Willie El Diablo Wells

Willie “El Diablo” Wells (1924-1954)

Willie James Wells was born in Austin, Texas in 1905. He was a star athlete in both baseball and basketball at Anderson High School in Austin. Wells started playing professional baseball at the age of 17 with the Austin Black Senators of the Texas Negro League in 1922. He played in the Texas Negro League from 1922 to 1923 with the Austin Black Senators and San Antonio Black Aces before he signed with St. Louis Stars of the Negro National League in 1924. Wells’ career in the Negro Leagues as a player and manager would span four decades.

Willie Wells (1922-1954)

Willie Wells was one of the greatest shortstops in Negro League baseball history. He was a player who could truly do it all: he could hit for power, hit for average and fielded his defensive position at shortstop brilliantly. Over his Negro League career, Willie Wells played for the following teams:

Austin Black Senators                  (1922-1923)               Newark Eagles                       (1936-1939, 1942 & 1945)

San Antonio Black Aces               (1923)                        Memphis Red Sox                  (1944 and 1948-1949)

St. Louis Stars                                (1924-1931)               Chicago American Giants     (1944)

Detroit Wolves                               (1932)                        New York Black Yankees      (1945-1946)

Homestead Grays                         (1932)                        Baltimore Elite Giants           (1946)

Cole’s American Giants                (1932-1935)               Indianapolis Clowns              (1947)

Kansas City Monarchs                  (1934)                        Birmingham Black Barons     (1954) (Manager)


Wells also played baseball in Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Canada and the California Winter League. In eight seasons in the California Winter League, Wells batted for .301 with 11 homeruns. Wells also barnstormed with various Negro League all-star teams following the regular season. Some of the barnstorming teams that Willie played with were: Chicago American Giants, Kansas City Monarchs, Cole’s American Giants, American All-Stars and Satchel Paige’s All-Stars. 


Some of the highlights of Willie Wells' Negro League career include:

  • Negro National League Batting Titles in 1929 (.368) and 1930 (.404)
  • Negro National League Homerun Titles in 1927 (23), 1929 (27) & 1930 (14)
  • Selected eight (8) times to Negro League All-star team
  • Selected to the Cum Posey All American Dream Team 
  • Career batting average of .363 in Negro League play 
  • Career batting average of .392 in games against Major League All-Stars
  • Selected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame (Cooperstown) in 1997


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