Pre-War Players Who Were Incredible Athletes - Non-HOFers

robw1959 · #1 07-18-2024, 12:58 AM

Cool Papa Bell was clocked at ten seconds flat while running the bases from home plate all the way around to home plate again. Of Bell's speed, Satchel Paige famously said, "That man was so fast, he could turn out the lights and be in his bed before the room got dark!"

Huysmans · #2 07-18-2024, 08:18 AM

Speaking of speed, when the Mick first attended spring training with the Yankees in 1951, it was stated that "Mantle was the fastest thing on cleats that anyone could remember seeing". The first time Stengel saw Mantle running windsprints with other players at his rookie camp, he couldn't believe his eyes. He had them run again, and then put Mantle against everyone in camp. "My God," Stengel said. "The boy runs faster than Cobb."

Stengel also stated, "This kid ain't logical, he's too good. It's very confusing."

Taken from an online article.

Aquarian Sports Cards · #3 07-18-2024, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robw1959

Cool Papa Bell was clocked at ten seconds flat while running the bases from home plate all the way around to home plate again. Of Bell's speed, Satchel Paige famously said, "That man was so fast, he could turn out the lights and be in his bed before the room got dark!"

I call BS since that is over 3 seconds faster than the stated record.

Basically you're saying that Bell could run 360 feet from a standing start around corners in the same time Usain Bolt could run 328 feet out of blocks in a straight line.

jakebeckleyoldeagleeye · #4 07-18-2024, 11:10 AM

Paddy Driscoll played a few games with the Cubs and is also in the PFHOF.

packs · #5 07-18-2024, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I call BS since that is over 3 seconds faster than the stated record.

Basically you're saying that Bell could run 360 feet from a standing start around corners in the same time Usain Bolt could run 328 feet out of blocks in a straight line.

In The Glory of Their Times Hans Lobert claims he was asked to race a horse around the bases and led the entire way until the rider got into his path and he had to slow down or else be run over.

Who knows.

z28jd · #6 07-18-2024, 03:04 PM

When I wrote a biography about Dots Miller, I saw a lot of local praise calling him a superstar soccer player. He owned a bowling alley and was consistently the best one there (better than my great-grandfather according to the scores!). He won plenty of tournaments during the baseball off-season. He also won a fishing tournament if that helps his case. The Pirates played some basketball during the very early parts of one Spring Training and he was singled out for his play. That was besides being called the best utility player by multiple sources for his ability to play anywhere and excel in all aspects of the game.

Aquarian Sports Cards · #7 07-21-2024, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by packs

In The Glory of Their Times Hans Lobert claims he was asked to race a horse around the bases and led the entire way until the rider got into his path and he had to slow down or else be run over.

Who knows.

Horse can't corner those 90 degree corners. If you had to stay in the base paths I could probably beat a formula one car, that doesn't make me faster.

Also your statement makes no sense, if he was in the lead how could the rider get into his path???

benchod · #8 07-21-2024, 03:53 PM

This man was an incredible athlete and underappreciated in the US
Played baseball for the Toronto team that won the International league in 1926
Played football for the Toronto Argonauts and won the Grey Cup
He won two Stanley Cups in the NHL playing for the Blackhawks and Montreal Maroons
He won wrestling ,boxing, and lacrosse championships
Member of the NHL Hockey Hall of fame, Canadian football HOF, and Canadian lacrosse HOF

robw1959 · #9 07-21-2024, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

Horse can't corner those 90 degree corners. If you had to stay in the base paths I could probably beat a formula one car, that doesn't make me faster.

Also your statement makes no sense, if he was in the lead how could the rider get into his path???

It's a good point, but if it happened, it happened. I believe both accounts - both those of Hans Lobart and the guy who timed Cool Papa Bell at 10 seconds flat. Cornering is a skill.

z28jd · #10 07-21-2024, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robw1959

It's a good point, but if it happened, it happened. I believe both accounts - both those of Hans Lobart and the guy who timed Cool Papa Bell at 10 seconds flat. Cornering is a skill.

I think the problem here is that Bell claimed he did 12 seconds flat, not ten. Ten is impossible for a human rounding the bases. His fastest time that was actually timed/recorded was 13.60 seconds.

As for the lights story, that is actually true, but it came with an asterisk. He was at a hotel that had a three-second delay on the light, so he was literally able to get in bed before the room got dark. Bell told that story in his later years, saying that Satchel Paige wasn't lying.

Aquarian Sports Cards · #11 07-21-2024, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by z28jd

I think the problem here is that Bell claimed he did 12 seconds flat, not ten. Ten is impossible for a human rounding the bases. His fastest time that was actually timed/recorded was 13.60 seconds.

As for the lights story, that is actually true, but it came with an asterisk. He was at a hotel that had a three-second delay on the light, so he was literally able to get in bed before the room got dark. Bell told that story in his later years, saying that Satchel Paige wasn't lying.

Hell, 10 is impossible for a human in a straight line.

It's funny in this group you have people who want to argue that the old guys were super-human and others who want to argue that Babe Ruth wouldn't crack a lineup today and Walter Johnson threw 80 MPH. It's amazing.

packs · #12 07-22-2024, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

Horse can't corner those 90 degree corners. If you had to stay in the base paths I could probably beat a formula one car, that doesn't make me faster.

Also your statement makes no sense, if he was in the lead how could the rider get into his path???

I relayed a story from Hans Lobert, not my own story. If you're running and a horse is next to you and wants your space, aren't you going to slow down and let them take the lead? The alternative is being run over.

Aquarian Sports Cards · #13 07-23-2024, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by packs

I relayed a story from Hans Lobert, not my own story. If you're running and a horse is next to you and wants your space, aren't you going to slow down and let them take the lead? The alternative is being run over.

If the horse is next to you, you're not in the lead.

z28jd · #14 07-23-2024, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

If the horse is next to you, you're not in the lead.

Lobert's version of the story is that he was in the lead rounding second base and the horse cut the base inside the bag and went into his path briefly, then passed him about five feet before the finish line to win by a nose. So it seems true that he was winning and the horse interfered (at second base), then they were tied at third base, before the horse won the race from third-home.

robw1959 · #15 07-21-2024, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

I call BS since that is over 3 seconds faster than the stated record.

Basically you're saying that Bell could run 360 feet from a standing start around corners in the same time Usain Bolt could run 328 feet out of blocks in a straight line.

Funny you say that, because I have a track and field buddy who said the exact same thing. But I don't doubt the account at all. For example, Jorge Mateo of the Baltimore Orioles has been clocked in his career at over 33 feet per second. So all Cool Papa Bell had to do was be about 10% faster than Mateo, or at about 36 feet per second. Because the diamond is 360 feet around its perimeter, a 36 feet per second rate would bring him all the way home in ten seconds.

Aquarian Sports Cards · #16 07-21-2024, 03:09 PM

33 feet per second in a straight line. you seen to ignore how much a 90 degree turn slows you down. Also a 10% difference over that short a difference is monumental.

10% in the 100m at the olympics would be a full second faster than the competition in a race that's often decided by tenths or even hundredths of a second. In short, listen to your friend.

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