William Bell (baseball player)
Encyclopedia
William W. Bell, Sr. was an American
right-handed pitcher
and manager
in baseball
's Negro Leagues
.
Born in Galveston, Texas
, Bell played for the Kansas City Monarchs
for the first eight seasons of his career. Often overshadowed by star teammates such as "Bullet" Joe Rogan
and José Méndez
, Bell was described as quiet and well-liked, known for pitching complete games. (Bell completed 74 percent of the games he started.) Bell had a 10-2 record for the 1924 Kansas City Monarchs
, compiling a 2.63 ERA
. The following year, Bell went 9-3 in the regular season, pitching 2 games in the World Series to a 1.13 ERA. Bell recorded a 16-3 record the next year, followed by a 13-6 record in 1927 and a 10-7 record in 1928. Bell spent the 1928-1929 winter with Havana in the Cuban League, where he was tied for the league lead in wins with nine. Bell then returned to the United States and pitched to a 14-4 record with the Monarchs, followed by a 9-3 record the next year. Bell joined the Detroit Wolves in 1932 after the demise of the Negro National League. He then signed with the Pittsburgh Crawfords, where he compiled a 16-4 record for the 1932 season. Bell then moved to the Newark Dodgers, and when the Dodgers were merged with the Brooklyn Eagles to form the Newark Eagles, he became the Eagles' manager in 1936-1937. Bell's last season in baseball was as Eagles manager in 1948.
Baseball historian Dick Clark estimated that Bell would have averaged an 18-7 record had he played the 154-game schedule that was used in the Major Leagues at the time. He died at age 71 in El Campo, Texas
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
right-handed pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
's Negro Leagues
Negro league baseball
The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams predominantly made up of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relatively successful leagues beginning in...
.
Born in Galveston, Texas
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
, Bell played for the Kansas City Monarchs
Kansas City Monarchs
The Kansas City Monarchs were the longest-running franchise in the history of baseball's Negro Leagues. Operating in Kansas City, Missouri and owned by J.L. Wilkinson, they were charter members of the Negro National League from 1920 to 1930. J.L. Wilkinson was the first Caucasian owner at the time...
for the first eight seasons of his career. Often overshadowed by star teammates such as "Bullet" Joe Rogan
Bullet Rogan
Charles Wilber "Bullet" Rogan, also known as "Bullet Joe" , was an American pitcher and outfielder for the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro baseball leagues from 1920 to 1938...
and José Méndez
José Méndez
José de la Caridad Méndez was a Cuban right-handed pitcher and manager in baseball's Negro Leagues. Born in Cárdenas, Matanzas, he died at age 41 in Havana. Known in Cuba as El Diamante Negro , he became a legend in his homeland. He was one of the first group of players elected to the Cuban...
, Bell was described as quiet and well-liked, known for pitching complete games. (Bell completed 74 percent of the games he started.) Bell had a 10-2 record for the 1924 Kansas City Monarchs
Kansas City Monarchs
The Kansas City Monarchs were the longest-running franchise in the history of baseball's Negro Leagues. Operating in Kansas City, Missouri and owned by J.L. Wilkinson, they were charter members of the Negro National League from 1920 to 1930. J.L. Wilkinson was the first Caucasian owner at the time...
, compiling a 2.63 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
. The following year, Bell went 9-3 in the regular season, pitching 2 games in the World Series to a 1.13 ERA. Bell recorded a 16-3 record the next year, followed by a 13-6 record in 1927 and a 10-7 record in 1928. Bell spent the 1928-1929 winter with Havana in the Cuban League, where he was tied for the league lead in wins with nine. Bell then returned to the United States and pitched to a 14-4 record with the Monarchs, followed by a 9-3 record the next year. Bell joined the Detroit Wolves in 1932 after the demise of the Negro National League. He then signed with the Pittsburgh Crawfords, where he compiled a 16-4 record for the 1932 season. Bell then moved to the Newark Dodgers, and when the Dodgers were merged with the Brooklyn Eagles to form the Newark Eagles, he became the Eagles' manager in 1936-1937. Bell's last season in baseball was as Eagles manager in 1948.
Baseball historian Dick Clark estimated that Bell would have averaged an 18-7 record had he played the 154-game schedule that was used in the Major Leagues at the time. He died at age 71 in El Campo, Texas
El Campo, Texas
El Campo is a city in Wharton County, Texas, United States. The population was 10,945 at the 2000 census, making it the largest city in Wharton County.-Geography:...
.