OVERSEAS BOXER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19338, 31 May 1937, Page 14

OVERSEAS BOXER

"TIGER" PARKS ARRIVES PREPARING FOR JUNE 9 The overseas negro boxer, |Charles ("Ti"er") Parks, who is to meet Barney Downes in a contest in Gisborne on .'June 9. arrived here yesterday and his first impressions of this district were decidedly complimentary. He did not wonder at the success of Tom Ileeney in tlie boxing world after he bad had" a sample of the climate in which Heeney was born and bred. Ileeney had the heart of a lion and Parks said he admired him as a fighter who could be knocked down and still come back for more. Heeney had made his name against fighters of his stamp, but he met a master boxer in Gene Tunney. . ,

A product of Oakland. California, Parks grew up in a boxing atmosphere among such personalities as Joe Herman, Archie Bradley. Sam McVeagh, George Godfrey, Mike' McClure, and others. He :s 26 years old and has been boxing professionally for about 10 years. His record includes victories over "Babe" Marino, who has visited Australia and who recently met a tragic death in the United 'States, "Kid" 'Kaplan, Paul Delaney, and Chain Chick. He has also drawn with Vera! Whitehead, who beat "Gorilla" Jones when Jones was world champion.

Parks lias talents which he has exercised outside the boxing ring, having toured the United States as a singer, dancer, and pianist, and also appeared in films, including "Ben Hur," "Flying Down to Rio." and "Tarzan of the Apes."

He started his roadwork in OistJorne this morning and his gymnasium training will be commenced this evening. He will be present to-morrow evening at tlie first open night among members an<! friends of Johnny Summers' gymnasium and on Wednesday night he has accepted an invitation to be present at the tourtmment to he held in Te Karaka.