Bell was at first base when Barry Bonds broke MLB's all-time home run record on August 7, 2007.

He was at third base on August 24, 2012, when Adrián Beltré of the Texas Rangers hit for the cycle against the Minnesota Twins.

The last games he worked were the 2013 National League Division Series playoffs between the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals which ended the week before he died.

[5] As a tribute, umpires wore a black and white "WB" patch on their uniform sleeves for Games 4 of both League Championship Series through the remainder of the 2013 postseason and 2014 season while a moment of silence was observed at Detroit's Comerica Park and Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium, host sites of Game 4 of the 2013 ALCS and NLCS.

After Game 3 in Los Angeles, MLB Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Joe Torre and NLCS crew chief Gerry Davis held a press conference to discuss Bell's death.