James Leroy Bottomley (April 23, 1900 – December 11, 1959) was born in Oglesby, Illinois and grew up in Nokomis, Illinois. Nicknamed "Sunny Jim" because of his cheerful disposition, he was a left-handed Major League Baseball player. He also served as player-manager for the St. Louis Browns in 1937.
[edit] Career
As a first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals (1922–1932), Cincinnati Reds (1933–1935) and St. Louis Browns (1936–1937), Bottomley was noted for his upbeat demeanor and ability to drive in runs. He had over 100 RBIs in each season from 1924 to 1929.
Bottomley's best season came in 1928, when he hit .325 with 31 home runs and 136 RBIs. He also became the second Major League player in history to join the 20–20–20 club. That year, he won the National League Most Valuable Player award and led the Cardinals to the World Series, where they lost to the New York Yankees. He was the first player to win an MVP award after beginning his career in his team's farm system.
He set the Major League record for RBIs in a single game, with 12, on September 16, 1924 (since tied by Mark Whiten). Bottomley also holds the single-season record for most unassisted double plays by a first baseman, with eight. "Sunny" is also known as the only man to be sued for hitting a home run when a fan was hit by the ball when he wasn't looking.
After his career ended, Bottomley moved to near Bourbon, Missouri, where he raised Hereford cattle. He spent the last years of his life in nearby Sullivan, Missouri, where he and his wife Betty were eventually laid to rest in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery. The city park in Sullivan is named for him.
A museum in Nokomis, Illinois, is dedicated to Bottomley and the Hall of Famers Ray Schalk and Red Ruffing.
Bottomly was the second player in baseball history to hit 20 or more doubles, triples, and home runs in one season (Frank Schulte being the first) and the first of two players (Lou Gehrig being the other) to collect 150 or more doubles, triples, and home runs in a career. He is the only player to achieve both.
[edit] Hall of Fame induction
Bottomley was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame posthumously in 1974 by the Veterans Committee (VC). Frankie Frisch, a member of the VC at the time, shepherded the selections of teammates Jesse Haines in 1970, Dave Bancroft and Chick Hafey in 1971, Ross Youngs in 1972 and George Kelly in 1973.[1]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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| Persondata |
| Name |
Bottomley, Jim |
| Alternative names |
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| Short description |
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| Date of birth |
April 23, 1900 |
| Place of birth |
Oglesby, Illinois |
| Date of death |
December 11, 1959 |
| Place of death |
St. Louis, Missouri |
