Why Famous Southpaw Davis Robertson From Elizabeth City, N.C., Has Quit the New York Giants, July 4, 1919

From The Independent, Elizabeth City, N.C., July 4, 1919

Why Robertson Quit the Giants. . . Former Elizabeth City Southpaw Likes Wholesale Produce Business. . . And His Family

Davis Robertson, once southpaw of the Elizabeth City base ball team, who went from Elizabeth city to the New York Giants, has quit the game and settled down to business in Norfolk, Va. Davis Robertson quit the Giants just a few weeks ago, after having signed up for the season of 1919 and has gone into the wholesale produce business with his father, Chas. R. Robertson, at 25 Roanoke Ave., Norfolk.

Davis Robertson was a great pitcher and a great batter when he was playing in Elizabeth City. It didn’t take the big Leagues long to find him and John McGraw of the New York Giants took him in hand. McGraw would have had another Ty Cobb in Davis Robertson, but Robertson hurt his shoulder and had to be transferred to the outfield. As an outfielder he was even a greater success than he was in the pitcher’s box. Fans say that Robertson pulled down $8,000 with the Giants last year.

But Davis Robertson is temperamental. He has a strong head as well as a strong arm and won’t stand bullying. John McGraw is something of a bully. McGraw and Robertson never did get along very well together.

About two years ago Robertson married a Richmond, Va., girl and she has presented him with a baby. Robertson wanted to be near that wife and baby this summer and he asked McGraw to send him to Washington. Mrs. Robertson and the baby were to have spent the summer in Richmond, just three hours ride from Washington.

But instead of sending Robertson to Washington McGraw told him to go to St. Louis. And right there Robertson kicked out. Robertson wouldn’t go to St. Louis; he handed in his resignation to Manager McGraw, packed his clothes and returned to his family.

Talking to the writer of this newspaper this week Davis Robertson says he is done with base ball. He says he played ball, not because he ever liked it, but because he never could see a way out of it since it had been discovered that he could play. He thinks he will feel more contented in the wholesale produce business, a business successfully established by his father more than a quarter of a century ago and to-day one of the leading houses of its kinds in the booming city of Norfolk.