View source for Albert Belle

{{short description|American baseball player (born 1966)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Albert Belle
|image=Albert Belle 1997.jpg
|caption=Belle with the Chicago White Sox in 1997
|position=[[Left fielder]]
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1966|8|25}}
|birth_place=[[Shreveport, Louisiana]], U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=July 15
|debutyear=1989
|debutteam=Cleveland Indians
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=October 1
|finalyear=2000
|finalteam=Baltimore Orioles
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.295
|stat2label=[[Home run]]s
|stat2value=381
|stat3label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
|stat3value=1,239
|teams=
* [[Cleveland Guardians|Cleveland Indians]] ({{mlby|1989}}–{{mlby|1996}})
* [[Chicago White Sox]] ({{mlby|1997}}–{{mlby|1998}})
* [[Baltimore Orioles]] ({{mlby|1999}}–{{mlby|2000}})
|highlights=
* 5× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1993 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1993]]–[[1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1997]])
* 5× [[Silver Slugger Award]] (1993–1996, 1998)
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders|AL home run leader]] (1995)
* 3× [[List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders|AL RBI leader]] (1993, 1995, 1996)
* [[Cleveland Guardians Hall of Fame]]
|medaltemplates=
{{MedalSport | Men's [[baseball]]}}
{{MedalCountry | {{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[18U Baseball World Cup|World Junior Baseball Championship]]}}
{{MedalSilver| {{baseball year|1984}} [[Saskatoon]] | [[United States national under-18 baseball team|Team]]}}
}}

'''Albert Jojuan Belle''' (born August 25, 1966), formerly known as '''Joey Belle''',<ref name="silent">{{cite news |last1=Frey |first1=Jennifer |title=The Belle of Cleveland Is Silent |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1996/05/07/the-belle-of-cleveland-is-silent/6a7fabac-17e0-4d3f-93c4-687570109b21/ |access-date=December 27, 2018 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=May 7, 1996}}</ref> is an American former [[Major League Baseball]] [[outfielder]] who played from 1989 to 2000, most notably for the [[Cleveland Guardians|Cleveland Indians]]. Known for his taciturn personality and intimidating stature, Belle was one of the leading sluggers of his time, and in 1995 became the only player to ever hit 50 doubles and 50 [[home run]]s in a season, despite the season being only 144 games. He was also the first player to break the $10 million per year compensation contract in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Belle was a five-time [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] and [[Silver Slugger Award|Silver Slugger]]. He retired with a .295 career [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]], and averaged 37 [[home run]]s and 120 [[Run batted in|runs batted in]] (RBIs) per season between 1991 and 2000. He is one of only 10 players in MLB history to have nine consecutive 100-RBI seasons.

==Early life==
Albert and his [[fraternal twin]], Terry, were born on August 25, 1966, in [[Shreveport, Louisiana]], the son of Albert Belle Sr., a high school baseball and football coach, and Carrie Belle, a former math teacher.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Bamberger |first1=Michael |date=May 6, 1996 |title=He Thrives on Anger |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1996/05/06/he-thrives-on-anger-albert-belle-is-all-the-rage-in-cleveland-because-he-can-turn-his-fury-into-prodigious-power-at-the-plate |access-date=March 15, 2019 |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]}}</ref> He attained the rank of [[Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)|Eagle Scout]] in the [[Boy Scouts of America]].<ref name="silent" /> Belle attended [[Huntington High School (Louisiana)|Huntington High School]] in Shreveport, where he was a star baseball and football player, a member of the [[National Honor Society]], and vice president of the local [[Future Business Leaders of America]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Another Albert Belle Positive Thinking Moment |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1999-03-08-9903080176-story.html |access-date=March 15, 2019 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=March 8, 1999}}</ref> He graduated sixth in his high school class and made the all-state baseball team twice.<ref name="silent" /> In 1984, he was selected to play for the US in the [[AAU Junior Olympic Games|Junior Olympics]], in which the U.S. won a silver medal.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Elsey |first=Jacob |date=February 4, 2022 |title=What Happened To Albert Belle? Here's A Look Back At The Career Of The MLB Slugger |url=https://brobible.com/sports/article/what-happened-to-albert-belle/ |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=BroBible |language=en-US}}</ref> He played outfield and pitched, winning one game. After graduation, Belle accepted a baseball scholarship to [[Louisiana State University]].<ref name=":0" />

==College==
Belle played college baseball at [[LSU Tigers baseball|Louisiana State University]] from 1985 to 1987, where he made first-team [[Southeastern Conference|All-SEC]] in 1986 and 1987 and played in 184 games, with 585 [[at bat]]s, 194 [[Hit (baseball)|hits]], 30 [[Double (baseball)|doubles]], 49 home runs, 172 RBIs, 157 [[Run (baseball)|runs]], a .670 [[slugging percentage]], and a .332 batting average. In 1986, he played [[collegiate summer baseball]] in the [[Cape Cod Baseball League]] for the [[Chatham A's]] and was named a league all-star, then returned to the league in 1987 to play for the [[Hyannis Mets]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Major League Baseball Players From the Cape Cod League |url=http://capecodbaseball.org.ismmedia.com/ISM3/std-content/repos/Top/2012website/archives/Current%20Year/All_Time_MLB_CCBL_Alumni.pdf |access-date=September 25, 2019 |website=[[Cape Cod Baseball League]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Chuck |date=July 17, 1986 |title=From the A's Dugout |url=https://eldredgelibrary.wssites.com/Document?db=ELDREDGELIBRARY&query=(select+21+(bytoc+(andf+(eq+YEAR+1986)+(field+WEEK_ISSUED+(phrase+July+%6017))))) |newspaper=The Cape Cod Chronicle |location=Chatham, MA |pages=42 |via=[[Eldredge Public Library]]}}</ref>

In his junior year, he was batting .349 before an incident involving a heckler insulting him with racial epithets at an SEC Tournament game led to a suspension that kept him out of the [[College World Series]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Bob |title=Belle battled fans, teammates, self |url=http://www.espn.com/classic/biography/s/belle_albert.html |website=[[ESPN Classic]]}}</ref>

After college, Belle was drafted by the [[Cleveland Guardians|Cleveland Indians]] in the second round (47th overall) of the [[1987 Major League Baseball draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2nd Round of the 1987 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/index.fcgi?year_ID=1987&draft_round=2&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

==Professional career==
===Cleveland Indians===
Belle made his major league debut on July 15, 1989, going 1-for-4 with one RBI in a 7–1 win against the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]]. He recorded an RBI single off Rangers pitcher [[Nolan Ryan]] in his first career at bat.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 15, 1989 |title=Texas Rangers vs Cleveland Indians Box Score: July 15, 1989 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE198907150.shtml |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> On July 19, Belle hit his first major league home run and went 2-for-4, helping Cleveland to a 10–1 victory over the [[Minnesota Twins]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 19, 1989 |title=Cleveland Indians vs Minnesota Twins Box Score: July 19, 1989 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN198907190.shtml |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He ultimately played in 62 games during his first season, batting .225 with seven home runs and 37 RBIs.<ref name="bbref" />

Belle became the fourth player to have eight straight seasons of 30 home runs and 100 RBIs, joining [[Babe Ruth]], [[Jimmie Foxx]], and [[Lou Gehrig]] (a feat since matched by [[Albert Pujols]], [[Rafael Palmeiro]], [[Manny Ramirez]], and [[Alex Rodriguez]]). He was an accomplished baserunner, with a career-high 23 steals in 1993, and 17 steals in 1999 despite hip problems that plagued him late in his career. He led the league three times in RBIs, three times in total bases, three times in extra-base hits, and twice in slugging. He was a five-time All-Star between 1993 and 1997. He had a strong throwing arm and was a gifted pitcher in high school. His range factor by games played was consistently higher than the major league average at that position;<ref name="bbref">{{cite web |title=Albert Belle Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/belleal01.shtml |access-date=August 6, 2008 |website=[[Baseball Reference]]}}</ref> nevertheless, he still managed to accrue a -63 "total zone runs" during 12 major league seasons.<ref name="bbref" />

Belle's career highs in home runs, RBIs, batting average, runs scored, and walks occurred in five separate seasons. In 2006, the ''[[Hardball Times]]'' published a statistical comparison of Belle's career statistics with those of 60 of his current and former peers. The article ranked him in career "prime value", behind [[Hall of Famer]]s [[Ralph Kiner]] and [[Frank Thomas]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/rice-belle-and-dawson-in-context/|title=Rice, Belle and Dawson in Context|website=[[The Hardball Times]]|first=Dan|last=McLaughlin|author-link=Dan McLaughlin|date=January 31, 2006}}</ref>

In 1992, Belle would have become one of only five players in MLB history to hit a home run over the left-field roof of [[Detroit]]'s [[Tiger Stadium (Detroit)|Tiger Stadium]] (joining [[Harmon Killebrew]], [[Frank Howard (baseball)|Frank Howard]], [[Cecil Fielder]], and [[Mark McGwire]]), but the ball struck a light tower on top of the roof and fell back into the stands.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kettman |first=Steve |date=April 21, 1997 |title=McGwire Has a Blast in Loss |url=https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/McGwire-Has-a-Blast-in-Loss-2843682.php |accessdate=September 8, 2021 |website=[[SFGate]]}}</ref>
[[File:MO Baseball - Kansas City Royals (6198383327).jpg|thumb|right|Belle (right) attempting to steal second base during a 1994 game against the [[Kansas City Royals]] at [[Kauffman Stadium]]]]
In 1994, Belle lost the batting title to [[New York Yankees]] outfielder [[Paul O'Neill (baseball)|Paul O'Neill]], .359 to .357.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1994 American League Batting Leaders |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1994-batting-leaders.shtml |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> In 1995, Belle became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and 50 doubles in the same season;<ref name=":1" /> the last player before him to reach as many as 40 in both categories had been [[Willie Stargell]] in 1973.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Willie Stargell Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stargwi01.shtml |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> The achievement was more impressive because Belle played only 143 games in 1995 due to a season shortened by the previous year's player strike. 

Belle's surly reputation and disdain of the media cost him votes for the 1995 [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|MVP Award]]. He finished second in the voting to the [[Boston Red Sox]]' [[Mo Vaughn]], though he led the [[American League]] that season in runs scored, home runs, RBIs, slugging percentage, and total bases, and outpaced Vaughn head-to-head in every important offensive category except RBIs (both men had 126); both players' teams reached the playoffs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1995 Awards Voting |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1995.shtml |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> This was in the middle of a three-year streak in which Belle finished third, second, and third for the American League MVP. Belle had two other top-10 MVP finishes, in 1993 (seventh) and 1998 (eighth).<ref name="bbref" />

===Chicago White Sox===
On November 19, 1996, Belle signed a five-year, $55{{nbs}}million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|55|1997}}{{nbs}}million today) deal with the [[Chicago White Sox]] as a free agent. This contract made him the highest-paid player in baseball for a brief period and the first player in baseball history to make $10 million in a season.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Smith|first1=Claire|title=Belle Signs the Richest Deal: 5 Years, $55 Million|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/20/sports/belle-signs-the-richest-deal-5-years-55-million.html|access-date=January 13, 2015|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=November 20, 1996}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Yearly League Leaders & Records for Salary |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/Salary_leagues.shtml |access-date=November 13, 2019 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |publisher=[[Sports Reference]] |language=en}}</ref> He enjoyed two great seasons in Chicago, including a career-high 27-game hitting streak in May 1997, and came close to another 50/50 season in 1998 with 49 home runs (a White Sox team record that still stands) and 48 doubles.<ref name="bbref" /> He also drove in 152 runs to break [[Zeke Bonura]]'s single-season franchise record of 138 in 1936 (to date, the RBI total also remains a White Sox single-season record).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Player Batting Season & Career Stats Finder - Baseball |url=https://stathead.com/tiny/vJHGd |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[Sports Reference|Stathead]] |language=en}}</ref> Additionally, when [[Cal Ripken Jr.]] ended his record consecutive game streak at 2,632 in September 1998, Belle took over as MLB's active leader in the category (his streak of 392 consecutive games ended the next year due to a perceived lack of hustle viewed by his manager).<ref name=":1" />

===Baltimore Orioles and retirement===
Belle's contract with the White Sox had an unusual clause allowing him to demand that he would remain one of the three highest-paid players in baseball. In October 1998, he invoked the clause, and when the White Sox declined to give him a raise, he immediately became a free agent.<ref name=":1" /> He again became the game's highest-paid player, signing a five-year, $65{{nbs}}million (${{Inflation|US|65|1999}}{{nbs}}million today) deal with the [[Baltimore Orioles]] on December 1, 1998.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=December 1, 1998 |title=Belle, Orioles Finally Have a Deal |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-dec-01-sp-49525-story.html |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=en-US}}</ref> His career ended just two seasons later, though, when he was forced into retirement at age 34 by degenerative hip [[osteoarthritis]]. He was kept on Baltimore's active 40-man roster for the next three years as a condition of the insurance policy that largely reimbursed the Orioles for the remainder of his contract.

Belle homered in the final at-bat of his MLB career at [[Oriole Park at Camden Yards]] on October 1, 2000.<ref>{{cite web |date=October 1, 2000 |title=New York Yankees at Baltimore Orioles Box Score, October 1, 2000 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BAL/BAL200010010.shtml |website=[[Baseball Reference]]}}</ref>

In 1,539 games over 12 seasons, Belle posted a .295 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] (1,726-for-5,853) with 974 [[run (baseball)|runs]], 389 [[double (baseball)|doubles]], 21 [[triple (baseball)|triples]], 381 [[home runs]], 1,239 [[Run batted in|RBIs]], 88 [[stolen bases]], 683 [[bases on balls]], .369 [[on-base percentage]], and .564 [[slugging percentage]]. Defensively, he recorded a .976 [[fielding percentage]] playing at left and right field. In 18 postseason games, he hit .230 (14-for-61) with 10 runs, two doubles, six home runs, 14 RBIs, one stolen base, and 14 walks.<ref name="bbref" />

==Personal problems==
In 1990, the Indians sent Belle to the [[Cleveland Clinic]] for two months for [[alcoholism]] rehabilitation.<ref name="silent" /> 

Belle was suspended in 1994 for using a [[corked bat]], resulting in a seven-game suspension.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 29, 1994 |title=BELLE DEALT 7-GAME SUSPENSION |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1994/07/30/belle-dealt-7-game-suspension/2de5ec36-ab04-4d6c-b347-6e62cdad44dc/ |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[The Washington Post]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> The incident gained further notoriety when [[1994 Cleveland Indians corked bat incident|teammate]] [[Jason Grimsley]] crawled through the building's ceiling panels to break into the locked umpires' dressing room, where he replaced Belle's corked bat with a teammate's bat.  The revelation of Belle's use of corked bats was later given more emphasis when Cleveland teammate [[Omar Vizquel]] wrote in his 2002 autobiography that it would be naive to suggest otherwise, and that "all of Albert's bats were corked."<ref>{{cite news |date=April 26, 2002 |title=Now it can be told: In new book, Vizquel says Belle corked all his bats |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/news/2002/04/26/vizquel_belle_ap/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060512023555/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/news/2002/04/26/vizquel_belle_ap |archive-date=May 12, 2006 |access-date=October 14, 2013 |work=[[Sports Illustrated]] |publisher=[[CNN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

Belle was fined in 1996 for knocking down [[1996 Milwaukee Brewers season|Brewers]] infielder [[Fernando Viña]], who had blocked his way between bases.<ref name="Hoynes">{{cite news|url=http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2012/02/albert_belle_pays_tribe_a_visi.html|newspaper=[[The Plain Dealer]]|access-date=November 5, 2012|date=February 28, 2012|last=Hoynes|first=Paul|title=Albert Belle enjoys a laugh-filled reunion with the Cleveland Indians}}</ref>

A profane outburst directed at a group of reporters in his team's dugout was widely reported during the [[1995 World Series]]. He was unrepentant afterward: "The Indians wanted me to issue a statement of regret when the fine was announced, but I told them to take it out. I apologize for nothing."<ref>{{cite web|title=Albert Belle Quotes|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/quotes/albert_belle_quotes.shtml|work=[[Baseball Almanac]]|access-date=August 6, 2013}}</ref> Eventually, Belle routinely refused to speak with the media whatsoever, explaining that players like [[Steve Carlton]] also did not interview and that he preferred to concentrate on baseball.<ref>{{cite web |last=Enders |first=Eric |date=April 23, 2001 |title=In Defense of Albert Belle |url=http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/primate_studies/discussion/eric_enders_2001-04-23_0 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113751/http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/primate_studies/discussion/eric_enders_2001-04-23_0 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=July 10, 2013 |website=[[Baseball Think Factory]]}}</ref>

Journalist [[Buster Olney]] wrote:
:It was taken as fact in baseball circles that Albert Belle was nuts.... He slurped coffee constantly and seemed to be in a perpetual caffeinated frenzy. Few escaped his wrath; on some days he would destroy the postgame buffet ... launching plates into the shower, and after one poor at-bat against Boston, he retreated to the visitors' clubhouse and took a bat to teammate [[Kenny Lofton]]'s boombox. Belle preferred to have the clubhouse cold, below 60°F, and when one chilly teammate turned up the heat, Belle walked over, turned down the thermostat, and smashed it with his bat. His nickname, thereafter, was "Mr. Freeze." ... The Indians billed him $10,000 a year for the damage he caused in clubhouses on the road and at home, and tolerated his behavior only because he was an awesome slugger....<ref>{{cite book |last1=Olney |first1=Buster |author-link1=Buster Olney |url=https://archive.org/details/lastnightofyan00olne/page/133 |title=The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty |date= |publisher=[[Ecco Press]] |year=2004 |isbn=978-0060515065 |location=New York, NY |pages=[https://archive.org/details/lastnightofyan00olne/page/133 133-134] |url-access=registration}}</ref>

In 2001, following his retirement, ''[[New York Daily News]]''' columnist [[Bill Madden (sportswriter)|Bill Madden]] wrote:
:Sorry, there'll be no words of sympathy here for Albert Belle. He was a surly jerk before he got hurt and now he's a hurt surly jerk....He was no credit to the game. Belle's boorish behavior should be remembered by every member of the [[Baseball Writers' Association of America|Baseball Writers' Association]] when it comes time to consider him for the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Chafets |first=Zev |url=https://archive.org/details/cooperstownconfi00zevc |title=Cooperstown Confidential: Heroes, Rogues, and the Inside Story of the Baseball Hall of Fame |date=July 1, 2009 |publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing]] |isbn=9781608191093 |edition=1st U.S. |location=New York |page=[https://archive.org/details/cooperstownconfi00zevc/page/121 121] |url-access=registration |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>
 
In his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility (2006), he garnered only 7.7% of the baseball writers' votes, missing election by an extremely wide margin.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bloom |first1=Barry M. |date=January 10, 2006 |title=Hall of Fame calls on Sutter |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060110&content_id=1293389&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060908022429/http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060110&content_id=1293389&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb |archive-date=September 8, 2006 |website=[[MLB.com]] |publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]]}}</ref> His vote total, though, was high enough to keep his name on the ballot for the following year. In 2007, he received only 19 votes (3.5%), knocking him off the ballot.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2007 Hall of Fame Voting |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/hof_2007.shtml |access-date=January 2, 2025 |website=[[Baseball Reference]] |language=en}}</ref>

In retirement, Belle had his first encounter with the Cleveland Indians since leaving the club in 1996, during their 2012 spring training in [[Goodyear, Arizona]], and was joined by former teammates Kenny Lofton, [[Sandy Alomar Jr.]], and [[Carlos Baerga]].<ref name="Hoynes" /> In spite of this, Belle declined both to attend the 20th-anniversary celebration of the 1995 World Series team in 2015 and the 2016 ceremony when he was inducted into the Indians team Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite news |date=July 30, 2016 |title=Jim Thome joins Indians Hall of Fame, but Albert Belle a no-show |url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/jim-thome-joins-indians-hall-of-fame-but-albert-belle-a-no-show |work=[[Fox Sports]]}}</ref>

==Legal troubles==
In October 1995, Belle's house in [[Euclid, Ohio]], was [[egging|egged]] by teenagers after he turned away [[Trick-or-treating|trick-or-treaters]] on [[Halloween]]. Belle chased one of the trick-or-treaters in his car.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-11-02-sp-63899-story.html|title=Belle Is Up to Old Tricks on Halloween|last=Florence|first=Mal|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=November 2, 1995|access-date=March 26, 2018}}</ref> Belle was fined $100 for reckless operation of a vehicle. The guardian of the teenager later sued Belle for $850,000, contending that Belle's car had bumped into the teenager.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1996/01/06/belle-sued-over-halloween-incident/|title=Belle Sued Over Halloween Incident|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=January 6, 1996|access-date=March 26, 2018}}</ref> The lawsuit was settled in 1997.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1997/10/24/Albert-Belle-agrees-to-settle-a-lawsuit/6133877665600/|title=Albert Belle agrees to settle a lawsuit|work=[[United Press International]]|date=October 24, 1997|access-date=March 26, 2018}}</ref>

In 2006, Belle was sentenced to 90 days in jail and five years' probation after he admitted to stalking his former girlfriend.<ref name=scottsdale>{{cite news|url=http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/22917635/former-mlb-star-albert-belle-arrested-dui-indecent-exposure-charges-arizona|title=Albert Belle arrested on DUI, indecent exposure charges|work=[[ESPN]]|date=March 26, 2018|access-date=March 26, 2018}}</ref>

On March 25, 2018, Belle was arrested in [[Scottsdale, Arizona]], and charged with [[indecent exposure]] and [[driving under the influence]].<ref name=scottsdale /> All charges were dismissed the following month.<ref>{{cite news |title=Albert Belle's Charges Dismissed In Indecent Exposure Case |url=http://www.tmz.com/2018/04/13/albert-bellle-off-hook-indecent-exposure-charge-dismissed/ |access-date=June 26, 2018 |work=[[TMZ]] |date=April 13, 2018}}</ref>

==Awards and accomplishments==
'''College (LSU):'''
* First team All-SEC (1986, 1987)
* South 1 Regional Tournament MVP (1986)
* Second team All-America (1986)
* Third team All-America (1987)
'''Major League Baseball (Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles):'''
* AL home run leader (1995)
* AL RBI leader (1993, 1995-tied with Mo Vaughn, 1996)
* AL doubles leader (1995-tied with Edgar Martínez)
* AL runs leader (1995-tied with Edgar Martínez)
* AL slugging percentage leader (1995, 1998)
* AL outfield assist leader (RF) (1999-tie)
* Named to Silver Slugger team (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998)
* All-Star (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997)
* First player to ever hit 50 HR and 50 doubles (1995)
* ''The Sporting News'' Player of the Year (1995)
* ''Baseball Digest'' Player of the Year (1995)
* Led major leagues in the 1990s with 1,099 RBIs
* Led major leagues in extra-base hits in the 1990s with 711
* Fourth player ever to have eight straight seasons with 30 HR and 100 RBIs
* Inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (June 2005)
* AL leader in runs created (1998)
* AL leader in OPS+ (1998)
* AL leader in total bases (1994, 1995, 1998)

==See also==
{{Portal|Louisiana|Biography|Baseball}}
{{div col}}
* [[Cleveland Guardians award winners and league leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career OPS leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career putouts as a left fielder leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball career slugging percentage leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball doubles records]]
* [[List of people from Shreveport, Louisiana]]
* [[Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame]]
{{div col end}}
{{clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Baseballstats|mlb=110839 |espn=2205 |br=b/belleal01 |fangraphs=1000802 |brm=belle-001alb |retro=B/Pbellj002}}

{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-ach}}}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Frank Thomas]]<br>[[Garret Anderson]]<br>[[Rafael Palmeiro]]<br>[[Derek Jeter]]<br>[[Rafael Palmeiro]] & [[Iván Rodríguez]]<br>[[Edgar Martínez]]
| title = [[Major League Baseball Player of the Month Award|American League Player of the Month]]
| years = June 1994<br>August & September 1995<br>July 1998<br>September 1998<br>September 1999<br>June 2000
| after = [[Frank Thomas]]<br>[[Frank Thomas (designated hitter)|Frank Thomas]]<br>[[Derek Jeter]]<br>[[Manny Ramírez]]<br>[[Jermaine Dye]]<br>[[Johnny Damon]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{AL home run champions}}
{{AL RBI champions}}
{{AL OF Silver Slugger Award}}
{{50 home run club|state=collapsed}}
{{The Sporting News MLB Player of the Year Award}}
{{Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Belle, Albert}}
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball left fielders]]
[[Category:Baltimore Orioles players]]
[[Category:Chicago White Sox players]]
[[Category:Cleveland Indians players]]
[[Category:American League All-Stars]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Shreveport, Louisiana]]
[[Category:American League home run champions]]
[[Category:American League RBI champions]]
[[Category:African-American baseball players]]
[[Category:Kinston Indians players]]
[[Category:Hyannis Harbor Hawks players]]
[[Category:Chatham Anglers players]]
[[Category:LSU Tigers baseball players]]
[[Category:Canton-Akron Indians players]]
[[Category:Silver Slugger Award winners]]
[[Category:Fraternal twins]]
[[Category:American twins]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]