Hanover death notice – Aug 21 1975

Hanover obituary – Aug 20 1975

His wife Frances Hannah Michaelson Hanover passed away on September 6, 2001.

The Associated Press wrote an article about Eli Hanover’s legacy shortly after his passing. It is copied here.

Boxing Loses A Great

By GORDON BEARD
AP Regional Sports Editor

In a world where there are far too many tomato cans running around loose, it’s a crying shame we can’t hold onto a few genuine human beings a little longer.

Eli Hanover, the tireless fight promoter, was buried last week- down for the 10 count at age 54, long before his time.

He’ll be missed, and not only for the colorful language that made him appear to be a Damon Runyon character come to life.

But, since that was so much a part of Eli, we can’t let some of his memorable comments go without notice. He love to grab a piece of the publicity action, so we’re certain he wouldn’t mind this parting gesture.

The forementioned tomato can was Eli’s way of describing a fighter who was a bum or a stiff.

He didn’t mind telling you about the tomato cans, but he’d much rather rattle off rave notices about the better boxers when he was trying to build the gate.

In describing Bobo Renfrow once, Eli said if the heavy-weight ever put it all together “it’ll be like watching Mickey Mantle come to bat nine straight times.”

Another time talking about an upcoming bout between two sluggers, he said: “I’m thinking of selling advertising space on the bottoms of their sneakers.”

At a Capital Centre news conference earlier this year, with four or five of his fighters sitting at a makeshift headtable, Eli asked reporters “Do you have any more questions while these guys are still on the diocese”

OK, so maybe he didn’t have command of the English language, but he leveled with you even when he was trying to promote.

Once, in a telephone call describing one of his bouts for publication, Eli caught himself in mid-superlative, but then added “I’m not speaking from a fight promotor’s standpoint, but from a fan’s standpoint”

If that’s how Eli Hanover will be remembered, it won’t be as a mockery, but more with good humor and affection.

A former amateur boxer who later became an elected union official with the Seafarers International, Eli filled the void in local boxing. He promoted his first show Sept. 23, 1965 and for 10 years he just about sustained the sport in the area all alone.

With a wife and nine children, he had to hustle. But he always did anyway.

“I remember a time when he was 12 years old, going from bar to bar down on the Block shining shoes,” recalls Charles Armetta, who had joined with Hanover after selling his barber shop. “I was about 16 then and I used to help him out by giving him haircuts for nothing.”

“He was kind and considerate” Armetta said of the old friend who later owned a bar in Baltimore’s honky-tonk section. “He was a dedicated, hard worker who enjoyed life”

Eli recovered from a serious operation early in the year, but he had to go back into the hospital last month a day after he promoted the Leo Saenz-Emil Griffith bout at the Capital Centre.

When doctors finally found out what was wrong with Eli they wanted to withhold the news from him.

Washington Post: Elbows, Fists, At Ready At Center — April 14, 1977

“As a sort of incentive which also honors the memory of the late Centre and Baltimore promoter Eli Hanover, a trophy representing the Maryland-District of Columbia middleweight championship is up for grabs in the Baker-Palladin bout.”

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Audio & Video Tributes

To honor Eli’s memory, here’s a neighborhood film from his era and two radio features about his Baltimore boxing legacy.

Welcome Home: A Portrait of East Baltimore, 1975–1980 — a visual backdrop to the streets and communities Eli knew.

Eli Hanover — Apple Podcasts

A short radio feature on Eli’s gym above the Jewel Box on “The Block” and his Fighttown Baltimore dream.

▶︎ Open Show, play “Eli Hanover (2021-03-05)”

If the episode list doesn’t jump straight to it, scroll to the **03/10/2021** entries and tap **“Eli Hanover 2021-03-05”**.

Eli Hanover (Encore) — Apple Podcasts

An earlier broadcast about Eli’s 1940s roots and the lively training scene off East Baltimore Street.

▶︎ Open Show, play “Eli Hanover (Encore) 2018-06-19”

On Apple, use the show’s **See All (296)** to browse older episodes, then select the **Encore (2018)** item.

Audio courtesy of WYPR: Gil Sandler’s Baltimore Stories. Linked via Apple Podcasts for consistent playback.