Baseball roots; Canton-Akron's David Bell keeps family tradition
going
by Bill Nichols
Canton-Akron Indians infielder David Bell made a hit with his family yesterday.
Bell played second base and had a single as the Indians defeated New Britain, 4-2, for their third straight victory to start the 1993 season. Among the 1,266 fans on hand were Bell's father, Buddy Bell, and his grandfather, Gus Bell, both former major-league standouts.
"I've never really gotten away from baseball," said Gus Bell. "First, I was following Buddy's career and now I'm watching Daivd. It keeps me occupied and I never get a chance to miss the game.
"David has a few of Buddy's similarities. Their temperment is about the same. Both are pretty good kids."
Gus Bell was an outstanding outfielder in the National League and had his best years with the Cincinnati Reds. Buddy Bell is director of minor league operations for the Cincinnati Reds. Buddy Bell is director of minor league operations for the Chicago White Sox and former star third basemen with the Indians, Texas Rangers, and Cincinnati Reds. David is with Canton-Akron. His brother Michael is a senior at Cincinnati Moeller High School and a key player on his school's baseball team.
"I'm letting David grow up on his own," said his father. "I don't really get into instructing him unless he asks. Brian Graham (Canton-Akron manager) is a heckuva instructor.
"I think at 20 years old, David has made a big step playing in Double-A. I think his physical maturity has come on.
"David has played baseball all his life. I enjoy watching him. He just likes playing the game.
"I was lucky. When I came up in the Indians organization there weren't any players. It's tougher now. The Indians have a solid organization and minor-league system."
David remembers running around Municipal Stadium when his father palyed with the Cleveland Indians, but he remembers better all the years when Buddy Bell played for the Texas Rangers. And David, like his Dad and Granddad, wears No. 25.
"Dad was my idol," said David, who is the youngest player in the Eastern League. "He has let me become my own player. I'm grateful for that. Dad was a great player and whatever I picked up from him is a plus. I never saw Granddad play. I'm sure I have picked up some tendancies from my Dad and Granddad.
"When my Dad retired I finally realized how lucky I was growing up as his son and how special it was what he did for living. We missed out on a lot because he was gone quite a bit, but he made up for it when he was home. My Dad was the type of guy where the family was what was important, then baseball."
David Bell was the Indians' seventh pick in the June, 1990 draft. He played 42 games that year at Burlington and with the Gulf Coast Indians in the lower Class A leagues. In 1991 he played with Columbus of the South Atlantic League and batted .230. Last year he was at Kinston, hit .252 and led the league's third basemen in games (136), total chances (389) and assists (268).
"Playing at Double-A is better than Single-A, but I want to make the big leagues," said David.
This article originally appeared in the Cleveland Plain Dealer
April 12, 1993
Reproduced by permission.