James's propensity for using hip checks garnered notoriety in the Erie County Field House, home of the Blades.
[6] He was not the first Black American to be exclusively trained in the country; that milestone did not occur until 1996, when Mike Grier made his NHL debut.
Spirited bouts and victories over noted enforcers Terry O'Reilly and John Kordic were part of his record.
One of the NHL's all-time top enforcers, Dave Brown, singled out James as one of the hardest punching players, and toughest opponents, he had ever fought.
[13] In January 2017 ECW Press re-released the book in paperback format, again coinciding with Black History Month.