1. Bobby Bell is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame, the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, and was a member of the Chiefs' team that won Super Bowl IV against the Minnesota Vikings.
37 Facts About Bobby Bell
1. 2.
Bobby Bell had a scar on his head from this incident the rest of his life.
3.
Bobby Bell excelled in several sports at a then-segregated Cleveland High School in Shelby, where he was coached by John Weston in football.
4.
Bobby Bell was scouted by the Chicago White Sox for baseball at 16 years old, but his father wanted him to finish school.
5.
Bobby Bell would receive All-State honors in football at both halfback and quarterback.
6.
Bobby Bell was originally a quarterback, but Warmath switched him to the defensive line.
7.
Bobby Bell was a two-time first team All-American and the winner of the 1962 Outland Trophy, which is given to the nation's most outstanding interior lineman.
8.
In 1991, Bobby Bell was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
9.
Bobby Bell was offered the key to the city of Shelby in 1962, after all his success, but asked instead if he could walk into the front door of the ice cream parlor across the street to get an ice-cream cone.
10.
Bobby Bell joined Minnesota's basketball team as a walk-on, becoming its first black player.
11.
Bobby Bell joined Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, via the Mu Chapter, while at the University of Minnesota.
12.
Bobby Bell left Minnesota 13 credits short of a degree, to play for the Chiefs.
13.
Bobby Bell graduated on May 14,2015, some 50 years after leaving college to play professional football.
14.
Bobby Bell did it to honor his father, who believed that blacks could compete equally with whites in sports and education if given a chance.
15.
Bobby Bell wore that watch 55 years later during his graduation ceremony.
16.
Bobby Bell was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL in the second round, and in the seventh round of the AFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.
17.
Bobby Bell surprisingly chose to join the Chiefs, where he would go on to play for 12 years, first in the American Football League from 1963 through 1969, and then in the NFL from 1970 through 1974.
18.
In 1964, Bobby Bell was All AFL as a defensive end, but in 1965, future Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Hank Stram moved Bobby Bell to outside linebacker.
19.
Bobby Bell was then All AFL or All NFL as a linebacker every year from 1965 to 1971.
20.
Bobby Bell was an AFL All-Star for six consecutive years, 1964 through 1969, and then an NFL Pro Bowler for four straight years.
21.
Bobby Bell was AFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1969.
22.
Bobby Bell never missed a regular season game, playing in 168 during his professional career.
23.
Bobby Bell was the one of the first black outside linebackers in professional football.
24.
Bobby Bell was on two AFL Championship teams and a World Championship team, losing Super Bowl I and winning Super Bowl IV.
25.
Bobby Bell was named to the first team All-Time All-AFL Team in 1970, along with teammates Jerry Mays, future hall of famer Johnny Robinson, Fred Arbanas, Ed Budde, Jim Tyrer, Paul Lowe and Jerrel Wilson on the first team, and future hall of famers Buck Buchanan and Len Dawson on the second team.
26.
Bobby Bell was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1980, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983, the first Chief to receive that honor.
27.
Bobby Bell was number 74 on the Athletics 2021 list of the best 100 football players of all time.
28.
Bobby Bell played alongside hall of fame middle linebacker Willie Lanier, and was part of one of the all-time linebacker trios with Lanier and Jim Lynch.
29.
Bobby Bell was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1995, and named one of its Legends in 2006.
30.
Jets quarterback Joe Namath was stunned Bobby Bell was in coverage and said it would have otherwise been a touchdown and Jets victory.
31.
Bobby Bell was possibly the most physically gifted linebacker in professional football history, for his speed at such a size made him ideal at outside linebacker.
32.
Bobby Bell was noted as one of the finest open-field tacklers in professional football history.
33.
Bobby Bell has been called the first great "size and speed" linebacker and the "prototype speed linebacker".
34.
Bobby Bell had been a lineman, but was moved to outside linebacker for his speed to combat the Oakland Raiders' use of running back Clem Daniels as a pass receiver out of the backfield.
35.
Bobby Bell was a great blitzer from the linebacker position.
36.
Chiefs records show Bobby Bell had 40 career quarterback sacks and he might have had more if he had played right linebacker, not the left linebacker.
37.
Bobby Bell scored 9 touchdowns in his career: 6 off interceptions, 2 more touchdowns off fumble recoveries, and one off an onside kickoff return.