Ralph Bell
Encyclopedia
Ralph Albert "Lefty" Bell (November 6, 1890 – October 18, 1959) was a professional baseball
pitcher
from 1909 to 1916. He appeared in three Major League Baseball
games for the Chicago White Sox
in 1912. Bell was 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighed 170 pounds.
, in 1890. He started his professional baseball career in 1909. That season, he pitched for two minor league teams and won nine games for each. He was then purchased by the National League
's New York Giants
and went to spring training with them in early 1910, but he was unable to make the team for the regular season. Instead, Bell spent the 1910 season with the Western Association
's Joplin Miners
. In 33 games for Joplin, he went 21-7 and led the league in wins. The Miners finished the season in first place with a record of 90-34 and is considered one of the greatest minor league teams of all-time.
The following season, Bell pitched for the Central Association
's Burlington Pathfinders and won 21 games again. After starting 1912 with a record of 12-8, he was purchased by the Chicago White Sox of the American League
. He made three relief appearances for the White Sox in July and allowed six earned runs in six innings. He then returned to the minors. In 1913, while playing for the Northern League's Winona Pirates, Bell set a career-high in wins, with 28. No other pitcher in the league had more than 20. He played for Winona again in 1914 and won 15. He then joined the Northern League's Fargo-Moorhead Graingrowers, and in 1915 he went 22-13 to lead his league in wins for the third and final time.
Bell's professional baseball career ended after the 1916 season. Overall, he went 156-90 in the minor leagues for a career .634 winning percentage
. Bell died in Burlington, Iowa
, in 1959.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
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...
from 1909 to 1916. He appeared in three Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
games for the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
in 1912. Bell was 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighed 170 pounds.
Career
Bell was born in Kahoka, MissouriKahoka, Missouri
Kahoka is a city in Clark County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,241 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clark County. The city was founded in 1857 and is named for the Cahokia tribe of the Illiniwek or Illinois Confederacy....
, in 1890. He started his professional baseball career in 1909. That season, he pitched for two minor league teams and won nine games for each. He was then purchased by the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
's New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
and went to spring training with them in early 1910, but he was unable to make the team for the regular season. Instead, Bell spent the 1910 season with the Western Association
Western Association
The Western Association was the name of five different leagues in American minor league baseball during the 19th and 20th centuries.The oldest league, originally established as the Northwestern League in 1883, was refounded as the Western Association on October 28, 1887...
's Joplin Miners
Joplin Miners
The Joplin Miners were a baseball team that lasted on and off from 1902 to 1953. They played in Joplin, Missouri. Initially, the team was known as the Colts before changing to Miners during the first season of play....
. In 33 games for Joplin, he went 21-7 and led the league in wins. The Miners finished the season in first place with a record of 90-34 and is considered one of the greatest minor league teams of all-time.
The following season, Bell pitched for the Central Association
Central Association
The Central Association was an American minor league baseball league. It began operations in 1908, and ran continuously through 1917.-1908:The teams from Burlington, Iowa, Jacksonville, Illinois, Keokuk, Iowa, Oskaloosa, Iowa, Ottumwa, Iowa, Quincy, Illinois, and Waterloo, Iowa joined after having...
's Burlington Pathfinders and won 21 games again. After starting 1912 with a record of 12-8, he was purchased by the Chicago White Sox of the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
. He made three relief appearances for the White Sox in July and allowed six earned runs in six innings. He then returned to the minors. In 1913, while playing for the Northern League's Winona Pirates, Bell set a career-high in wins, with 28. No other pitcher in the league had more than 20. He played for Winona again in 1914 and won 15. He then joined the Northern League's Fargo-Moorhead Graingrowers, and in 1915 he went 22-13 to lead his league in wins for the third and final time.
Bell's professional baseball career ended after the 1916 season. Overall, he went 156-90 in the minor leagues for a career .634 winning percentage
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
. Bell died in Burlington, Iowa
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
, in 1959.