Negro League Baseball Star

MLB Hall of Fame

Nominated for the MLB All Century Team

(1903-1991) Born in Starkville, Misissippi, he was a center fielder, and pitcher, in the Negro Baseball League, and in the Mexican League, from 1922-1946. He is considered to have been one of the very fastest men ever to play the game. Legend has it that "Cool Papa" was so fast that he could turn off the light switch on the wall and be in bed before the lights turned off. He was elected to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.

Bell began his professional career with the St. Louis Stars, as a pitcher in 1922. By 1924, Bell began working on his defensive skills and started to make appearances in the outfield. Bell made the permanent move to center field, and learned how to switch hit which enhanced his biggest asset that of his speed. He was now a couple steps closer to first base.

Pitchers quickly realized that they could not afford to walk Bell as he was very capable of stealing 2nd and third base before they could even catch their breath, and then easily score a run, or force the pitcher to balk. Bell was described as being so fast that he once scored from first on a sacrifice bunt.
Bell led the Stars to league titles in 1928, 1930, and 1931. While with the Stars, he played alongside close friend and shortstop Willie Wells and first baseman Mule Suttles.
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.

In 1999, Bell was ranked 66th on The Sporting News list of Baseball's Greatest Players, one of five players so honored who played all or most of their career in the Negro leagues, and was nominated for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.

He was named to the Washington Nationals Ring of Honor for his "significant contribution to the game of baseball in Washington, D.C." as part of the Homestead Grays on August 10, 2010.
"Cool Papa" played on many different Negro League teams during his historic career. Among them were: the St. Louis Stars, Chicago American Giants, Pittsburgh Crawfords, Kansas City Monarchs, Detroit Wolves, and the Homestaed Grays.

Negro League career batting statistics:

Batting average: .325
Home Runs: 57
R.B.I.'s: 596

Negro League career pitching record:

Win-Loss Record: 20-15
E.R.A.: 4.53
Strikeouts: 146

He was a two time Negro League world series champion, 1943 and 1944

He was an 8 time Negro League All Star

He was elected as a member of the MLB Hall of Fame in 1974

Card Signature: 5 x 3, index card, boldly signed in ink, James "Cool Papa" Bell. Excellent condition. Extremely desirable Negro League autograph.

***Please note that the Negro League statistics were oftentimes incomplete.