Cool Papa Bell

Center Fielder

Class of 1974

Cool Papa Bell

Center Fielder

Class of 1974
James Thomas Bell, better known by his nickname “Cool Papa,” confounded opponents in the Negro Leagues with his ability to reach base.

Games

Birth year

About Cool Papa Bell

“One time he hit a line drive right past my ear. I turned around and saw the ball hit him sliding into second.” – Satchel Paige

Cool Papa may well have been the fastest man ever to play the game of baseball. Certainly, the stories of his speed are the stuff of legend.

“I remember one time I got five hits and stole five bases, but none of it was written down because they forgot to bring the scorebook to the game that day,” Bell said.

The most colorful story was one 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. There may have been some literal truth to this one, as one room they shared had a short in the switch. But stories of his base running speed are legion, advancing two and even three bases on a bunt, beating out tappers back to the pitcher and also playing a shallow center field – because his speed allowed him to catch up to just about anything out there.

His nickname derived from his youthful stint as a pitcher – at age 19, he joined the St. Louis Stars as a left-handed pitcher, with an assortment of curves, knucklers and screwballs thrown from any of three release points. His calm demeanor on the mound, especially after a pressure-packed strikeout of Oscar Charleston, earned him the colorful sobriquet.

He was a member of three of the greatest Negro League teams in history, winning three championships each with the Stars, the Pittsburgh Crawfords and the Homestead Grays. The 1933 Crawfords featured seven future Hall of Famers: Bell, Oscar Charleston, Josh Gibson, Judy Johnson, Biz Mackey, Satchel Paige and Jud Wilson.

Bell was a switch hitter and a contact hitter with great bat control, bunting ability, and speed. Though not a power hitter, he could take an extra base perhaps more often than any other player in history.

In addition to the Negro Leagues, Bell played several seasons in the Mexican League, having great success and enjoying the more relaxed racial atmosphere. He also played 21 seasons of winter ball in Cuba, Mexico and California. Late in his career he became a player-manager. Later, he was a scout in the early 1950s for the St. Louis Browns.

Bell was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1974. He passed away March 7, 1991.

The Basics

Year inducted
1974
Birth Place
Starkville, Mississippi
Birth Year
1903
Died
1991, St. Louis Missouri

Career at a Glance

Primary Team
St. Louis Stars
Primary Position
Center Fielder
Played For
St. Louis Stars, 1922-1931
Chicago American Giants, 1929
Homestead Grays, 1932
Detroit Wolves, 1932
Pittsburgh Crawfords, 1933-1937
Chicago American Giants, 1942
Homestead Grays, 1943-1946

Career MLB Stats

Games
1,199
At bats
4,756
Hits
1,548
Walks
530
Runs
1,150
Doubles
259
Triples
72
Home Runs
57
RBI
593
Stolen Bases
285
Batting Average
.325
Ops
.841
On Base %
.395
Slugging %
.446

Cool Papa Bell Stories

Explore the archives and go deep into the lives, careers, and stories of the Hall of Fame's honorees.

Cool Papa Bell earns Hall call

Playing it Cool

Fast feet, Cool shoes

Negro Leagues Researchers and Authors Group