Bookie began his athletic career as a minor league baseball player playing shortstop in Pittsburgh.

In December 1929, he moved to Cleveland Slavia of the Mid-West Professional League.

He may have played for other Cleveland teams before finishing his career with Pittsburgh Curry Silver Tops.

In the only official international game of the tour, Bookie earned his only national team cap in a 4–3 loss to Brazil.

[2] He enlisted in the Army in 1944 and died after being accidentally killed by machine gunfire during a training simulation.