Bobby Bell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bobby Bell

Bell in 2014
No. 78
Position:	Linebacker Defensive end
Personal information
Born:	(1940-06-17) June 17, 1940 (age 85) Shelby, North Carolina, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:	228 lb (103 kg)
Career information
High school:	Cleveland (Shelby, North Carolina)
College:	Minnesota (1960–1962)
NFL Draft:	1963 / Round: 2 / Pick: 16
AFL draft:	1963 / Round: 7 / Pick: 56
Career history
Kansas City Chiefs (1963–1974)
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (IV) AFL champion (1966) First-team All-Pro (1970) 5× First-team All-AFL (1965–1969) Second-team All-Pro (1971) Second-team All-AFL (1964) 3× Pro Bowl (1970–1972) 6× AFL All-Star (1964–1969) NFL 1970s All-Decade Team NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team AFL All-Time Team Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame Kansas City Chiefs No. 78 retired National champion (1960) Outland Trophy (1962) UPI Lineman of the Year (1962) Unanimous All-American (1962) First-team All-American (1961) 2× First-team All-Big Ten (1961, 1962) Minnesota Golden Gophers Jersey No. 78 retired North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame
Career AFL/NFL statistics
Sacks: 40 Interceptions: 26 Interception yards: 479 Fumble recoveries: 9 Defensive touchdowns: 8
Player stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame

Bobby Lee Bell Sr. (born June 17, 1940) is a famous American former football player. He played as a linebacker and defensive end for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was part of the Chiefs team that won Super Bowl IV. Bobby Bell is recognized as one of the greatest football players ever. He is in both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame.

Bobby Bell's Early Life

Bobby Bell was born in Shelby, North Carolina, on June 17, 1940. At that time, Shelby was a segregated city. This meant that Black and white people were kept separate. When Bobby was six, his family's home caught fire. His brave mother, Zannie Lee Bell, saved him from the burning house. Bobby had a scar on his head from this incident. His father, Pink Lee Bell, worked at a textile mill.

Bobby was a talented athlete at Cleveland High School in Shelby. This school was also segregated. He played six-man football as a halfback for two years. Then, his school switched to 11-man football. Bobby became the quarterback and earned All-State honors. At 16, the Chicago White Sox even wanted him to play baseball! But his father wanted him to finish school first.

College Football Career

Coach Jim Tatum from the University of North Carolina wanted Bobby to play football. However, the school was segregated and did not accept Black students. So, Tatum suggested Bobby to Coach Murray Warmath at the University of Minnesota. Warmath was already recruiting Black players. At Minnesota, Bobby experienced sharing classrooms and dining tables with white students for the first time.

Bobby started as a quarterback but was moved to the defensive line. He also played offensive tackle and center. His coach said Bobby would have been great at any position. He was most valuable as a tackle. Bobby was named a first-team All-American twice (1961 and 1962). He won the 1962 Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in the nation. He also finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting.

With Bobby Bell, the Gophers had an amazing record of 22 wins, 6 losses, and 1 tie. They won the National Championship in 1960. They also played in the 1961 Rose Bowl and won the 1962 Rose Bowl. In 1991, Bobby was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

In 1962, after all his success, Bobby was offered the key to the city of Shelby. But he asked if he could just walk into the front door of the local ice cream parlor. Shelby was still segregated, and he was refused service. This shows how segregation affected even famous athletes.

Bobby also joined Minnesota's basketball team. He became the first Black player on the team. He left college 13 credits short of his degree to play professional football. But at age 74, he went back and finished his degree! He graduated on May 14, 2015, to honor his father. His father believed Black people could compete equally in sports and education.

Professional Football Career

Bobby Bell was drafted by two different football leagues in 1963. The Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL) drafted him. The Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League (AFL) also drafted him. He chose to play for the Chiefs. He played for them for 12 years. First, he played in the AFL (1963-1969). Then, he played in the NFL (1970-1974) after the leagues merged.

Bobby met with Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt and got a special contract. It was a "no-cut guaranteed contract," meaning he wouldn't be cut from the team. This was better than what the Vikings offered.

In 1964, Bobby was an All-AFL defensive end. But in 1965, Coach Hank Stram moved him to outside linebacker. This was a great move! Bobby was named All-AFL or All-NFL as a linebacker every year from 1965 to 1971. He was an AFL All-Star for six years in a row. Then, he was an NFL Pro Bowler for four straight years. In 1969, he was named AFL Defensive Player of the Year. Bobby Bell never missed a single regular season game in his career.

Bobby Bell was one of the first Black outside linebackers in professional football. In 1965, the AFL All-Star game had to be moved from New Orleans to Houston. This was because Black and white players were not allowed to eat together in New Orleans.

He played on two AFL Championship teams (1966 and 1969). He also played in two Super Bowls. The Chiefs lost Super Bowl I but won Super Bowl IV. He was named to the All-Time All-AFL Team in 1970. He was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1980. In 1983, he became the first Chief to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was also chosen for the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

The Chiefs retired his uniform number 78. This means no other player on the Chiefs will ever wear that number. Seven players from the Chiefs' Super Bowl IV team are in the Hall of Fame. Bobby Bell played alongside Willie Lanier, who became a lifelong friend. They formed one of the best linebacker trios ever with Jim Lynch.

One of Bobby's most famous plays was in the 1969 AFL playoff game against the New York Jets. He made a key play on the goal line, stopping the Jets from scoring a touchdown. This helped the Chiefs win 13-6. This win led them to their Super Bowl triumph. In another game, he recovered an onside kick and ran it back 53 yards for a touchdown!

Bobby Bell was known for his amazing athleticism. He was 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighed around 220-230 pounds. He was incredibly fast for his size. Some people think he was the greatest all-around athlete to play football. He was also a great blitzer from the linebacker position. Bobby scored 9 touchdowns in his career. Six were from interceptions, two from fumble recoveries, and one from an onside kickoff return. His coach, Hank Stram, said Bobby could play any of the 22 positions on the field and play them well! He was also a great long snapper for the Chiefs.

Bobby Bell's Stats

Regular Season Stats

Postseason Stats

Life After Football

After retiring from football, Bobby Bell opened his own restaurant. It was called Bobby Bell's Bar-b-que in Kansas City, Missouri. He ran it for almost 30 years. He also spent many years as a motivational speaker.

In 2016, Bobby Bell was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame. This ceremony took place on January 1, 2017.

His hometown of Shelby, North Carolina, has honored him in many ways. There is a historical marker about him. On August 28, 2021, Shelby celebrated "Bobby Bell Day." They unveiled a sign for Bobby Bell Boulevard. They also dedicated a mural with his images. The City Pavilion was renamed the Bobby Bell Pavilion.

The Bobby Bell Award is given every year in the Kansas City area. It honors a high school defensive lineman or linebacker.

Images for kids

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  Bobby Bell in 2014

See also

• List of American Football League players