Jim Bottomley

James Leroy Bottomley (April 23, 1900 – December 11, 1959) was an American professional baseball player, scout and manager who played as a first baseman in Major League Baseball from 1922 to 1937, most prominently with the St. Louis Cardinals. With St. Louis he helped lead the team to four National League pennants and two World Series titles.

Born in Oglesby, Illinois, Bottomley grew up in Nokomis, Illinois, and dropped out of high school at age 16 to raise money for his family. While playing semi-professional baseball, he was scouted and signed by the Cardinals before the 1920 season. He became an integral member of the Cardinals batting order, driving in 100 or more runs each year from 1924 through 1929 as the team's cleanup hitter. In 1924, he set a major league record by driving in 12 runs in a nine-inning game.

In 1926, Bottomley led the National League in runs batted in and total bases, helping the Cardinals win their first World Series championship. He was named the league's Most Valuable Player in 1928 after leading in home runs, runs batted in and total bases, and won a second World Series with St. Louis in 1931.