While there is variance in terms of human traits such as concentration, ability to perform under pressure, and consistency, these are also traits that are pretty much required to compete at the top level, not something unique to DiMaggio. I can't imagine a Tony Gwynn or Wade Boggs or Rod Carew would be in anyway inferior to DiMaggio in the traits needed to establish such a record. While the streak is impressive, and is something that will likely stand for a long time, hitting streaks aren't a true measure of any real skill. The difference between his streak and a handful of other hot-streaks by a variety of great contact hitters is a lot of randomness. A bloop single here and there can extend a streak, and a good defensive play here and there can end one. Is hitting in 56 straight games more impressive than, say, hitting in 78 out of 80 games would be? The first is a record, but the second is arguably as good or better a measure of contact hitting consistency.
If you're looking at an impressive record for someone who still has an iconic reputation, Aaron's total bases record deserves consideration, given the lead he has on everbody else and what it represents. The combination of home run power, extra base power, consistency, durability, longevity, and contact hitting that it takes is still unmatched, and was set while he was still a very productive player, too.
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