As a junior at Moeller High School in Cincinnati, Bell led his team to a state baseball title. On April 15, 1998, he hit the first inside-the-park home run in Jacobs Field history, and the first for the Indians since 1989. Bell scored the 2002 NLCS winning run for the San Francisco Giants from second on Kenny Lofton's single. Bell was the runner bearing down on home plate in Game 5 of the 2002 World Series when J.T. Snow lifted 3 year old batboy Darren Baker out of harm's way. Bell won the 2002 Willie Mac Award for his spirit and leadership.