William Bell (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids William Bell |
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Bell at the 1924 Colored World Series.
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| Pitcher / Manager | |||
| Born: August 31, 1897 Galveston, Texas |
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| Died: March 16, 1969 El Campo, Texas |
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| debut | |||
| 1923, for the Kansas City Monarchs | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| 1948, for the Newark Eagles | |||
| Career statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 124–48 | ||
| Winning percentage | .721 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As manager
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
| .721 career winning percentage, highest in Negro league history | |||
William Bell (born August 31, 1897 – died March 16, 1969) was a talented American baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher and a manager in the Negro Leagues.
Bell was born in Galveston, Texas. He played for the Kansas City Monarchs for the first eight years of his career. He was known for being a quiet and well-liked player.
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Pitching Career Highlights
William Bell was a very good pitcher. He was known for pitching "complete games." This means he would pitch the entire game by himself. He finished 74% of the games he started.
Early Years with the Monarchs
In 1924, Bell had a great season with the Kansas City Monarchs. He won 10 games and only lost 2. His ERA was 2.63, which is very good for a pitcher.
The next year, Bell continued to play well. He won 9 games and lost 3 in the regular season. He also pitched in the World Series, where his ERA was an amazing 1.13.
Continued Success
Bell had an even better year in 1926. He won 16 games and lost only 3. In 1927, his record was 13 wins and 6 losses. The following year, 1928, he had 10 wins and 7 losses.
During the winter of 1928-1929, Bell played baseball in Cuba. He was one of the best pitchers in the Cuban League, tying for the most wins with nine.
Moving Teams
After his time in Cuba, Bell returned to the Monarchs. He had a strong season with 14 wins and 4 losses. The next year, he won 9 games and lost 3.
In 1932, Bell joined the Detroit Wolves. Later that year, he signed with the Pittsburgh Crawfords. He had a fantastic season, winning 16 games and losing only 4.
Managerial Role
William Bell later became a manager in baseball. He moved to the Newark Dodgers. When the Dodgers team joined with the Brooklyn Eagles, they formed the Newark Eagles. Bell became the manager for the Eagles in 1936 and 1937. He managed the Eagles again in 1948, which was his last season in baseball.
Legacy and Later Life
Baseball experts have looked at William Bell's career. One historian, Dick Clark, thought Bell would have won about 18 games and lost 7 each season if he had played in the Major Leagues. The Major Leagues played longer seasons with 154 games.
William Bell passed away at the age of 71 in El Campo, Texas. He is remembered as one of the great pitchers of the Negro Leagues.
