"Sunny Jim" And A Cow Named "Fielder's Choice"

"Sunny Jim" And A Cow Named "Fielder's Choice"

At some time during his short stint in minor league baseball, the press began to call Jim Bottomley “Sunny Jim” which was a knickname that stuck his entire career. This was no doubt due to his easy-going nature and cheerful disposition. Fans, teammates and even opposing players considered him to be a good guy. His constant smile seemed to suggest an individual who only wanted to get along with everyone else. So too, he always wore his baseball cap at a slightly crooked angle which accentuated his smile even more.

Branch Rickey, the St. Louis Cardinals manager, was at first concerned that Bottomley might be uncoordinated. He came to this conclusion by looking at the size of Bottomley's feet which were monstrous--he supposedly wore a size 20 shoe. But Rickey's fears were soon discarded as Bottomley had an unusual grace playing first base. Not only did he have good range but he was adept at scooping up throws in the dirt from the Cardinal infielders.

In 1922, Bottomley batted .325 in 37 games. The following year, Bottomley batted .371, finishing second in the National League behind teammate Rogers Hornsby who batted .384. His .425 on-base percentage was also second in the league behind Hornsby.

Strangely, Bottomley was once sued for hitting a home run when a fan by the name of Irwin Hayes was struck in the nose by the ball, resulting in severe nerve damage. The suit was eventually thrown out as the judge reasoned that there was no deliberate intent by Bottomley to harm anyone in his line of employment.

Bottomley posted a .316 batting average in 1924. In a game against the Brooklyn Dodgers on September 16, 1924, Bottomley set the major league record for RBIs in a single game, with 12. Bottomley had two home runs, a double and three singles as he went 6-for-6 at the plate. This mark has since been tied by Mark Whiten coincidentally also of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1993.

The Cardinals made the World Series for the first time in 1926 and Bottomley hit .345 to help the Cardinals defeat the Yankees in a seven-game classic that featured Grover Cleveland Alexander’s legendary relief work in Game Seven. The 1928 season was Bottomley’s career best, as he was voted the National League MVP with 42 doubles, 20 triples, 31 homers and 136 RBIs. His bat helped return the Cardinals to the World Series that year, though this time the Yankees swept St. Louis in four straight.

Jim kept his average over .300 into the 1930s though in 1933 he was traded to the Reds eventually returning to St. Louis with the Browns four years later. In his retirement year, 1938, the fans of St. Louis asked the aging star what he wanted for a send-off gift, to which he replied "a cow." Whether or not Bottomley was joking (and he probably wasn't since he planned to be a farmer in retirement), he was indeed given a cow that was aptly named "Fielder's Choice."

The photo above shows "Sunny Jim" milking "Fielder's Choice" near the first base foul line in Sportsman's Park before one of his last games. Shortly thereafter, Bottomley and his wife moved to rural Bourbon, Missouri, where he raised cattle for beef not milk. So, perhaps the fans misunderstood what type of cow Bottomley really wanted although even if he was disappointed, "Sunny Jim" never let on and only smiled as always.