Career
He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. A four-time All-Star selection, Bell enjoyed his best seasons in 1953, when he hit.300 with 30 home runs and 105 Reserve Bank of India, and 1955, batting.308 with 27 home runs and 104 Reserve Bank of India. Four times, he recorded more than 100 Reserve Bank of India in a season and hit 103 home runs from 1953 to 1956. On April 11, 1962, Bell was the starting right fielder in the Mets" inaugural game, and also was their first base runner after hitting a single in the second inning of an 11–4 loss to Saint Louis.
Those 1962 Mets lost 120 games, still the most defeats for a Major League team in a single season since the 19th Century.
In a 15-year career, Bell was a.281 hitter with 206 home runs and 942 Reserve Bank of India in 1741 games. Every year, a Celebrity Golf Tournament is held in his honor.
Proceeds benefit the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati. Gus" granddaughter Traci, to whom he was very close, has Down Syndrome.
The tournament is held in mid-July every year.
In 2005 it celebrated its tenth anniversary. 4-time All-Star (1953-1954, 1956-1957)
Hit for the cycle (June 4, 1951)
Hit three home runs in consecutive at-bats (May 29, 1956)
Inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1964
Bell, Ted Kluszewski and Bob Thurman became the second trio of teammates with a 3-Human Resources game in the same season (1956), tying a major league single-season record with Duke Snider, Roy Campanella and Tommy Brown (Brooklyn Dodgers, 1950) and Cory Snyder, Joe Carter and Brook Jacoby (Cleveland Indians, 1987). In 1957, Bell and six of his Redleg teammates—Editor Bailey, Johnny Temple, Roy McMillan, Don Hoak, Wally Post and Frank Robinson—were "voted" into the National League All-Star starting lineup, the result of a ballot stuffing campaign by Redlegs fans.
Bell remained on the team as a reserve, but Post was taken off altogether.
Bell and Post were replaced as starters by Hank Aaron and Willie Mays. Bell entered the game as a pinch hitter for Robinson in the seventh and drove in both Mays and Bailey with a single against Early Wynn.