James 'Cool Pappa' Bell  Tampico Alijadores (1939)

This original photo features James “Cool Pappa” Bell when he played for the Tampico Alijadores of the Mexican League in 1939. The photo was autographed by Bell and given to Dr. Revel of the Center for Negro League Baseball Research on one of his many visits with this Negro League great.

James "Cool Pappa" Bell - St. Louis Stars (1922-1931)

James “Cool Pappa” Bell was born in Starkesville, Mississippi in 1903. Bell started playing semipro baseball in St. Louis with the Compton Hill Cubs and East St. Louis Cubs. He signed to play in the Negro Leagues with the St. Louis Stars in 1922. Bell’s career in Negro League baseball would last over thirty years and take him all over the United States and Latin America. 

During his Negro League baseball career, “Cool Pappa” Bell played for the following teams:

St. Louis Stars                           1922-1931       Negro National League

Detroit Wolves                           1932                East-West League

Kansas City Monarchs                  1932                Negro Southern League

Homestead Grays                        1932                East-West league

Pittsburgh Crawfords                    1932               East-West league

Pittsburgh Crawfords                    1933-1934       Negro National League

Kansas City Monarchs                   1934              Independent Team

Pittsburgh Crawfords                    1935-1938       Negro National League

Memphis Red Sox                       1942              Negro American League

Chicago American Giants               1942              Negro American League

Homestead Grays                         1943-1946      Negro National League     

       

Bell also had an outstanding career playing in Mexico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. For twenty-one consecutive winters, Bell played winter league baseball. He also played on numerous barnstorming teams that included Satchel Paige’s All Stars and the Negro League All Stars.

James "Cool Pappa" Bell - Cienfuegos (1928-1929)

It is almost impossible to put Bell’s baseball talents into words. He could do it all; he hit for average, played outstanding defense, stole bases, played under pressure (that’s how he got his nickname) and was a team leader. James “Cool Pappa” Bell was a "complete" ball player.

Cool Pappa Bell is best remembered for his speed. Besides the numerous stolen base titles he won in every league he played, some of his remarkable achievements on the base paths were:

• Was clocked at circling the bases in 12 seconds
• Would often steal two bases at the same time
• Hit three inside the park homeruns in Cienfuegos Stadium in one year
• Stole 175 bases in 200 games one season
• While playing for the Kansas City Royals in a game against the Bob Lemon All Stars (at the age of 45) scored from first base on a sacrifice bunt.
• Cool was simply the fastest ball player that ever lived.
• According to Satchel Paige, “Bell hit a ball up the middle and the ball hit him while he was sliding into second base.”
• Buck O’Neil probably put it the best “ Cool was so fast that he could switch off the light and be in bed before it was dark.”
• Some of the highlights of Bell’s Hall of Fame career include:
• Seven time selection to the East-West All-Star game
• Negro League lifetime batting average of .376
• Mexican League triple crown in 1940 – .437 B.A., 12 HR and 79 RBI
• Hit .391 in 54 games against Major League clubs
• Numerous stolen bases titles in Negro League, Cuba, Mexico and California
• Induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame (1974)               

James “Cool Pappa” Bell was without any question one of the greatest baseball players of all time.