Freddie Steele, the renowned former World Middleweight Boxing Champion, was born Frederick Earl Burgett on December 18, 1912, in the vibrant city of Seattle, Washington.
Growing up, Freddie was deeply influenced by his childhood idol, local fighter and world champion Todd Morgan, and decided to follow in his footsteps, embarking on a professional boxing career at the tender age of 14 in 1926.
Over the course of his illustrious career, Freddie participated in more than 100 fights, ultimately capturing the World Middleweight Championship (National Boxing Association version) from champion William "Gorilla" Jones on January 1, 1937.
However, Freddie's life took a dramatic turn due to a series of auto accidents and a severe kidney problem, which marked the beginning of his downward spiral. He lost the championship less than two years later in a stunning first-round shocker to local rival Al Hostak.
Despite this setback, Freddie remained committed to his craft and continued to work in the entertainment industry as a boxing double and later as a character actor. He even made an unsuccessful ring comeback on May 23, 1941, at the Hollywood, California Legion Stadium, being stopped in 5 rounds by Jimmy Casino.
Freddie's acting career was marked by outstanding performances in films such as Hail The Conquering Hero alongside Eddie Bracken and G.I. Joe with Robert Mitchum. However, his acting career eventually came to an end in the late 1940s, and he went on to run a local tavern with his family for over 20 years.
The great champion passed away on August 22, 1984, at the age of 71, leaving behind a remarkable career boxing record of 125-5-11, with an impressive 60 knockout victories.
