Gary Bell

Who is Gary Bell?

Wilbur Gary Bell, nicknamed "Ding Dong", is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1958-1969 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the Cleveland Indians. During a 12-year baseball career, Bell compiled 121 wins, 1,378 strikeouts, and an 3.68 earned run average.

In his first two years, Bell compiled a 28-21 record as part of the Cleveland pitching rotation. In 1960, his record was 5-1 after the first month of play, but shoulder problems developed, causing him to win just four of his last 13 decisions. In late August, he was sent home for the remainder of the season to deal with the malady. The following year, Bell got off to a slow start with an 0-4 record and finished with a 12-16 mark. Physical problems as well as issues with pitch control were tabbed as the main reasons for his continued struggles.

In 1962, he was converted into a reliever, helping the Indians by picking up over 10 saves in 1962 and 1966. Bell picked up a 2.95 ERA in the 1963 season in 58 appearances. He went 8-5 that year, a solid year with an Indians team that finished under .500.