Edward "Eddie" Crook Jr. (April 19, 1929 – July 25, 2005) won a gold medal for the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

as a

boxing Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...

teammate of

Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...

in the

1960 Summer Olympics The 1960 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad () and commonly known as Rome 1960 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 25 August to 11 September 1960 in Rome, Italy. Rome had previously been awar ...

. Crook was also a member of

Omega Psi Phi Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. () is a List of African-American fraternities, historically African-American Fraternities and sororities, fraternity. It was founded on November 17, 1911 at Howard University. Omega Psi Phi is a founding member of ...

fraternity.

Amateur career

Boxing out of Detroit, Crook was an Olympic gold medalist for the United States at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, in the 165 pound class. Crook defeated Tadeusz Walasek of Poland in the gold medal match by 3-2 decision. Reportedly he was the oldest Army boxer to ever win an Olympic gold medal. He had no professional career.

1960 Olympic results

Below is the record of Eddie Crook Jr., an American middleweight boxer who competed at the 1960 Rome Olympics: * Round of 32: defeated Fidel Odreman (Venezuela) by a first-round knockout * Round of 16: defeated Peter Odhiambo (Uganda) by decision, 5–0 * Quarterfinal: defeated Chang Lo-pu (Formosa) by a third-round knockout * Semifinal: defeated Ion Monea (Romania) by a second-round knockout * Final: defeated Tadeusz Walasek (Poland) by decision, 3-2 (won gold medal)

Life after boxing

After winning his gold medal, Crook served two tours in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

as a command sergeant major in the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

. He received two

Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the president to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, ...

s, a

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against a ...

, two

Bronze Star The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...

s and an

Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establi ...

and was a boxing coach at

Fort Benning Fort Benning (named Fort Moore from 2023–2025) is a United States Army post in the Columbus, Georgia area. Located on Georgia's border with Alabama, Fort Benning supports more than 120,000 active-duty military, family members, reserve compone ...

, Georgia. Crook was quarterback of the Berlin Bears, earning All-Army honors and named "Most Valuable Player." He earned a degree in Business Management from

Troy State University Troy University is a public university in Troy, Alabama, United States. It was founded in 1887 as Troy State Normal School within the Alabama State University System, and is now the flagship university of the Troy University System. It was one ...

. Crook then served as ROTC Instructor at

Alcorn State Alcorn State University (Alcorn State, ASU or Alcorn) is a public historically black land-grant university adjacent to Lorman, Mississippi. It was founded in 1871 and was the first black land grant college established in the United States. T ...

in Mississippi.

Death

Crook died on July 25, 2005, of natural causes in

Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama. Named for Continental Army major general Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River on the Gulf Coastal Plain. The population was 2 ...

. He was 76. Crook and his wife Fannie Marie Rogers were buried at the

Fort Benning Main Post Cemetery Fort Moore Main Post Cemetery is a military cemetery at Fort Benning in Georgia. Over 10,000 United States Army soldiers and their dependents have been interred at the 8.38-acre facility since it was established in 1922. The first recorded interm ...

. He had eight children and seventeen grandchildren.https://www.paradisefuneralchapel.com/obituaries/melinda-jean-crook/ref>

References

External links

AP obituary via Yahoo!
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crook, Eddie Jr. 1929 births 2005 deaths Boxers from Detroit American male boxers Middleweight boxers Olympic boxers for the United States Boxers at the 1960 Summer Olympics Olympic gold medalists for the United States in boxing Medalists at the 1960 Summer Olympics United States Army non-commissioned officers United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War Recipients of the Air Medal Recipients of the Silver Star Troy University alumni 20th-century American sportsmen