Eddie Booker
Name: Eddie Booker
Alias: Black Dynamite
Birth Name: Hilton Edward Booker
Hometown: San Jose, California, USA
Birthplace: Alto, Texas, USA
Died: 1975-01-26 (Age:57)
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 175cm
Reach: 185cm
Pro Boxer: Record
Division: Middleweight
Trainer: John Burdick
Managers: John Burdick, Frank Schuler (1941)
Biography
Eddie Booker is another of the often-ignored black fighters that campaigned in the United States during the 1930's and 40's. A slick boxing defensive stylist with decent power in both hands -- particularly the left hook-- Booker beat some of the better fighters of his time.
An accomplished, title-winning amateur around his adopted home town of San Jose, Eddie Booker was popular with the fans from the minute he turned professional under the management of local boxing guru John Burdick. Although his pilot was often criticised for being far too selective when considering opponents for his charge, Eddie did his part by defeating most of the men that were put in front of him
With a well-developed and muscular physique, Eddie Booker had the strength and ability to 'mix-it-up' when the chips were down and was happy to either fight or box -- he genuinely loved to be in the ring. Compared by some to heavyweight great Jack Johnson in regards to his ability to catch a punch and deliver a blow in the same motion with the same hand, Eddie was a methodical, conservative workman who used his mind along with his fists.
He was unbeaten in his first 44 bouts, then lost back-to-back decisions to Fritzie Zivic and Cocoa Kid. He rebounded with a string of knockout victories before taking time out during 1940 due to badly damaged hands.
Victories against some of the better west coast battlers, such as the Hogue twins, Bobby Birch, and Lloyd Marshall earned him a world-ranking and a crack at the California State middleweight title, which he lost over 15 close fought rounds to the brilliant Jack Chase. A match with the legendary Charley Burley never materialised with Eddie confessing to a sparring partner that the Burley was "Just about the best there is out there."
In his last year as a professional fighter -- despite rapidly deteriorating eyesight -- Booker scored knockouts over Paul Hartnek (a heavyweight) and Archie Moore. A points victory over classy Holman Williams wrapped up a nine-year, 83-fight career for the unheralded and long forgotten Booker.
Considered a perfect gentleman in and out of the ring, it has been said that Eddie Booker was not only the tragic victim of racism in boxing, but also of the seedier, slimy underbelly of the professional fight game. An incident in the ring involving a doctored pair of gloves led to terrible eye injuries that just would not heal. Eddie lived his remaining years blind.
- Dec 10, 1934: Won San Francisco Golden Gloves, 135 lbs
- CBZ Bio
- Brother of boxer Earle Booker and uncle of Kim Booker.