#Shortstops: Cool Bat

Many baseball players are taught the idea that “smart baseball” will create success. But James Bell channeled his success in a way that only Cool Papa could: “Tricky Baseball”.

Cool Papa Bell was a switch hitter with great bat control, bunting ability and speed. Despite not generally hitting for power, Bell could create extra base hits more often than most other players in history.

Stories upon stories exist about his speed, as many say that Cool Papa may well have been the fastest man ever to play the game of baseball. One of the most interesting stories was told by Satchel Paige, who said that Cool Papa was “so fast he could flip the light switch and be in bed before the room got dark.”

Paige also claimed that Bell was faster than track star and Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame is home to many historical artifacts that aren’t typically on exhibit, such as a wooden bat used by Cool Papa Bell. This bat in particular is a 38-ounce natural stain wooden bat with "Hanna Batrite / Hickory Reg US Pat Off / Athens, GA" in gold lettering in the center of the barrel and "No. TA / York Style / Steel Temper" near the end of the barrel.

The handle is wrapped in white tape, and "35" is engraved on the knob end. It is unclear if this bat was used during Cool Papa Bell’s career in the Negro Leagues, and it likely dates to the 1940s. "York Style" refers to Rudy York, a seven-time All-Star first baseman in the 1930s and 40s. The logo signifies that the bat is from 1940 or later.

Interestingly, the bat is actually heavier in weight in ounces than it is long in inches. Ballplayers typically swung heavier bats in Bell’s playing days as the modern bat and hitting approach were still developing across the game of baseball. This bat’s white tape is stained from game action and is visibly worn down, detailing that even if the bat was not used during Cool Papa Bell’s Negro League career, it still saw a significant amount of playing time.

Bell was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974 and is widely recognized as one of the best players in Negro League history. As a center fielder and a brief stint as a pitcher, he was an eight-time All-Star and a two-time World Series champion, recording more than 1,500 hits and appearing in 49 games on the mound.

When asked if his induction to the Hall of Fame was the greatest thrill of his life, Bell told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “No, it’s my biggest honor. My biggest thrill was when they opened the door in the majors for the Black players.”

Ethan Sheanin is the 2024 membership/development intern in the Frank and Peggy Steele Internship Program for Leadership Development