Bell, "Cool Papa" (James T.)
Baseball
b. May 17, 1903, Starkville, MS
Quite possibly the fastest player in baseball history, Bell never got a chance to prove it in the major leagues because he was black. But in an exhibition game against the Cleveland Indians in 1948, when he was nearly forty-five, Bell astounded the Indians and the crowd by scoring from first base on a bunt.
A switch-hitting centerfielder, Bell began his professional career with the St. Louis Stars of the Negro National League in 1922. His manager there called him "a real cool papa" and the nickname stuck.
Bell played with St. Louis through 1931 and, like many black stars, he also played winter ball in Cuba and Mexico virtually every year. He went to the Detroit Wolves in 1932 and joined the Homestead Grays later that year.
In 1933, Bell moved on to the Pittsburgh Crawfords. He reportedly stole 175 bases in about 200 games that season. He remained with the Crawfords through 1936, then spent one season playing in the Dominican Republic and four in Mexico.
Because of World War II, Bell returned to the U. S. to play for the Chicago American Giants in 1942 and with the Homestead Grays from 1943 through 1946. He was playing manager of the independent Detroit Senators in 1947 and of the Kansas City Stars from 1948 through 1950.
After retiring as a player, Bell spent four years as a freelance scout for the AL's St. Louis Browns.
Sometimes known as the "black Ty Cobb," Bell reportedly batted over .400 a number of times, including a .437 average in 1940, when he was playing in Mexico. Because of his great speed, he could play a very shallow centerfield, which sometimes allowed him to sneak in behind a runner for a pickoff at second base.