Cool Papa Bell goes to Cooperstown
February 13, 1974 Cool Papa Bell goes to Cooperstown joining Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard as just the third man to play exclusively in Negro Leagues to be inducted.
Bell played center fielder and knuckleball pitcher in Negro leagues and the Mexican League from 1922 to 1946. He is considered to have been one of the fastest men ever to play the game. He played a shallow outfield to make up for his arm, but his speed allowed him to catch nearly anything deep. He was also known to score from first on a single. During the interview, Bell tells the story of why he could get into bed before the light went out. Satchel Paige said it was his blinding speed.
Bell won three titles with the St Louis Stars, and two more with the Homestead Grays. He hit .325 over 21 Negro League Seasons, and lead the league in steals 7 times.
During an interview Bell announced his “all time team” these are players he played with or against.
Outfield – Turkey Stearnes, Monte Irvin, and Rap DixonAround the Horn – Judy Johnson (3b), Willie Wells (SS), Sammy Hughes (2b), Oscar Charleston (1b)Battery – Theodore Trent (RH), Willie Foster (LH) and Riley Macket (c)
Bell played for several teams over his career, but when he played for the Pittsburgh Crawfords, 5 other teammates along with Bell will eventually be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
In the Mexican League Bell dominated even more, he became the first player in Cuban League history to hit three homeruns in one game (all inside the park) and in 1940 Bell became the first Mexican League player to win the Triple Crown, leading the league with a .437 batting average, 12 home runs, and 79 runs batted in. Veracruz won the pennant that year. He spent his last Mexican League His career Mexican League batting average was .367
During the barnstorming games white the MLB players Bell hit .391 in over 100 exhibitions. As the story goes when he was on first, Satchel Paige tried to bunt him over to second, By the time the ball reached Paige, Bell was almost to second and seeing the third baseman had broken towards home to field the bunt, rounded the bag. The catcher, Roy Partee of the Boston Red Sox, ran to third to cover the bag and an anticipated return throw from first. To his surprise, Bell rounded third and brushed by him on the way home; pitcher Murry Dickson of the St. Louis Cardinals had not thought to cover home with the catcher moving up the line, and Bell scored standing up
His greatness was well known as he ranked 66th on a list of the greatest baseball players published by The Sporting News in 1999.
Teammate Ted Page commented on the clean off-the-field lifestyle that Bell lived. He said that Bell was “an even better man off the field than he was on it. He was honest. He was kind. He was a clean liver. In fact, in all of the years I’ve known him, I’ve never seen him smoke, take a drink or even say one cuss word.”
Nine Players Who Debuted in 1922
Jim Bottomley
Gabby Hartnett
Ossie Bluege
Travis Jackson
Sparky Adams
George Grantham
Fats Fothergill
Fred Haney
Andy High