Top 60 All-Time Greatest Blue Jays: #18 George Bell
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George Bell was born October 21, 1959, in
San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic. His brother Juan Bell also made the majors and was a utility infielder for seven seasons for several different teams. He has two other brothers that played professional baseball. George was signed as an amateur free agent by the
Phillies in 1978. The
Blue Jays picked him up in the 1980 rule 5 draft, one of the best Rule 5 pickups ever.
Rule 5 draft pickups have to spend the season on the major league roster or get offered back their original team, so George played with the Jays in the strike-shortened 1981 season. He didn’t do terribly, though he was a little overmatched at the major league level; he got into 60 games and hit .233/.256/.350. Somehow, he got a couple of Rookie of the Year votes. The
and today as he talked face-to- face in an exclusive jailhouse interview with our the juliet goodrich. one is behind bars in santa rita jail his and housing units for there is massive maximum- security we talk today poor, room with glass separating as i first walked into the into the room he had his head down in his arms when look up his eyes were bloodshot and bloodshot we spoke at all looking face-to-face initially he was sorry. ever since the mass killing last monday accused killer juan bell has not talked to anyone publicly about what happens. he agreed to talk to cbs five today during a scheduled jailhouse visits if he was remorseful she said without hesitation i m sorry. but said that word doesn t help. he said families are so angry with me if i tell them sorry it doesn t bring one back. as did tell what happened the did the shooting any told me i only remember parts of that day and is too hard to talk about. he has a public defender and told me quotes i have only t