James Bottomley Bleyer passed peacefully from his earthly life at his home on Monday, January 6, 2025. A fiercely devout Catholic, fittingly, his personal Easter was on Epiphany, the 12th (last) day of Christmas.
Born October 5, 1928, Jim was named in homage to “Sunny Jim” James Bottomley, first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, who gained the admiration of Albert Bleyer, Jim’s father, after Bottomley spoke to the crowd at an expedition game with Carterville community baseball players which Albert had arranged.
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