"Cool Papa" Bell was a loyal gentleman known for dignity, humility, and generosity, dearly loved and respected as a scholar and philosopher of baseball. Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974, he had a professional baseball career from 1922 to 1950 in the Negro Major League, beginning with the St. Louis Stars before the integration of baseball. He endured overwhelming injustices, played, managed, coached, and scouted, and paved the way for black baseball players to compete in today's game by discovering, developing, and helping many players go into the white league. Regarded as the greatest center-fielder in baseball, he was a speedster, champion base-stealer, switch-hitter, and bunting specialist with a lifetime batting average of .419. He was clocked circling the bases in 11 seconds, and his record was still unbroken when he died. Traveling continuously across the U.S.A., Canada, and Latin America, he captivated millions while playing professional baseball for 29 summers and 21 winters. Refusing to let racism or segregation discourage him, "Cool Papa" became a genuine treasure, honored worldwide and remembered as a universal legend.