Willie Wells

Willie Wells
Willie Wells
	Shortstop / Manager
	Born: August 10, 1906; Austin, Texas, U.S.
	Died: January 22, 1989 (aged 82); Austin, Texas, U.S.
	Batted: Right Threw: Right
Negro leagues debut
	1924, for the St. Louis Giants
Last Negro leagues appearance
	1948, for the Memphis Red Sox
Negro leagues statistics
Batting average	.330
Home runs	140
Runs batted in	873
Managerial record	64–79–3
Winning %	.448
	Managerial record at Baseball Reference
Teams
	As player St. Louis Giants (1924); St. Louis Stars (1924–1931); Chicago American Giants (1929, 1933–1935); Detroit Wolves (1932); Homestead Grays (1932, 1937); Kansas City Monarchs (1932); Newark Eagles (1936–1939, 1942, 1945); New York Black Yankees (1945–1946); Baltimore Elite Giants (1946); Cincinnati-Indianapolis Clowns (1947); Memphis Red Sox (1948); As manager Newark Eagles (1942, 1945); New York Black Yankees (1945); Cincinnati-Indianapolis Clowns (1947);
Career highlights and awards
	10× All-Star (1933, 1934, 1935, 1937, 1938, 1939(1), 1939², 1942(1) 1942², 1945); 2× Negro National League pennant (1928, 1930); 2× Cuban League MVP (1929/30, 1939/40); Negro National League batting champion (1930); Triple Crown (1930); Negro National League record for most home runs in a season, 27 in 1926.;
Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	1997
Election method	Veterans Committee

Willie James Wells (August 10, 1906 – January 22, 1989), nicknamed "the Devil", was an American baseball player. He was a shortstop who played from 1924 to 1948 for various teams in the Negro leagues and in Latin America.

Wells was a fast base-runner who hit for both power and average. He was at his finest with his glove, committing almost no errors and having the speed to run down anything that came in his direction. He is widely regarded as the top Black shortstop of his era and produced the three greatest single-season performances in Negro Major League history by wins above replacement (WAR), recording 6.9 WAR in 1927, 6.7 WAR in 1929, and 6.5 WAR in 1930. He also taught Hall-of-Fame second baseman Jackie Robinson how to turn a double play.

Wells was also notable as being the first player to use a batting helmet, after being hit and receiving a concussion while playing with the Newark Eagles (his first helmet was a construction helmet).

Wells is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

On February 5, 2022 the baseball field at Anderson High School in Austin, Texas was dedicated in Wells' honor. The celebration included members of the Wells family with the keynote presentation by Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.