Starkville native, Cool Papa Bell, remembered with statue

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – This is the beginning of a larger-than-life statue of a larger-than-life legend.

Baseball Hall of Famer Cool Papa Bell will be remembered in bronze at the new Cornerstone Park in Starkville.

Sculptor Gareth Curtiss is commissioned to make the sculpture.

Curtiss has been in Starkville working on possible designs.

The Starkville native was born James Thomas Bell. His nickname came as a center fielder in Negro league baseball from 1922 to 1946.

He is considered to have been one of the fastest men ever to play the game.

Curtiss plans to have the statue ready for the opening of the park.