Gus Platts

Augustus T. Platts (24 October 1891 – 4 December 1942) was a British boxer who was British and European middleweight champion.

Gus Platts
Statistics
Real nameAugustus T. Platts
Nickname(s)The Sheffield Blade
Weight(s)Middleweight, welterweight
NationalityBritish
Born(1891-10-24)24 October 1891
Walkley, Sheffield, England
Died4 December 1942(1942-12-04) (aged 51)
Nottingham, England

Career

Platts' first known fight was in 1910. His first defeat came in December that year to Kid Vinton.[1] After building up an impressive record, he won the Yorkshire welterweight title in September 1911. In November that year he beat Johnny Basham on points. Undefeated in 1912, he lost in April 1913 to future World welterweight champion Tom McCormick. After a Summer fighting in the US, he fought McCormick again in September, this time winning a 20-round points decision. He travelled to Australia for a series of fights in early 1914. In May 1915 Platts, at the time a Private in the British Army was arrested after a match against Sergeant McCusker after absenting himself without leave to take part in the fight.[2] In August 1915 he beat Tom Gummer and in December 1916 he drew with Basham.[3] In November 1917 he beat Noel "Boy" McCormick after the latter broke a bone in his hand punching Platts.[4]

Platts won the European middleweight title in February 1921, beating Ercole de Balzac in the 7th round.[5][6] He defended the title successfully against Gummer a month later, taking the British title in the process. He lost both titles in May that year after losing to Johnny Basham on points at the Royal Albert Hall.[7] He again made the trip to the US where he lost to Mike McTigue among others.[8] He fought Balzac again in January 1922, this time losing to the Frenchman,[9] and continued until May that year, his last fight a defeat to Rene DeVos in Antwerp.

Platts had a part in the 1922 film The Referee playing a boxer, credited as 'Gus Platz'.

He made a comeback to boxing in 1927, winning his first fight back against fellow veteran Harry Reeve.[10] After a loss to Con O'Kelly and a win over Rocky Knight, his final fight was a loss to future British heavyweight contender Don Shortland on 7 March.

In a career of over 200 fights, Platts was never knocked out.[11]

After retiring from boxing, Platts had a successful career as a wrestler, his first match being in April 1932.[11][12] He went on to become a boxing manager and promoter, and also a referee.[13]

Platts married Grace Gite and after retiring from boxing was a publican, running a public house in Petre Street in Sheffield, before moving to Nottingham where he ran the White Hart Inn in Glasshouse Street.[14]

Gus Platts died on 4 December 1942 in a Nottingham hospital after a long illness;[15] he was 51.[5][14] His funeral was held at Wilford Hill.[14]

References
  1. "Boxing in Newcastle: Gus Platts Meets With His First Defeat". Sheffield Evening Telegraph. 19 December 1910. Retrieved 30 November 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. ""Gus" Platts Arrested". Birmingham Gazette. 17 May 1915. Retrieved 30 November 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. "Basham's Close Call". Dundee Courier. 27 December 1916. Retrieved 30 November 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. "Win for Gus Platts". Sheffield Evening Telegraph. 2 November 1917. Retrieved 30 November 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "Gus Platts Dead". Hull Daily Mail. 7 December 1942. Retrieved 30 November 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "Platts Beats Balzac". Dundee Courier. 22 February 1921. Retrieved 30 November 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "Basham Wins Championship from Platts". Hartlepool Mail. 1 June 1921. Retrieved 30 November 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "British Boxers Lose in America". Dundee Courier. 28 September 1921. Retrieved 30 November 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "Balzac Beats Gus Platts on Points". Dundee Evening Telegraph. 17 January 1922. Retrieved 30 November 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "O'Kelly v Gus Platts". Hull Daily Mail. 27 January 1927. Retrieved 30 November 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. Mullan, Harry (1997) "Boxing: From Spice Boy to man of the world", The Independent, 20 April 1997. Retrieved 30 November 2014
  12. "Gus Platts: Former Boxer Takes up Wrestling". Hull Daily Mail. 13 April 1932. Retrieved 30 November 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. "Gus Platts in Derby: Former Champion to Referee Sports Ground Fights". Derby Daily Telegraph. 10 May 1932. Retrieved 30 November 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. "Funeral of Mr. Gus Platts". Nottingham Evening Post. 9 December 1942. Retrieved 30 November 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. "Sheffield Telegraph Obituaries 1850 - c. 1970 Surnames P - T", sheffield.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 November 2014
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