Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 142, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 July 1917 — LAUD DAVE ROBERTSON [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

LAUD DAVE ROBERTSON

Manager McGraw Says Giant’ Outfielder as Great as Cobb. ' Temperamental Southerner Is Great Ball Player, but Wants to Have His Own Way—Batted .307 - Last Season. John J. McGraw’s declaration that Davy Robertson, Giant outfielder, is as great a ball player as Ty Cobb, if the Giant star cares to be, was almost the cause for breaking out American 'flags and holding a public mass meeting to send thanks by the citizens of ’ Elizabeth City, N. C., where Dave first attracted attention. Dave temperamental. He is a Southerner with the Southerner’s contempt for the Northerner’s brusqueness. He Is a great ball player, and he knows it fairly well. s But Dave wants to be great In his own way. If he doesn't feel like stretching his legs in a sprint to first base, why it’s nobody’s business, so he does as he pleases. McGraw has been grilling Robertson for a long time, using his own successful wajr in making a great man of his potential great. This year, according to McGraw, Robertson is going to step out as the only real rival of the famous Georgia .peach in all- • around ball playing. Dave has added

a few promises of his own, and it may be that he will forget temperament and try to make them stick. Last year Dave busted into the first days of the season with a few welltimed crashes that placed him at the head.of the batting list with no trouble at all. He played like a fiend, or a Cobb, and he made such a furore that everyone, McGraw included, said the star had at last begun to shine. It was premature praise, for Dave struck a slump, forgot his good resolutions, and ended the season with a batting average of .307, barely within the hall of fame.

Dave Robertson.