Pete Booker

James Booker

• Bats Right, Throws Right

• Born 1886 in Richmond, VA USA
• Died September 27, 1922 in Chicago, IL USA

Biographical Information

A prominent Negro League catcher in the Deadball Era, Pete Booker got his start with the 1905 Philadelphia Giants, going 1 for 12 against other top black teams. He batted .160 for Philadelphia the next season and went 0 for 3 against the Philadelphia A's, then in 1907 moved to the Leland Giants. He went 5 for 15 against his former team in a matchup of the top black teams from the east and midwest; Booker led the Leland club in hitting. He hit .206 in 1908 but again fared well against Philadelphia. He was just 1 for 9 in a series against the Chicago Cubs.

When Bruce Petway joined the Leland Giants in 1910 Booker was moved to first base and hit .258. He hit only .222 in a series in a 9-game series in Cuba. Booker went back east in 1911 and joined the New York Lincoln Giants. For the Lincolns, Pete posted a .405 mark, second in the east. He was 0 for 5 in a game against Walter Johnson. In 1912 he was again second in the east, at .333, second to Louis Santop - the 1911-1912 stretch clearly represented his prime.

In 1913 Booker played for the Brooklyn Royal Giants and Schenectady Mohawk Giants. The next season he found himself splitting time with Petway and hitting .238 for the Chicago American Giants. Switching to the rival Chicago Giants, he hit .125 in 1915. He stayed with the fading Chicago club through 1918 and wrapped up his career in 1919 as the first baseman for the Indianapolis ABCs, hitting .182.