Bell, Cool Papa

orig. James Thomas Bell

born May 17, 1903, Starkville, Miss., U.S.

died March 7, 1991, St. Louis, Mo.

U.S. baseball player.

Bell was a switch-hitting outfielder for most of his career. Playing primarily in the Negro leagues, he is said to have stolen 175 bases in a 200-game season and is reputed to have been the fastest base runner of all time. Also a fine hitter, he once batted .391 over a five-year period. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.

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▪ American athlete

byname of  James Thomas Bell  

born May 17, 1903, Starkville, Miss., U.S.

died March 7, 1991, St. Louis, Mo.

      American professional baseball player, reputedly the fastest baserunner of all time.

      Bell began as a pitcher for the St. Louis Stars in the Negro National League (Negro league) at the age of 19 and earned the nickname Cool when he struck out legendary Oscar Charleston (Charleston, Oscar); Bell's manager added “Papa.” He played centre field for the Stars (1922–28), for the Pittsburgh Crawfords (1933–37), in the Mexican League (1938–42), for the Homestead Grays in the Negro National League (1943–45), and as player-manager of the Kansas City Monarchs in that same league (1948–50). He also played in the California Winter League and in Cuba and the Dominican Republic, as well as on occasion with other Negro teams. A right-handed batter who later became a switch hitter, his average ranged from .308 to .480. He reputedly stole 175 bases in a 200-game season. (Statistics in Negro baseball were not carefully kept.) Playing against all the greats of Negro baseball and against white All-Star teams, Bell batted .391 over a five-year period. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.

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