Books and articles about Gus Bell

David Bell's parents so admired catcher Gus Mancuso they nicknamed their son Gus, but instead of a catcher, he became a power-hitting outfielder. Bell was hitting .400 at Indianapolis when he was called up to the Pirates in 1950, joining Ralph Kiner in the Bucs' outfield. After two strong seasons, he spent part of 1952 back in the minors because of a dispute with the Pirate front office; he had wanted his family to travel with him, including his son Buddy, later an outstanding ML third baseman.

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Traded to Cincinnati, Bell hit a career-high 30 homers in 1953. He had his best years with the Reds (1953-61), four times topping 100 RBI.

In the 1957 All-Star voting, Cincinnati fans sent in so many ballots they succeeded in having seven Reds named to the starting lineup. Commissioner Ford Frick removed Bell and Wally Post as starters, but Manager Walter Alston named Bell to the squad and he doubled in two runs in the seventh.

Selected by the Mets in the expansion draft, he collected the first Met hit, a single on April 11, 1962. (RTM)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » September 13, 1950: Sal Maglie’s string of scoreless innings ends at 45, but he beats the Pirates 3–1 in a rain-shortened seven-inning game. Pirate Gus Bell’s 257-foot fly ball barely clears the RF wall at the Polo Grounds. For Maglie, it is his 11th straight win. » April 21, 1951: 22nd Led by Gus Bell, who belts a homer, three doubles and a single, the Pirates defeat the Reds, 7–5. The second game of the twinbill is postponed because of a sloppy Crosley Field. » June 4, 1951: In Philadelphia, Pirates OF Gus Bell hits for the cycle in a 12–4 win over the Phillies. » August 30, 1951: The Giants move to an 8–1 lead after five inning over the Pirates behind two homers by Willie Mays. But George Spencer wilts in the heat and gives up homers to Frank Thomas—his first in the majors—and pinch hitter Gus Bell. After Pete Castiglione and Bill Rigney match homers, Ralph Kiner powers one in the 9th inning to give Pittsburgh a 10–9 victory. For Kiner, it is his 37th. » May 17, 1953: In the first game of a doubleheader, the Reds outslug the Dodgers, 13–5. In game 2, Carl Erskine of the Dodgers allows only one hit—Gus Bell's 6th-inning bunt single—in a 10–0 victory over the Redlegs. » May 6, 1956: The Reds turn on the power to sweep a pair from the visiting Phillies, winning 10–2 and 12–9. Gus Bell and Ted Kluszewski homer in each game. » May 29, 1956: For the second time in two years, Gus Bell of the Redlegs hits three homers—all consecutive—going 5-for-5 in a 10–4 win over the Cubs at Wrigley. Bell drives in seven runs. Brooks Lawrence coasts to his 6th straight win. » May 30, 1956: Gus Bell, Ted Kluszewski, and Frank Robinson hit consecutive homers for the Reds against the Cards' Vinegar Bend Mizell. The homers do little however, as they come with two outs in the 9th and the Reds trailing, 9–0. » April 21, 1957: Reds' baserunner Don Hoak breaks up a DP by fielding a Wally Post ground ball and flipping it to Braves SS Johnny Logan. The umpire calls Hoak out for interference but Post is given a single on the play. The Braves win 3-1. In yesterday's 5­4 loss to the Braves, baserunner Johnny Temple let Gus Bell's ground ball hit him with the same result; Temple out for interfering and Bell awarded a single. » June 28, 1957: By stuffing the ballot box, Cincinnati fans elect 8 Redlegs as starters in the All-Star Game. Over protests from Reds fans, Commissioner Ford Frick names Stan Musial, Willie Mays, and Hank Aaron to replace Reds Gus Bell, George Crowe, and Wally Post in the starting lineup. In the final vote tally, Musial is the only non-Redleg who would have started. » July 15, 1959: Gus Bell collects two doubles and three singles in the Reds' 11–5 win over the Cardinals in St. Louis. » July 26, 1961: At Milwaukee, the Reds muscle three runs in the 8th inning to beat the Braves, 3–2. Gus Bell rings a pinch homer and Frank Robinson clubs a two-run homer for the Reds. » October 10, 1961: An expansion draft to stock the new National League clubs takes place in Cincinnati. Selecting 1st, Houston takes Giants SS Eddie Bressoud; the Mets take 31-year-old Giant C Hobie Landrith. Second choices are Bob Aspromonte (45s) and Elio Chacon. Other Houston selections include Bobby Shantz, Ken Johnson, Dick Farrell, and Bob Lillis. New York takes Roger Craig, Gil Hodges, Don Zimmer, Gus Bell, Jay Hook, among others. Also, Cards C Chris Cannizzaro, out much of this year due to an appendectomy. » November 28, 1961: The Braves trade slugger Frank Thomas to the Mets for a player named later. The player is Gus Bell and reported $125,000. » May 3, 1995: David Bell makes his ML debut at 3B in the Indians 14–7 win over the Tigers. His appearance makes the Bells -- with his father Buddy Bell and his grandfather Gus Bell -- the second three-generation family in ML history (the Boones are the first). Gus Bell will pass away in four days. » July 20, 2000: The Astros defeat the Reds, 6-2. Cincinnati pinch-hitter Mike Bell strikes out in his major league debut, making history be becoming part of the first third-generation family to play for the same major league team. His grandfather, Gus Bell, and father, Buddy Bell, also played for the Reds.