Jim Bottomley

Who was Jim Bottomley?

James Leroy Bottomley was an American professional baseball player. A first baseman, Bottomley played in Major League Baseball from 1922 through 1937 for the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, and St. Louis Browns. He also served as player-manager for the Browns in 1937.

Born in Oglesby, Illinois, Bottomley grew up in Nokomis, Illinois. He dropped out of high school at the age of 16 to raise money for his family. After playing semi-professional baseball, the Cardinals scouted and signed Bottomley. He won the League Award, given to the most valuable player, in 1928, and was a part of World Series championship teams in 1926 and 1931. He played for the Cardinals through the 1932 season, after which was traded to the Reds. After playing for Cincinnati for three years, he played two more seasons with the Browns.

After finishing his playing career with the Browns, Bottomley joined the Chicago Cubs organization as a scout and minor league baseball manager. After suffering a heart attack, Bottomley and his wife retired to raise cattle in Missouri. Bottomley was nicknamed "Sunny Jim" because of his cheerful disposition. Bottomley was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974 by the Veterans Committee and to the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2014.