Evening star., 1942-07-01
LoneFreshnnan
Quick Success
AS Big-Tiner
Unknown in Truining
Comp, Knocks Two
Homers to Stort
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

NEW YORK, July 1.-Young Will
lard Marshall probably has not been
tipped off to the fact, but one OF
baseballs lustiest jinxes will be
hanging over his innocent head
when he takes the field in the
annual all-star game next Monday
at the Polo Grounds.
Willard is the Giants 21-year-old
rookie outfielder who has been
picked to play on the National
League side in the midseason clas-
sic-the only freshman chosen on
either squad. The history OF all
star games reveals this to have
been a painful distinction for by
gone rockies so honored.
The two classic examples of what
can happen to first-year youngster
when the spotlight suddenly en-
velops and blinds him in the big
game are Joe Di Maggie and Pete
Reiser. Each of them has since
proved himself great player, but
if they had been Judged off their
first all-star game performances
they would have been headed back
to the minor leagues the next morn
ing.
A Nightmare for Di Maggie.
Di Maggie. sensation of the early
'36 season. Topped miserably in the
game at Boston that year. Placed
third in the American Leagues
batting order to take full advantage
of his amazing punch, Joe went hit
less in five attempts and left seven
base runners stranded. Also, Joe
made the games only error and
kicked another ball around without,
penalty. His side lost, 4-3- Joe
must wake up sweating when he
dreams about that afternoon.
Reiser, now leading the National
| League in hitting, had his run-in
with the all-star jinx only year
ago in Detroit. Not only did the
Brooklyn star go hitless in four
tries, striking out twice, but he
/ did everything in the outfleld except
step on his own throwing hand.
He made two errors as fast as the
ball could reach him. Pete, IN
short, was terrible.
The two instances at least give
an idea of the unusual strain under
which Marshall-playing only his
third year Of organized ball-will
be laboring when he is tossed into
the arena with the games greatest
figures. One of the few rockies
to have taken the all-star contest
in his stride was Frank Mccormick
Cincinnati's stolid first baseman,
who made a hit and handled II
chances flawlessly in his 1887 debut.
Teammates Confident of Him.
Marshalls teammates think the
kid from Virginia is likely to give
the ink quite a wrestle. At least
they've never seen him show any
signs of nerves. He is such silent.
retiring customer that he was in
training camp for a couple of days
this spring before word got around
His name was not on the Giants
roster as he had been purchased
from Atlanta on conditional basis
and actually very few persons ir
camp knew who Marshall was when
he stepped up to take his first
licks in batting practice. Fiddler
Bill MCGEE was on the hill. The
! first two balls he tossed to Marshall
were banged over the right field
fence. From approximately that
moment, Marshall became a regu-
ler.
At last count he had clouted eight
home runs, had knocked in Al runs
and was one of the moving spirits ir
the Giants attack He was laid ur
few days with an injured
shoulder but returned to actor
yesterday.