The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-22
HE'S TOO ANXIOUS
Magee Not Hitting Because He
Is Trying Too Hard.
Dave Robertson Is a New Giant
Outfield Star.
BY FRANK G.. NIENKE.

failure with the bludgeon so far this
season has added to the surprise list.
In 1915 he was a demon with the
mace among the Feds; he was a club
Der without weakness. High or low,
wide or close, curving or straight, Ma
gee could PUNK the offerings-and
PUNK them to the far corners of the
lot. But this season he is having an
awful lot of trouble trying to keep his
average above the 200 mark.
Magee's flivvering, in our opinion,
does not mean that he has gone back
Or that he doesn't measure up to the
American league standard. Lee sizes
up as one of the greatest ball players
in the game. He is fast, brainy, won
derful fielder, a grand wing man. and
a real hitter-when not Handicapped.
But he has been handicapped doubly
so far.
One of the reasons for Magee's fiz-
zling so far has been that the breaks
are against him. A dozen times he
has whanged the ball for a distance
that seemed certain to result in a
double or a triple, but in practically
every instance he has been robbed by
some sensational catch. Rival out
fielders seem to wait until Magee
amazing grabs. Furthermore, Lee has
been called out on infield hits at least
a dozen times when it seemed to the
folks in the stands that he had beaten
the heave
Over-Anxiety Handicaps
Il saw off leg if it would please
Captain Huston and Colonel Rupert,
Magee often has told u.s. They paid
big bunch of money to get me and
they are paying me a big salary They
are princes to work for, and 1 want
to make good just to show them that
their confidence in me has not been
misplaced. But things don't seem to
/ break right for me-
| Magee's statement above explains
! MS second handicap. So anxious is he
| to please his employers that it has de-
veloped into over-anxiety and that
Always is dctriment to a ball player
1t somewhat warps his better judg-
ment He reaches for pitches which,
in his calmer moments, he would per-
init to float past.
! But Magee's slump. although it has
lasted for two months is temporary
only. Sooner or later he will begin to
NIT He may not climb above the 300
mark this year, because of his poor
start but he surely will climb. He can
inland hard and often. He has fine
/ Judgment, and he's fast
AND when Magee starts the upward
movement there will be a chorus of
hurrahs from all sections of the land
because Lee Magee is one of the finest
Fellows in the game, with thousands of
wen wlshers in every town that ever
AAeao iiCoiQ HIS praise sung.
Dave Robertson Stars.
Gothamites are touting Dave Rob-
| ertso4i as the greatest right fielder in
the game. After glancing over the
1916 showing of the southerner. il
"oulo seem that no one justly can dis
| pute the claim. Dave is fielding in
magnificent style, he is wonderful
tnroWer, as fast on the bases as anv
| men in the National Ieague-and Gosh
| now he is hitting
| Robertson was a pitcher once upon
time He came to the Giants some
years ago for a twirling tryout He
| failed and was shooed off to ira
bushes. There he hurt his nitcbine
wing. He had about decided to ouif
baseball, when his manager, realizine
that he had great batting skill. in
tluenced him to 1inger and to trv for
an outfield berth
robertson came back to the Giants
last season as a gardener He was
given repeated trials and showed
IIasnes or brilliancy. But McGraw be-
came discouraged because Dave didn't
seem to throw his heart into his work
HIS parents are wealthy and he has
enough money of his own to enable
him to loaf for the rest of his days
But he likes to play the game yet
he used to play it more in the shirt
of fun than in the serious way neces-
Sary for big leaguers
Dave Robertson is as good a ball
player as he wants to be- McGraw
said last year, He will be a star of
the first magnitude at any time he
really makes up his mind to throw
himself into the work.
During the winter Robertson bust
ed some bone in the neighborhood OF
his hip Everyone Immediately de-
clared that he was through forever
and ever, amen, as a big Lacquer
Dave remained in dry dock until late
in the spring Then he reported tic
the Giants.
In the meantime. McGraw bought
Eddie Rousch to play right field fol-
the Giants. When Robertson turned
tup McGraw told him that he didn't
think he would be able to use him ir
any other but utility roles Tha'
picned Mr.. Robertson.
That bone fracture is all mended
he told McGraw. And I'm ready II
play. Put me in that game now anc