Steven James Silver was born on March 24, 1944 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His father, Alexander, was born in Russia and worked as a salesman photographer. He traveled door-to-door offering to take pictures of families and selling them portrait packages. This was a precursor to when people would go to Sears to get their family portraits taken in the latter part of last century. Steve’s mother, Molly, was born in Minnesota, and had four children.
The Silvers lived in the North Side area of Minneapolis, historically a hub of Jewish life in the city. It was the largest Jewish area between Chicago and Denver. In the mid-1940s, Minneapolis was described as “the capital of antisemitism in the United States.” Mayor Hubert Humphrey worked tirelessly to combat that reputation and help transform the city into a Civil Rights leader for Jews and Blacks.
Steve began competing as an amateur in 1960, representing Unity House. That year, the 15-year old lightweight made it to the finals of the Minneapolis Golden Gloves in the novice division, known as Class C. Silver was stopped in the second round of the finals against Doug MacArthur. He moved down to featherweight later that February.
Silver moved back up to lightweight for 1961 and fought in several local tournaments. By 1962, he had moved up to Class A and fought Gary Nadeau in the featured bout of one Golden Gloves preliminary show. He won the city Golden Gloves that year, decisioning Dave Christian. He was recognized as “an outstanding boxer” and “highly regarded.”
Molly sometimes watched her son’s fights. She stood in the back, pacing nervously. Luckily for Molly, Steve was a skillful boxer who preferred to counterpunch rather than brawl.
While attending the University of Minnesota, Steve moved to welterweight in 1964 and made the finals of the city Golden Gloves, falling to southpaw Ron Lyke. Lyke would go on to win the Upper Midwest Golden Gloves championship.
Two years later, Silver won the city Golden Gloves welterweight title by defeating Rafael Rodriguez in the finals. He made it to the semifinals of the Upper Midwest Golden Gloves. Rodriguez, who got in as an alternate, won the title. Nevertheless, Steve was elected the tournament’s “Best Sportsman.” In a rematch between Silver and Rodriguez a week later designed to help Rodriguez prepare for the National Golden Gloves, Silver won by split decision. Steve was named as Minneapolis’s best Jewish athlete in 1966, earning him the Hy Truman Memorial Award.
In 1967, Silver moved over to the East Side Gym. He faced Rodriguez again in the city Golden Gloves final, this time at junior welterweight. Silver landed left hooks to the body, but the judges preferred Rodriguez’s “showy head shots.” Nicknamed “The Rifle,” Rodriguez won the Upper Midwest Golden Gloves again that year, repeated in 1968, and won the welterweight tournament in 1970. He went on to have a long pro career, facing several champions: Billy Backus, Hedgemon Lewis, Bruce Curry, a win over Denny Moyer, and went the distance against “Sugar” Ray Leonard in Baltimore.
The next year, Silver fell in the city finals again, this time to Gary Kemling. He moved up to middleweight before the end of the year, but decided to turn pro. He won his debut on February 26, 1969, a three-round stoppage victory against Bobby Crawford.
Two weeks later, Steve faced Frank Jimenez. Despite a 1-1-1 record, Jimenez had achieved a similar level of amateur success, was the naturally bigger man, and outweighed Silver by five pounds. Jimenez won by decision. Two weeks after that, he beat 3-0 Simon Maestros by split decision.
Silver then got a new team, including manager Gene Fesenmaier and trainer Floyd Joyner. Joyner was a recently retired heavyweight who had fight professionally for 14 years. He fought Bobby Hill in June. Silver and Hill had both worked as sparring partners for veteran Duane Horsman. Silver won the battle of the sparring partners by decision. Minnesota Twins pitcher Dean Chance was reportedly in Silver’s corner for the fight.
Tom Anderson, a local promoter getting back in the game after several years away, said, “Good Jewish boxers have always done well in Minneapolis, and Steve Silver can be brought along.” Things were looking up.
Two days later, Silver out-pointed late substitute Tom Heisler. After a draw in July, Silver got the opportunity to spar with Emile Griffith.
On October 6, Silver won a snooze-fest against fellow counterpuncher Chuck Lewis on a show promoted by Anderson. That turned out to be Silver’s last pro fight. He finished with a record of 5-1-1 with one KO.
After his career, he moved to California. Marriages to Arlene and Roxine ended in divorce. When he died on October 25, 2025 at the age of 81, he was survived by his two daughters, Alondra and Dawn, three grandchildren, and one great grandchild.
Sources
Connor, Jack. “Golden Gloves ‘Families’ Do Well in Tournament.” The Minneapolis Star. Feb. 19, 1966. Pg. 12.
Cullum, Dick. “Boswell Upset by Morgan in Golden Gloves.” The Minneapolis Star Tribune. Feb. 12, 1967. Pg. 47.
Cullum, Dick. “Dick Cullum.” The Minneapolis Star Tribune. May 6, 1969. Pg. 23.
Hengen, Bill. “Roaming Around.” Minneapolis Star. Sep. 16, 1966. Pg. 31.
“Minnesota Edges Rochester for Golden Gloves Team Championship.” The Austin Daily Herald. Feb. 22, 1966. Pg. 8.
“Silver, Harmon Finish Workouts.” The Minnesota Star Tribune. Jun. 22, 1969. Pg. 54.
Stone King, Dan. “Chance Makes Pitch – Boxing, not Baseball.” The Minneapolis Star Tribune. June 18, 1969. Pg. 57.