Show Talks Talks' t to Students stets Find first Sacker for fr Rickey NEW YORK Nov 14 Branch H.-Branch Branch Rickey manager of ot tha tho St. St Louis Cardinals cardinals has been Joshed about his Sunday Sunday school and chauta chautauqua Qua speeches but he has lu d tIle the last laugh g on oi his t friendly d critics t b il cr because a it N was through h u one i of these speaking d dates dales tes that he he obtained Jim his star first tint baseman Bottomley's Bot- Bot temley's rise to o fame Is one of the most dramatic in baseball history for tor he was discarded as a failure and sold for 1000 only to bring a purchase price equivalent of ot and prove his worth by b finishing third among National Na Na- league batsmen batemen In 1923 Back In inthe the spring of 1919 Rickey went over to Nakomis Ill to talk tant to the high school The Tho principal of that school decided that Rickey was Just the theman theman theman man to preside over the future destinies of Jim Jim- 1 t n his student and star j tall tail 1 player 60 so he h haunted and harassed Rickey until the St. St Louis Cardinal thief greed agreed the hid lild a trial with his club The rest Tha-rest rest of the story about Bottomley Bottomley Bot- Bot reads like romance For a a. while he had a as much hard luck a as a. Job Rickey sent him to Mitchell N. N D. D for tor He made progress and the next year was farmed armed out to Sioux City City- It ii the Western league The Western Vestern seemed to be too fast tast for lor the big league I Iro ro rookie kle anyway he did Dot not shine very vary I among the Sioux so he was vas I sent down to Houston In iii the Texas Iague league the n next year which was In He Ite hurt his lIs leg in an en early season game gams gamsIn In Texas an anI 1 tho the Injury y rame hr-rame Infected He Ho played the year yeu under this hits ha handicap and It affected his fielding His fell off to a point where It b be become be- be come Caine a byword and a icy ley with big league strings hitting only In the minors So St. St t. t Louis Louts tried to peddle him hIni out to the Texans They The would not give 1200 for him so In n des f e o i I e sold his I Illinois lr ol oln high I h school wonder to Syracuse in the International International International Inter Inter- national for tor about abou 1000 And tho the failure with the feeble batting hatting average started the 1922 season Reason with a. a well leg and a game same heart He knocked the the International fences down His Ills fielding was phenomenal In meantime Jacques Fournier the hard hitting veteran first sacker for St. St had gone Into a batting slump Bottomley was bought back again from Syracuse for and some players and succeeded Fourn r. r He hit better than the rest of the season and played good enough lI bl to attract the I attention o of 0 the critics critic over the circuit During the 1923 Bottomley was among the first five hitters most of ot the time He Ire finished d third with an unofficial unofficial cial mark of behind Rogers Hornsby and Zach Wheat Bottomley worked in the mines In his home iome town and nod later became a machin machin- fat He lie is a natural hitter His Hie gifts sr arffa a good rood eye and a strong constitution Ho lie cultivated his hie courage and coolness |