Frankie Fowser

Name: Frankie Fowser
Alias: Fighting Blacksmith
Birth Name: Frank B. Fowzer
Hometown: El Paso, Texas, USA
Birthplace: Laredo, Texas, USA
Died: 1967-06-30 (Age:74)
Height: 177cm
Reach: 184cm
Pro Boxer: Record
Amateur Boxer: Record

Career Review

Frankie Fowswer was born in Laredo, Texas around 1894. His father was of German descent, and originally a Kentuckian. He fought until 1915 in the El Paso, Texas area primarily and fought frequently in Mexican border towns during this period. He excelled as a welterweight, but fought early in his career as a lightweight. He was 5' 9 1/2 inches tall with a reach of 72 1/4 inches, tall and lanky for a welterweight. He apprenticed as a horseshoe maker in El Paso with a J. T. O' Rourke, and continued his trade in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he moved around early December of 1915 and where several members of the horseshoer's Union Local No. 12, helped him with his boxing career. Judging by his BoxRec record, Fowswer probably moved out West again around 1918. He was described as having a "quiet, polite, and dignified manner." Ringnames included "The Fighting Blacksmith" and many called him "Tex".

On March 6, 1916, he lost a ten round bout to one of his more formidible opponents, Willie Brennan, who fought Harry Greb twice, Jack "Twin" Sullivan, Jack Britton, and Ted "Kid" Lewis. Perry Lewis, whom he fought twice, Eddie Johnson, and Speedball Hayden were also competent opponents. In February of 1915, he defeated Abe Hollandersky in a twenty round bout. Hollandersky, who had won the Heavyweight championship of Panama in May 1913, was seven years older, nearing the end of his career, and with a five inch height disadvantage, lacked reach.

One of his first fights was in El Paso, a six rounder with Johnny Dean in 1913, which he won, according to the International Horseshoer's Monthly, dated January 1916, Volume XVII, pg. 19, where this information is drawn. He came to Cincinnati, Ohio, in early December 1915, where he continued his boxing. A number of additional fights are listed in this publication but they are mostly undated.

In retirement, the El Paso Herald noted he had made money in oil, according to their June 9, 1942 article "Frankie Fowser Here", pg. 7, and moving up in weight, had been a prominent Middleweight boxer near the end of his career.