Buddy Bell
Born: 8/27/1951 in Pittsburgh, PA, USA
MLB Debut: 1972-04-15 | Final Game: 1989-06-17
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: David Gus Bell
Biography
Buddy Bell was a distinguished Major League Baseball player, born in 1951, whose career spanned from 1972 until his retirement in 1989. A versatile position player, Bell was known for his strong defensive skills and consistent offensive production. Over the course of his career, he played in 2405 games, compiling 2514 hits and achieving a batting average of .279. He demonstrated power at the plate with 201 home runs and contributed significantly to his teams with 1106 RBIs. Additionally, Bell showcased his speed on the bases, recording 55 stolen bases throughout his career.
Bell's contributions to the game were recognized with five All-Star selections, underscoring his status as one of the top players of his era. He played during a time when the game was transitioning towards a more offensive style, yet he maintained a balanced approach that emphasized both hitting for average and driving in runs. His legacy is not only reflected in his impressive statistics but also in his impact on the teams he played for, including the Texas Rangers and the Cleveland Indians. Following his playing career, Buddy Bell transitioned into coaching and management, continuing his influence on the sport long after his time on the field.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2405 | 8995 | 1151 | 2514 | 425 | 56 | 201 | 1106 | 55 | 836 | 776 | 0.279 | 0.341 | 0.406 | 0.747 | 9988.4 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | CLE | AL | 132 | 466 | 49 | 119 | 21 | 1 | 9 | 36 | 5 | 34 | 29 | 0.255 | 72.8 |
| 1973 | CLE | AL | 156 | 631 | 86 | 169 | 23 | 7 | 14 | 59 | 7 | 49 | 47 | 0.268 | 196.4 |
| 1974 | CLE | AL | 116 | 423 | 51 | 111 | 15 | 1 | 7 | 46 | 1 | 35 | 29 | 0.262 | -197.1 |
| 1975 | CLE | AL | 153 | 553 | 66 | 150 | 20 | 4 | 10 | 59 | 6 | 51 | 72 | 0.271 | 90.5 |
| 1976 | CLE | AL | 159 | 604 | 75 | 170 | 26 | 2 | 7 | 60 | 3 | 44 | 49 | 0.281 | 212.0 |
| 1977 | CLE | AL | 129 | 479 | 64 | 140 | 23 | 4 | 11 | 64 | 1 | 45 | 63 | 0.292 | 613.3 |
| 1978 | CLE | AL | 142 | 556 | 71 | 157 | 27 | 8 | 6 | 62 | 1 | 39 | 43 | 0.282 | 200.4 |
| 1979 | TEX | AL | 162 | 670 | 89 | 200 | 42 | 3 | 18 | 101 | 5 | 30 | 45 | 0.299 | 692.2 |
| 1980 | TEX | AL | 129 | 490 | 76 | 161 | 24 | 4 | 17 | 83 | 3 | 40 | 39 | 0.329 | 2177.5 |
| 1981 | TEX | AL | 97 | 360 | 44 | 106 | 16 | 1 | 10 | 64 | 3 | 42 | 30 | 0.294 | 1001.5 |
| 1982 | TEX | AL | 148 | 537 | 62 | 159 | 27 | 2 | 13 | 67 | 5 | 70 | 50 | 0.296 | 1561.9 |
| 1983 | TEX | AL | 156 | 618 | 75 | 171 | 35 | 3 | 14 | 66 | 3 | 50 | 48 | 0.277 | 454.5 |
| 1984 | TEX | AL | 148 | 553 | 88 | 174 | 36 | 5 | 11 | 83 | 2 | 63 | 54 | 0.315 | 2127.0 |
| 1985 | CIN | NL | 67 | 247 | 28 | 54 | 15 | 2 | 6 | 36 | 0 | 34 | 27 | 0.219 | -206.2 |
| 1985 | TEX | AL | 84 | 313 | 33 | 74 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 32 | 3 | 33 | 21 | 0.236 | -206.2 |
| 1986 | CIN | NL | 155 | 568 | 89 | 158 | 29 | 3 | 20 | 75 | 2 | 73 | 49 | 0.278 | 1506.5 |
| 1987 | CIN | NL | 143 | 522 | 74 | 148 | 19 | 2 | 17 | 70 | 4 | 71 | 39 | 0.284 | 905.1 |
| 1988 | CIN | NL | 21 | 54 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0.185 | -292.0 |
| 1988 | HOU | NL | 74 | 269 | 24 | 68 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 37 | 1 | 19 | 29 | 0.253 | -292.0 |
| 1989 | TEX | AL | 34 | 82 | 4 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0.183 | -410.9 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 12 | 10 | 63 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 3B | 2183 | 2161 | 1798 | 4925 | 254 | 430 |
| OF | 136 | 127 | 299 | 10 | 4 | 4 |
| SS | 41 | 17 | 36 | 69 | 2 | 10 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | CLE | 3B | 6 | 5 | 10 | 13 | 0 | 2 |
| 1972 | CLE | OF | 123 | 115 | 274 | 10 | 3 | 4 |
| 1973 | CLE | 3B | 154 | 153 | 144 | 363 | 22 | 44 |
| 1973 | CLE | OF | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974 | CLE | 3B | 115 | 115 | 112 | 274 | 15 | 31 |
| 1975 | CLE | 3B | 153 | 149 | 146 | 330 | 25 | 29 |
| 1976 | CLE | 1B | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | CLE | 3B | 158 | 157 | 104 | 330 | 20 | 23 |
| 1977 | CLE | 3B | 118 | 115 | 111 | 253 | 15 | 23 |
| 1977 | CLE | OF | 11 | 11 | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1978 | CLE | 3B | 139 | 139 | 125 | 355 | 15 | 30 |
| 1979 | TEX | 3B | 147 | 144 | 112 | 364 | 15 | 22 |
| 1979 | TEX | SS | 33 | 17 | 35 | 65 | 2 | 9 |
| 1980 | TEX | 3B | 120 | 120 | 123 | 282 | 8 | 26 |
| 1980 | TEX | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1981 | TEX | 3B | 96 | 96 | 66 | 281 | 14 | 18 |
| 1981 | TEX | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 1982 | TEX | 3B | 145 | 143 | 131 | 396 | 13 | 35 |
| 1982 | TEX | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | TEX | 3B | 154 | 153 | 123 | 383 | 17 | 29 |
| 1984 | TEX | 3B | 147 | 147 | 129 | 323 | 20 | 28 |
| 1985 | CIN | 3B | 67 | 67 | 54 | 105 | 9 | 13 |
| 1985 | TEX | 3B | 83 | 82 | 70 | 192 | 16 | 22 |
| 1986 | CIN | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | CIN | 3B | 151 | 150 | 105 | 290 | 10 | 28 |
| 1987 | CIN | 3B | 142 | 141 | 93 | 241 | 7 | 17 |
| 1988 | CIN | 1B | 2 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1988 | CIN | 3B | 13 | 13 | 6 | 24 | 1 | 2 |
| 1988 | HOU | 1B | 7 | 6 | 43 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 1988 | HOU | 3B | 66 | 65 | 31 | 114 | 12 | 8 |
| 1989 | TEX | 1B | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | TEX | 3B | 9 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 12 |
| Second Base | 1 |
| Third Base | 2183 |
| Shortstop | 41 |
| Left Field | 11 |
| Center Field | 64 |
| Right Field | 66 |
| Designated Hitter | 24 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Lou Gehrig Memorial Award | |
| 1986 | Player of the Week | Week of 1986-08-15 |
| 1984 | Gold Glove | 3B |
| 1984 | Silver Slugger | 3B |
| 1984 | TSN All-Star | 3B |
| 1983 | Gold Glove | 3B |
| 1982 | Gold Glove | 3B |
| 1981 | Gold Glove | 3B |
| 1981 | TSN All-Star | 3B |
| 1980 | Gold Glove | 3B |
| 1980 | Player of the Week | Week of 1980-07-11 |
| 1980 | Player of the Week | Week of 1980-06-27 |
| 1979 | Gold Glove | 3B |
| 1979 | Player of the Week | Week of 1979-06-15 |
| 1977 | Player of the Week | Week of 1977-05-21 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | CIN | NL | $790,909 |
| 1987 | CIN | NL | $870,000 |
| 1986 | CIN | NL | $870,000 |
| 1985 | CIN | NL | $751,297 |
| Total Career Earnings | $3,282,206 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 22th | 4.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1982 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 30th | 3.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1981 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 17th | 7.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1980 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 18th | 7.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1979 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 10th | 48.0 | 392 | 0 |