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Buddy Bell is in the middle of a three-generation MLB family that includes four big leaguers. His father Gus made four All Star teams, tallying 1,823 hits and 206 homers in a 15-year career in the majors. His sons David and Mike combined for another 1,245 hits.

In the Bell family, Buddy is clearly tops.

Widely respected during his playing days, Buddy’s star shines brighter when viewed through the lens of advanced metrics. In Baseball Reference’s dWAR, Bell ranks behind only Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson and future Cooperstown man Adrian Beltre among third baseman.

Bell’s contributions are not limited to the leather. The five-time All Star and former Silver Slugger Award recipient also topped significant offensive milestones. He finished with more than 2,500 hits, 200 homers, 1,000 runs and RBI.

Buddy’s peak was from 1979-1984. During those six years, only three players in all of the game posted a higher WAR. Each member of the trio is a no-doubt Hall of Famer – Mike Schmidt, Gary Carter, and Robin Yount.

Bell was a Gold Glover each of those six seasons. He was named on MVP ballots in five of the six seasons, and totaled 36.1 WAR in the half-dozen year run.

To put his WAR numbers into perspective, Fangraphs says that a 6-WAR man is “an All-Star level player and potentially and MVP”. Bell averaged a little over 6 WAR per season from ’79-’84.

Despite this, he was one-and-done on the writers’ ballot for Cooperstown. In 1995, his lone year on their ballot, Bell netted just 1.7% of the vote. Many see him as a strong Veterans Committee candidate in the future.

In the collection is this 1972 magazine photo signed by Bell before his big league debut. The caption reads in part, “Buddy Bell was chosen the ‘Rookie of the Year’ in the American Association in 1971. Sports writers named him the ‘Most Outstanding Player’ in Indians spring training camp this year.

“The past two seasons the Indians have produced the ‘Rookie of the Year’ in the American Association in (Chris) Chambliss and Bell. Last year Chambliss won the AL rookie honors. Can history repeat itself again? Whether it does or not, one this is for sure, the young Mr. Bell has a bright career ahead.”