"C" is for Cool Papa Bell

The ABC's of February. "C" is for Cool Papa Bell. James "Cool Papa" Bell played havoc on opposing pitchers and catchers in the Negro Leagues during the 1920s and '30s, using his "fastest ever" tag to steal bases seemingly at will. (Bell is still considered by many baseball observers to have been one of the fastest men ever to play the game.) One story often heard, as told by the great Satchel Paige, was that Bell could "turn off the light and be in bed before it got dark. Bell was recorded by a stopwatch at having rounded the bases in 13.3 seconds, but, Bell claimed, he could do it in 12 seconds if the conditions were right. #blackhistorymonth #bhm #onepointfivedays