Robert Roy Fothergill (August 16, 1897 – March 20, 1938), often referred to by the nicknames "Fats" and "Fatty" because of his weight[1] and "the People's Choice" due to his popularity with the fans,[2] was an American professional baseball player.

Fothergill had only a grade school education, and played with the Massillon Tigers and Canton Bulldogs in the early years of professional American football.

On July 17, Fothergill was sold to the Detroit Tigers as the high bidder, subject to the caveat that he would not be required to report until the Bloomers' season was over in September 1920.

[7][8] Fothergill reported to the Tigers for spring training in 1921 and performed well, but there was no room for him in an outfield that included Ty Cobb, Harry Heilmann and Bobby Veach.

[9] He spent the 1921 season with the Rochester Colts, leading the team to an International League pennant, and compiling a .338 batting average and .538 slugging percentage.

[6][10] While with Rochester, Fothergill became "a big drawing" card who turned handsprings when he beat out a ground ball at first base.

In 1925, another outfielder, Al Wingo, took over the Tigers' starting spot in left field, and compiled a .370 batting average.

He also had a .421 on-base percentage (seventh best in the league) and hit for the cycle on September 26, 1926, the final game of the season.

Teammate Ed Wells tells of a time when Cobb was looking for a pinch hitter in the ninth inning with men on base.

[21] A few days after being released by the Red Sox, Fothergill signed with the Minneapolis Millers of the American Association at a reported salary of $600 a month plus a bonus.

[29] Fothergill was officially listed in major league records as being 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall and weighing 230 pounds (100 kg), but Tigers manager George Moriarty once joked that it was a moral victory when the dieting Fothergill trimmed down to 256 pounds (116 kg).

[3] Baseball author Lee Allen wrote of Fothergill: "He was one of the last of those rare spirits who appeared to play for the fun of it, and he seemed to be able to extract the fullest amount of pleasure from life.

After the game, you could find him with a thick porterhouse steak and a seidel of beer, and he would chuckle to himself and mumble out of the side of his mouth, 'Imagine getting paid for a life like this!

[31][32] In 1926, columnist Joe Williams remarked: "His barrier to greatness is a Graf Zeppelin belt line."

The 1933 edition of Who's Who in Major League Baseball took this playful jab at the Tiger outfielder: "Fothergill gets over the ground with great agility for one of his peculiar architecture."

Another oft-repeated story recounts Fothergill was called out on strikes while on a crash diet (complete with rubber suits and a Victorian-style Turkish bath) in 1928.

When Fothergill came to Navin's office in the winter to negotiate his contract, wearing a heavy overcoat to conceal the weight he had put on in the off-season.

Navin then sat back and engaged Fothergill in a long, drawn-out conversation about his family, hunting, and anything but the contract.

"[37] Fothergill once got into a beer drinking contest with Babe Ruth and teammate Harry Heilmann and won handily.