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