Cool Papa Bell

Cool Papa Bell
Center fielder
Born: (1903-05-17)May 17, 1903
Starkville, Mississippi, U.S.
Died: March 7, 1991(1991-03-07) (aged 87)
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Batted: Switch
Threw: Left
Negro leagues debut
1922, for the St. Louis Stars
Last appearance
1946, for the Homestead Grays
Negro leagues statistics
Batting average.325
Hits1,548
Home runs57
Runs batted in596
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction1974
Election methodNegro Leagues Committee

James Thomas "Cool Papa" Bell (May 17, 1903 – March 7, 1991) was an American center fielder in Negro league baseball from 1922 to 1946. He is considered to have been one of the fastest men ever to play the game. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. He ranked 66th on a list of the greatest baseball players published by The Sporting News in 1999.