Museum object · Memorabilia and Ephemera - Other
Postcard of James "Cool Papa" Bell Baseball Hall of Fame plaque
1974
Cooperstown, Otsego County, New York, United States, North and Central America
Source catalog description
This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.
Postcard featuring a photograph of a brass plaque on a yellow background. Handwritten in black ink at the top of the card is "James 'Cool Papa' Bell." The plaque has a depiction of Bell in a baseball uniform. Under the portrait is the text, "JAMES THOMAS BELL / "COOL PAPA" / NEGRO LEAGUES 1922 - 1950." The back of the postcard is unused. Preprinted green text at the top reads: [National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum / Cooperstown, New York / plaque of / James T. (Cool Papa) Bell / Elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame 1974 / Baseball Hall of Fame Committee on Negro Baseball Leagues] next to that text at the top is stamp box. Below the stamp box additional green text reads: [Post Card]. There are also two pieces of tape on the far right edge of the back of the postcard.
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Sources & collection details
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗
Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13
Catalog reference: 2012.172.21.3
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