FARMINGTON -- Peachtree activities coordinator Lisa McCoy skillfully replicated a game situation when she handed newly inducted Arkansas Softball Hall-of-Famer Carroll Ray Bell a miniature bat and steered him toward a pinata.
"We're going to let you have the first swing," McCoy said as Bell gripped the miniature baseball bat and worked up his approach while sizing up the baseball pinata dangling from a string in the center of a reception held in his honor Friday at Farmington's Peachtree Village, a retirement and assisted living facility.
Applause greeted the 70-year-old Peachtree second baseman as he stepped up to the at-bat. Everyone present had opportunity and inspected the sizeable gold ring presented to Bell at his induction ceremony July 2 at North Little Rock so a sense of expectancy among those gathered fully expected a leadoff home run with candy flying every direction.
McCoy built up the moment serving as the public address announcer.
"We are here to congratulate and to honor C.R. Bell; he's our guest of honor," she said drawing a lively round of applause.
"He's got a beautiful ring they presented him down in Little Rock, and I've got something I'd like to present him. It ain't nowhere near the ring, but it's pretty cute," McCoy said, as she handed Bell a pendant bearing No. 12, representative of his playing days.
"That's your number, isn't it?" McCoy asked.
Bell affirmed it was, "Yeah, that's my number alright."
After three quick whacks with seemingly little effect on the pinata, a tone of voice rang out that any batter falling behind in the count with two strikes and a foul knows all too well.
"C'mon, C.R."
Was that from the dugout or the on-deck circle?
Bell wasn't certain and after umpteen fouls and several howls from the throng, the pinata, while dented, remained intact. Bell gladly stepped away from the batter's box and let the rest of the Peachtree lineup take a crack at the pinata. While he clearly enjoyed the spotlight and relished many roles including player-coach, manager and recruiter during his career, Bell values group participation above his individual interests, a mindset that served him well over the years.
"They're all part of my family and I want to share it with them," he said.
Bell wore a Farmington Cardinal baseball t-shirt in his induction photo. Four of his grandsons attended Farmington Schools and played baseball. Two already graduated, twins Matthew and Mitchell Cantrell (Class of 2020), while rising sophomore Cole Cantrell contributed to the 2021 varsity coached by Jay Harper, which won a conference championship, finished as district tournament runner-up, won the 4A North Regional championship and reached the Class 4A State semifinals.
The birth of twin grandsons prompted a move from Maumelle to Northwest Arkansas for Bell.
"They're the reason I'm here. When they were born my wife said, 'Sell this house,' ... and we moved up here. We love it up here," Bell said.
Bell endeavored to keep up with all four whenever they played. While the twins played together, the younger boys played on separate teams. His wife printed a schedule that frequently had Bell on the move during Friday night games.
"I'd be running to Springdale and back to Farmington, up to Bentonville and back. I wouldn't trade it for the world," Bell said. "It's a good game. They've learned it a lot. They've made some good friends kind of like I did with softball. That's the key to it. Of all the teams I've had and all the awards we've won and trophies and tournaments, it still goes back to playing with guys that you care about."
Bell believes there's no doubt recently retired Farmington softball coach Randy Osnes, who guided the Lady Cardinals to three state championships and five state runner-up finishes amassing a career record of 596-158 by winning 79 percent of his games, will someday achieve the same distinction and enter the Arkansas Softball Hall of Fame.
"Oh, he will be, I guarantee," Bell said.
In a delightful twist of irony, the ceremony concluded with an impromptu salute from retired Baptist pastor Donald "Doc" Doughty, father of Reba Holmes, Prairie Grove superintendent of schools, Farmington's No. 1 rival.
Doughty, who pastored all over northern Louisiana, has done a little coaching himself, teaching two-year-olds how to swim when he was in college.
"A man like this right here, the honor that we're giving him is well-deserved. Very few coaches can reach as tall as this man. You know, no man is taller than when he reaches down on his knees to help a little child, and that's what this man is," Doughty said. "Even up here he helps us old folks [at Peachtree Village] and we love him and appreciate him. Thank you, God. God bless you, C.R."
