Joe Benjamin

Name: Joe Benjamin
Alias: Sheik of San Joaquin
Hometown: San Francisco, California, USA
Birthplace: Portland, Oregon, USA
Died: 1983-07-05 (Age:84)
Stance: Orthodox
Pro Boxer: Record
Amateur Boxer: Record

Managers: Johnny Judge; Paul Steele
Photo #2

Joe Benjamin got his start in manager Johnny Judge's gym, which became the Brown Hotel, Spokane, Washington. Per the Dec. 30, 1915 Tacoma Daily News, Richard L. McQuade (Dick McQuade) became his manager. (McQuade also managed middleweight Romeo Hagen.) However, Benjamin denied this and stated that Tacoman Paul Steele was handling his affairs.[1] Benjamin was also managed by Sol Cohn very early on. (See the Jan. 10, 1916 TDN.) Won the Pacific Coast Lightweight Title in June of 1920 knocking out the reigning champion Harold Jones in 2 rds. And claimed the Pacific Coast Featherweight Title in 1916. For his two most important professional titles. On October 26, 1924, Benjamin and his manager at the time, S. B. Weinberg, both escaped death at Albany, Oregon, when their car skidded on wet pavement and capsized, pinning them underneath the vehicle.

In 1925, Benjamin retired from boxing to become member of the Hollywood film colony. He served with the US Marines during World War II.