Francis George Parks (March 1875 – 22 May 1945) was a British amateur

heavyweight Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling. Boxing Professional Boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 3 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the Wo ...

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.Sources tend to confuse and conflate the two brothers. There is a "Frederick Mostyn Parks" listed in

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as the Olympic medalist. There is "F. Parks" and "Frank Parks" listed in ''

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'' for the exhibition matches in the US. The obituary by the

Polytechnic Boxing Club The Polytechnic Boxing Club for amateur boxing was formed in 1888 and located at 309 Regent Street in London. The name "Polytechnic" comes from the Royal Polytechnic Institute having been formerly at that address which would later become the home ...

is about "Frank Parks". Other sources use a pastiche of information on each in their records. On January 2, 2011, Elaine Penn, the University Archivist for the University of Westminster wrote: "I have just discovered that Fred and Frank Parks are brothers. I quote from the Poly Boxing Club report in the Polytechnic Magazine for December 1908 (page 173), regarding an Open Competition promoted by the City Police AC: 'Fred. Parks (Frank’s brother) was our other member who showed up most conspicuously, as he beat three men in the earlier bouts and succumbed in the final only through not having enough physical strength to meet a comparatively fresh man who had just had the benefit of a bye. We must say that we were delighted with the manner in which Fred boxed during the whole of the evening, and we feel certain that before long he will become a boxer with reputation very little short of that held by his brother Frank.' " He joined the

in 1892, and won the Studd Trophy in 1902. He also won a bronze medal at the

1908 Summer Olympics The 1908 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the IV Olympiad and also known as London 1908) were an international multi-sport event held in London, England, United Kingdom, from 27 April to 31 October 1908. The 1908 Games were ori ...

Biography

He was born in March 1875 in

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, to George Parks and Eliza Ann Barrington. Around 1896 he married Ada Sarah Waller in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and they had the following children: Maud Lilian Parks (1897–1983), Francis George Parks (1898–?); Rose Gladys Parks (1900–?), Ivy Mary Parks (1904–?), and Olive Eva Parks (1907–1991). He was the ABA Heavyweight Champion in 1899, 1901, 1902, 1905 and 1906. In 1911 he and

Reuben Charles Warnes Reuben Charles Warnes (12 October 1875 - 16 January 1961) was a boxing middleweight champion who participated in the 1908 Summer Olympics. He lost the Olympic bout to Johnny Douglas. He was a member of the Gainsford Amateur Boxing Club. Biograp ...

went to the

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with the Amateur Boxing Association of England to fight in

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in a series of exhibition bouts. In one of the 1911 matches in the

he lost to William Spengler in three rounds on a referee's decision. He died on 22 May 1945 in

Hampstead Hampstead () is an area in London, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, and extends from Watling Street, the A5 road (Roman Watling Street) to Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland. The area forms the northwest part of the Lon ...

, in a car crash.

Championships

* Amateur Boxing Association of England heavyweight championships in 1899, 1901, 1902, 1905 and 1906. *French Boxing Championship in 1905.

Legacy

A plaque in the shape of a laurel wreath was dedicated to Frank Parks by the

"as a token of admiration by his many friends for his high example and untiring effort for the welfare of club for 52 years". The plaque is dated 7 November 1946.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Parks, Frank Heavyweight boxers 1875 births Polytechnic Boxing Club 1945 deaths England Boxing champions Olympic bronze medallists for Great Britain Boxers at the 1908 Summer Olympics English male boxers Road incident deaths in London

Biography

Championships

Legacy

See also

References

External links