HAROLD BELL HE NEVER PLAYED THE GAME–HE CHANGED THE GAME!

Wendell Smith and Sam Lacey of the Pittsburgh Courier and Afro-American newspapers respectively are considered the greatest black American sportswriters of the 20th century. They now have to move over and make room for sports talk radio pioneer, Harold Bell. His legacy and contributions as a sports media personality is second to none.

He was always first, in 1972 he became the first black radio sports talk show host to produce a talk show in his hometown of Washington DC. He was the first to use the INSIDE SPORTS tag to ID his radio sports talk show. Inside Sports is now global. The format was unique to sports talk radio, it dominated the Washington market. So popular was the show, the tag would be later hijacked by the Washington Post with the intent on cashing in on his success as a talk show host.

In 1978 the paper published “INSIDE SPORTS MAGAZINE” in New York City. They failed to the tune of several million dollars and two years later packed their bags and headed back to DC. They never figured out not how to transfer his talk radio success into print. The INSIDE SPORTS copyrights are now owned by the paper.

February 2024 will mark 50+ years of the ORIGINAL INSIDE SPORTS talk radio. The show was established at W-O-O-K Radio 1450 on the AM dial in Washington, DC.

The sports talk format changed the way we talk and report sports in America and around the World–copied but it has never been duplicated.

ESPN claims to be the world-wide leader but new boss says, “No more politics can be discussed on the ESPN sports format!”

In 1995 twenty-three years after the ORIGINAL INSIDE SPORTS hit the airwaves in Washington, DC, Bryant Gumble leaves his co-hosting anchor job at NBC Good Morning America. He re-enters the field of sports broadcasting at HBO. 

There he found/discovered much like Christopher Columbus discovering America, “REAL SPORTS!”

He used James Brown (CBS/NFL) as his go-fer and 29 years later with dozens of Emmys and a Life Time Achievement Award, he rides off into the sunset in the saddle of the ORIGINAL INSIDE SPORTS!  

Gumble left James Brown to continue his charade of deceit on CBS/NFL Sunday.

“Harold has always been a voice for people who didn’t have a voice.  He has always called it as he saw it.  He has been an inspiration and motivation for me and a lot of other black broadcasters.”     James Brown (NFL/CBS Sports)

The late great NBA legend Sam Jones, James Brown, H Bell and NBA pioneer Earl Lloyd celebrate Black History Month on Bolling Air Foce Base in Washington, DC.

Bell was the first on air sports media personality to mix sports and politics successfully. He was the first to play message music, long before NWA , What’s Going On, Who Shot the Sheriff, Wake Up Everybody, Respect Yourself, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, Keep on Pushing, Black and Proud, etc.

He was the first to write sports media commentaries, first to establish media roundtables, first to convene police and youth forums, first to encourage pro athletes, politicians, law enforcement, judges, and media personalities to reach back into the community. The NBA-NFL-MLB and NHL all followed his lead.

He was first to host Christmas toy parties for elementary school children. The first organize celebrity fashion shows and tennis tournaments for pro athletes, media personalities, entertainers, judges, etc.

The first sports media personality to be named “Washingtonian of the Year” by Washingtonian Magazine. He was the first DC sports media personality to be cited in the Congressional Record (Lou Stokes, Bob Dole, and Eleanor Holmes Norton) for his work with at-risk children and youth gangs.

He was the first sports media personality to buy time from a radio station (unheard of).

In 1969 he became the first Youth Advocate/Sports Talk Show Host to receive a Presidential Appointment from (Richard Nixon). He was the first sports media personality Muhammad Ali contacted on his arrival back in the U. S. after his historic beat-down of George Foreman in Zaire, Africa in 1974.

In 1975 he became the first black to host and produce his own television sports special in primetime on NBC affiliate WRC TV 4. My special guest was, The Greatest-Muhammad Ali.

In 1976 he reached out to boxing’s Golden Boy and ‘Cash Cow’, Sugar Ray Leonard when he did know his jackass from a hole in the ground. Bell, gave him a platform to help him to regain his lost self-esteem. i

Harold Bell was also the first media personality to established a monthly Sports Media Roundtable, participants included, Dick Heller, Bert Sugar, Dave Kindred, Larry Fitzgerald, Elmer Smith, Ed Brown, Frank Pastor, Sonny Hill, Howie Evans, George Solomon, Byron Rosen, Dave Dupree, Michael Wilbon, Dave Aldridge, Bill Rhoden, Kevin Blackistone, etc.

I find rather ironic that Bill Rhoden formerly of the New York Times, now writes for ESPN after he had written his best selling book, “40 Million Dollar Slaves” pertaining to the black pro athlete.

When this book was published in 2006 it was one the most misleading books ever written on the black pro athlete. How can one being a slave working for one of the most segregated institutions in America–media pressroom is second only to a church on Sunday morning when it comes to segregation in America? 

The New York Times was delighted to make Rhoden a best seller–he help take the light off of their media pressroom. Try counting black sports editors in major newspaper departments in America. Less than 10%-television is even worst.

When Mike Wilbon was a writer for the Washington Post he would turn to Bell for advice as it related the politics of sports in DC. Once he graduated to ESPN, “Plantation HQ” for Washington Post writers like Wilbon. He became the expert as it related to Black Life on the streets and the Black Athlete!

His Washington Post colleague and friend, John Feinstein said,, “Mike Wilbon is the biggest ass-kisser in sports media.”

When I questioned him about Feinstein’s quote, and several lies he had told me. He decided to revolt my mentorship and chose John Thompson as his mentor. I beg to question–what are friends for?

JAMES BROWN AND INSIDE THE NFL–NEVER TO RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL INSIDE SPORTS!

I invited James to have lunch with me, Sam Jones (NBA), Butch McAdams (WOL), Andrew Dywer, Christie Winters-Scott (Roundball Report) and my wife Hattie. I invited Andrew, Christie, and Butch just to keep them in the mix.

The Roundball Report crew-benefactors of Inside Sports–but they forgot!

We met at Union Station in downtown DC to discus a tribute to NBA pioneer Earl Lloyd during NBA All-Star weekend in DC February 1999. I told James of my plans and I needed him to co-host with Earl Monroe. He agreed, but as we were leaving the restaurant, he asked me if I had checked with Wizard’s owner, Abe Polin? My response, “Check with him for what–he ain’t my daddy?”

He was a no-show for the Saturday basketball clinic in Earl’s honor in his hometown of Alexandria, Virginia. Former players, Bob Lanier, Al Attles, K. C. and Sam Jones, sportscaster, Sonny Hill and host of others were in attendance.

The day closed with a tribute at the jazz club, Bohemanian Caverns in NW DC all the usual suspects were in attendance including a surprise visit by the Godfather himself–Red Auerbach. It was the only activity he participated in during All-Star Weekend.

I was the first black media personality recognized as a “TRAILBLAZER” by radio and TV critic, William Taaffe of the Washington Star (1978). In an unheard-of first, I was the first black sports media personality ever spotlighted in lead stories in the Washington Post, on pages ONE & THREE (June 1989). The title of the stories, “Local Anchors: A Shut Out and Turn the Sound On, Hear Bell Sound Off”.  No issues were off-limits when it came to children. My work with youth in the DMV is legendary–thanks to Red, Sam, KC and other pro athletes. Their support was immeasurable.

In 1972 I was the first sports talk radio host to point out the embedded racism in pro sports that continues in 2024 with no end in sight. The racism continues on press tables on every pro sports team in America.

In 1974 a white reporter, Frank Pastor and I were returning to our seats at the press table during an NBA Washington Bullets game. While standing at the top of the arena waiting for a break in the action, we notice that the press table was divided into two sections.

Whites sat on the left of the half court line and blacks sat on the right of the half court line. We changed seats. Thanks to Frank Pastor, the press table was integrated without a picket line or word said in anger.

On Inside Sports in the 70s I was the first to ID crooked sports agents stealing from the black athlete: Adrian Dantley and Sugar Ray Leonard of two of the local pro athletes that were being scammed by their sports agents, Dave Falk, and Mike Trainor.

Falk had a little help from Georgetown Coach John Thompson. The agents were the scammers, and Big John was the enabler. The players had no clue they were being scammed for millions. It took the New York news media almost two decades to discover Falk was robbing his clients, Dantley, MJ, Pat Ewing, etc. https://nypost.com/2004/03/09/super-agent-shows-hes-a-super-snake

The late legendary Dick Heller of the Washington Times said, “Harold Bell is the God Father of sports talk, the good kind”.

I was the first Nike Shoes Sports and Marketing rep and the first Anheuser Busch Beer Sports & Marketing rep in DC. I was the first media personality to coordinate and host Christmas toy parties for needy children. For forty-five straight years my wife Hattie and I organized the toy parties from 1968-2013. My 501 C3 non-profit organization Kids In Trouble never received a grant or a loan.

NEWS TV 7 ANCHOR: MR 7 ON YOUR SIDE- PAUL BERRY

Inside Sports was 7 On Your Side long before Paul Berry got the bright idea while being a guest on Bell’s talk show. Now every television network in America has a version of 7 On Your Side aka Consumer/Investigated Reporters.

Radio and TV mogul, Cathy Hughes asked me to be a “Big Brother” to her fatherless son, Alfred Liggins. During that time she was struggling as a single parent and receptionist at WHUR Radio. I agreed to lend a helping hand.

In the 1980s DC Congressman Walter Fauntroy and other community activist were boycotting the Washington Post for discrimination in the their weekly magazine section. The absence of black participation in the magazine did not sit well with Fauntroy and others.

Every Monday morning following the Sunday edition of the paper, Fauntroy and Cathy would show up at the paper and dump hundreds of copies of the magazine on the steps of the Washington Post.

Cathy Hughes and her baby boy Alfred, con and scammed their way to the top in radio and television ownership.

The owners of the Washington Post, Katherine and son Donald Graham became frustrated. They searched and found the wink link among the organizers–Cathy Hughes.

Hughes broke ranks with Fauntroy and other the community activist. Late one night she entered the building through a back alley crawlng with rats. She was given safe passage to meet with the Grahams and a deal was made.

The following morning on the Cathy Hughes morning radio show now located on the NE H street corridor, Hughes made the announcement, a deal had been reached with the Grahams to end the boycott.

The only participants in the discussion according to Congressman Fauntroy, were Hughes and the Grahams. The rest of the story is–sellout history.

In the summer of 1968 on a beautiful spring day in the Nation’s Capitol all hell broke loose. My friend and co-worker, NFL great Willie Wood and I had just finished having lunch at an in-crowd hangout on 9th and U streets, NW, the Chez Maurice Restaurant.

We were standing on the corner when a local street legend, Harvey Cooper rode by hanging out of a car windoww and yelled, “They just shot Dr. King in Memphis.”

Willie and I just stood there looking at each other trying to figure out what Harvey had just yelled. Suddenly, people started to emerge from the restaurant in disbelief–our Prince of Peace had been shot.

The next three days and nights I would spend on the streets across the city with nothing but a DC Police Department Badge. I was swored in by Assistant Chief Timon O’Bryant. Tilmon was the highest ranking black official in the DC Police Department. The badge allowed me to cross police and military barricades to try to assist where necessary.

After the riots the rebuilding began: Enter, Harold and Hattie Bell. I was considered the local peacekeeper in the community. I was the assigned Roving Leader for the DC Department of Recreation and Parks. Hattie was a teacher and swimming coach at nearby, Cardozo High School.

My assignment was to work with at-risk children and loosely organized youth gangs in the Cardozo/Shaw Communities. Harrison Playground was one block over on V street from Hillcrest. It was my hangout during the week unless otherwise assigned.

The 1968 riots almost destroyed DC. Out of those ashes my wife Hattie and I found the Kids In Trouble Hillcrest Saturday Program for neighborhood elementary school children.

The program officially opened its doors in December 1968 for our first Christmas toy party. My minor league Virginia Sailor football teammate, George Kelly played Santa Claus for about 50 nchildren.

SANTA WAS A LINE BACKER: MY FOOTBALL TEAMMATE-GEORGE KELLY

The month of December was spend trying to find volunteers for the Saturday Program. I wanted to recruit college students for the program but they were home for the holidays. I patiently waited for their return to school in January.

In January my first stop was historical HBCU Howard University, I came up empty. My next stop was five minutes away at D. C. Teachers College, again I came up empty.

Dr. Nicholas Long was the Director of the Hillcrest Children’s Center. The center was an affiliate of Children’s Hospital located between W and V streets on 13th street NW. On the weekends the center served as a residential home for emotional disturbed children.

The Saturday Program was designed to bring peace to the neighborhood. The locals felt left out when they discovered there was an indoor basketball court and swimming pool in the facility.

In the meantime, I spoke with Dr. Nicholas Long, the Director of Hillcrest Children’s Center about my Delima. It was on his watch the Kids In Trouble Saturday Program was housed.

Dr. Long suggested I contact a friend of his a Principal at a Seven Day Adventist High School in Tacoma Park, Maryland.

It was a great lead, every Saturday for a year, a yellow school bus rolled into 14th and W streets, NW and a bus load of white high school students would get off and enter the building to tutor the children in the neighborhood.

Community Service Credits for high school and college students was first born at the Kids In Trouble Saturday Program in NW DC.

This story appeared in the Afro-American Newspaper in January 1969. I am seen with several high school students checking out the homework assignment of the elementary school students.

The birth of students receiving credit for volunteering in their communities was born at the Kids In Trouble Hillcrest Saturday Program.

Mr. Fred Couzins, the Principal from nearby Harrison Elementary would stop by to thank the volunteers for their great work. He and other teachers had noticed a change in behavior and study habits of children attending the Saturday Program.

Washington Post columnist Bill Raspberry and the Afro-American Newspaper Editor in Chief, Frances Murphy would stop by to see if all the noise was for real about the Saturday Program, and it was.

A frequent Saturday Program participant was a young kid named Lonnie Taylor. Lonnie would later become the first ever Chief of Staff for a white Congressman on Capitol Hill. See letter below relating to his youth experiences at the Kids In Trouble Saturday Program (Priceless).

It took these high school students and the elementary school children a minute to adjust, but they did. The kids learned at an early age that every black face they saw was not their brother and every white face they saw was not their enemy!

A year later Dr. Long would call me into his office to tell me that the Principal of the Seven Day Adventist School was giving all college bound students who participated in the Saturday tutorial program, credits to assist them in their college admission.

In 2024 high school and college students across America are now using volunteer credits on their application in the admissions process.

The first ever NFL community promo: NFL Films at the Hillcrest Saturday Program as Washington Redskin players Larry Brown and Harold McLinton teach water safety to neighborhood children.

FRONT & CENTER: WASHINGTON POST COLUMNIST BILL RASPBERRY PARTICIPATING IN A CHARITY BASKETBALL GAME AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY. BILL WON A PULITZER PRIZE IN 1994 FOR HIS COMMENTARIES ON COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.

(NBA) Roland Fatty Taylor-(NFL) Larry Brown and legendary radio personality, Petey Greene hanging out with me during Community Day at Hillcrest Saturday Program.

He was the first sports media personality to campaign successfully to have the blackballed Willie Wood (NFL) and Earl Lloyd (NBA) inducted into their hall of fame. A stature of Lloyd was recently placed in the Charles Houston Recreation Center in his hometown of Alexandria, Virginia. Wood has a street named after him in his old NW neighborhood in DC.

The great Marvin Gaye and Bell were childhood friends, Emanuel Stewart and Thomas Heards of the Kronk Gym were supporters of Kids In Trouble and Inside Sports, the great pro basketball pioneer Spencer Haywood was a frequent contributor on Inside Sports, “Great Scott” WR Freddy Scott of the Detroit Lions was a frequent flyer in and out of DC for his Kids In Trouble, Inc Inside Sports Celebrity Fashion Shows and Tennis Tournaments, NBA pioneer Earl Lloyd was a benefactor of Inside Sports, and last but not least my dear friend the late Wayne Davis was the first black FBI agent in-charge of the Detroit office.

I met Wayne during the 1968 riots in DC. He was working undercover and I was working with youth gangs using a DC Police Department Badge. The badge allowed him to breach police and military barricades. In August 1980 Wayne and I watched together as Thomas Hearns knocked out Pipino Cuevas in the second round. It was Hearns first title win. My friend and homeboy Marvin Gaye was supose to join us but he was a no-show.

OTHER NOTEWORTHY ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

I Used my political contacts such a direct contact with the Directof Norman Carson of Federal Prisons, I was able to get early releases for over a dozen wrongly incarcerated black men, including NFL Legend, Jim Brown and DC playground legends, Bernard Levi and JoJo Hunter.

Open Letter to AARP President Jo Ann Jenkens regarding the three-billion annual fraud perpetrated on Senior Citizens annually. Soon after Open Letter AARP they went from a one man anserwing service to a LIVE FRAUD TELEPHONE HOTLINE AND AN AARP LIVE RADIO SHOW. https://wordpress.com/post/theoriginalinsidesports.blog/11323