View source for Earl Bell

{{Short description|American pole vaulter (born 1955)}}
{{For|the politician|Earl E. Bell}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| image = Earl Bell 1976.jpg
| caption = Bell in 1976
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|08|25}}<ref name=usatf>{{cite web |url=http://www.usatf.org/halloffame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=14 |title=Earl Bell |website=usatf.org}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Ancón, Panama]]<ref name=usatf/>
| residence = [[Jonesboro, Arkansas]]<ref name=enc>Hendricks, Nancy (2014) [http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=3092 Earl Holmes Bell (1955–)] in ''Encyclopedia of Arkansas''</ref>
| height = 191 cm<ref name=sr>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/be/earl-bell-1.html |title=Earl Bell |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417173915/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/be/earl-bell-1.html |archive-date=2020-04-17}}</ref>
| weight = 77 kg
| sport = Athletics
| coach = Guy Kochel<ref name=enc/>
| event = [[Pole vault]]
| pb = 5.87 m (1988)<ref name=usatf/><ref name=sr/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://trackfield.brinkster.net/Profile.asp?ID=469&Gender=M |title=Earl Bell |website=trackfield.brinkster.net}}</ref>
| club = [[Arkansas State Indians]]<br>Pacific Coast Club, Long Beach<ref name=sr/>
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Country | {{USA}} }}
{{Medal|Competition | [[Athletics at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]] }}
{{Medal|Bronze | [[1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Los Angeles]] | [[Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics|Pole vault]] }}
{{Medal|Competition |[[IAAF World Indoor Championships|World Indoor Championships]] }}
{{Medal|Silver |[[1987 IAAF World Indoor Championships|1987 Indianapolis]] | [[1987 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Men's pole vault|Pole vault]] }}
{{Medal|Competition | [[Pan American Games]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[1975 Pan American Games|1975 Mexico City]] | [[Athletics at the 1975 Pan American Games|Pole vault]] }}
}}

'''Earl Holmes Bell''' (born August 25, 1955) is a retired American [[pole vault]]er. He competed at the 1976, 1984 and 1988 Olympics and won a bronze medal in 1984, placing fourth in 1988 and sixth in 1976.

He also briefly held the [[Men's pole vault world record progression|world record]] in 1976, and coached several of America's leading vaulters during his retirement years. In 2002, he was inducted into the [[National Track and Field Hall of Fame]].<ref name="usatf" />

==Biography==
[[File:Earl Bell and Dave Roberts 1976.jpg|thumb|right|Roberts (right) returns a borrowed pole to Bell at the 1976 Olympic Trials]] Bell was born in Panama to William "Papa" K. Bell and Yola Zimmerman Bell. His father was a medical doctor, a Masters Record Holder pole vaulter,<ref>Masters Athletics Pole Vault Rankings.[http://www.mastersathletics.net//] Retrieved November 4, 2020</ref> and attended the University of Arkansas. The family moved from Panama to [[Jonesboro, Arkansas]] in 1960.

In 1973, Bell entered [[Arkansas State University]]. He graduated in 1988 with a BSc degree in accounting.<ref name=enc/> While attending Arkansas State, Bell won the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] title in 1975–77. He also won the [[Amateur Athletic Union|AAU]] championships in 1976 and 1984, placing third in 1981. In addition to participating in the Olympics, Bell won a gold medal at the 1975 Pan American Games and finished fifth in 1991.<ref name=sr/>

Bell came to the 1976 U.S. Olympic Trials as the world record holder. At the trials, he lent his pole to [[David Roberts (pole vaulter)|David Roberts]], who broke his pole. Roberts won the trials with a new world record,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Putnam |first=Pat |title=FLYING START TOWARD THE OLYMPICS |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1976/07/05/flying-start-toward-the-olympics |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123080313/https://vault.si.com/vault/1976/07/05/flying-start-toward-the-olympics |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 23, 2021 |access-date=2023-12-08 |website=Sports Illustrated Vault {{!}} SI.com |language=en-us}}</ref> and placed third at the Olympics, while Bell finished second and sixth, respectively.<ref name=sr/>

Bell won the British [[AAA Championships]] title at the [[1981 AAA Championships]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001723/19810809/038/0038 |title=Results |work=Sunday Sun (Newcastle) |date=9 August 1981 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=13 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=12 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=12 June 2025}}</ref>

==Coaching career==

After retiring from competitions Bell established Bell Athletics outside of Jonesboro, where he coached [[Jeff Hartwig]], [[Derek Miles]], [[Kellie Suttle]], [[Daniel Ryland]], and Jillian Schwartz, among other top pole vaulters.<ref name=usatf/><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070813083846/http://www.bellathletics.com/profiles.htm Earl Bell]. bellathletics.com</ref>

Bell is married and has three children: Drew, Sam, and Henry.<ref name=enc/>

==Rankings==
Rare among vaulters, Bell managed to stay relatively healthy and productive for a long career, gaining US rankings among the best for 16 consecutive years in the ''[[Track and Field News]]'' annual rankings.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060819175942/http://trackandfieldnews.com/rankings/men/pvworldbyathlete.pdf World Rankings Index — Men’s Pole Vault]. Track and Field News</ref>

{| class=wikitable
|-
! Year
! Event
! World ranking
! US ranking
|-
| 1975
| Pole vault
| align="center" | 3rd
| align="center" | 1st
|-
| 1976
| Pole vault
| align="center" | 4th
| align="center" | 2nd
|-
| 1977
| Pole vault
| align="center" | 4th
| align="center" | 2nd
|-
| 1978
| Pole vault
| align="center" | –
| align="center" | 5th
|- |-
| 1979
| Pole vault
| align="center" | –
| align="center" | 5th
|-
| 1980
| Pole vault
| align="center" | –
| align="center" | 6th
|-
| 1981
| Pole vault
| align="center" | 6th
| align="center" | 1st
|-
| 1982
| Pole vault
| align="center" | –
| align="center" | 4th
|-
| 1983
| Pole vault
| align="center" | –
| align="center" | 3rd
|-
| 1984
| Pole vault
| align="center" | 7th
| align="center" | 2nd
|-
| 1985
| Pole vault
| align="center" | –
| align="center" | 4th
|-
| 1986
| Pole vault
| align="center" | 5th
| align="center" | 1st
|-
| 1987
| Pole vault
| align="center" | 3rd
| align="center" | 1st
|-
| 1988
| Pole vault
| align="center" | 5th
| align="center" | 2nd
|-
| 1989
| Pole vault
| align="center" | –
| align="center" | 5th
|-
| 1990
| Pole vault
| align="center" | –
| align="center" | 3rd
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Earl Bell}}
* [https://bellathletics.com Bell Athletics Training and Camps]
* {{USATF Hall of Fame|id=14}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach|rec}}
{{Succession box
| before = {{flagicon|USA}} [[David Roberts (pole vaulter)|David Roberts]]
| title = [[World record progression pole vault men|
Men's Pole Vault World Record Holder]]
| years = May 28, 1976 – June 22, 1976
| after = {{flagicon|USA}} [[David Roberts (pole vaulter)|David Roberts]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Footer Pan American Champions Pole Vault Men}}
{{USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners in men's pole vault}}
{{Footer US NC Pole Vault Men}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1976 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1984 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1988 Summer Olympics}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Earl}}
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:American male pole vaulters]]
[[Category:Arkansas State Red Wolves men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1975 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1976 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1991 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Goodwill Games medalists in athletics]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in track and field]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1975 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:People from Jonesboro, Arkansas]]
[[Category:People from Panamá District]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Panamá Province]]
[[Category:Track and field athletes from Arkansas]]
[[Category:World Athletics Indoor Championships medalists]]
[[Category:World record holders in masters athletics]]
[[Category:World record setters in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1986 Goodwill Games]]
[[Category:NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]