# Gus Platts
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{{Short description|British boxer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox boxer
| name = Gus Platts
| image = Gus Platte - boxing LCCN2014694652.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| realname = Augustus T. Platts
| nickname = The Sheffield Blade
| weight = [Middleweight](/source/Middleweight), [welterweight](/source/welterweight)
| height =
| reach =
| nationality = British
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1891|10|24}}
| birth_place = [Walkley](/source/Walkley), [Sheffield](/source/Sheffield), England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|1942|12|4|1891|10|24}}
| death_place = [Nottingham](/source/Nottingham), England
| style =
| total =
| wins =
| KO =
| losses =
| draws =
| no contests =
| medaltemplates =
| show-medals =
}}
upright=1.35|thumb|Training for boxers. George Cook, the Australian heavy weight fights with Frank Goddard. Boxers jump rope. Gus Platts will fight Johnny Basham. Duration: 0:36 minutes.
'''Augustus T. Platts''' (24 October 1891 – 4 December 1942) was a [British](/source/British_people) boxer who was British and European [middleweight](/source/middleweight) champion.
==Career==
Platts' first known fight was in 1910. His first defeat came in December that year to Kid Vinton.[{{cite news |title=Boxing in Newcastle: Gus Platts Meets With His First Defeat |work=Sheffield Evening Telegraph |date=19 December 1910 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000276/19101219/127/0005| via = [British Newspaper Archive](/source/British_Newspaper_Archive)|url-access=subscription }}] After building up an impressive record, he won the Yorkshire welterweight title in September 1911. In November that year he beat [Johnny Basham](/source/Johnny_Basham) on points. Undefeated in 1912, he lost in April 1913 to future World welterweight champion [Tom McCormick](/source/Tom_McCormick_(boxer)). 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](/source/British_Army) was arrested after a match against Sergeant McCusker after absenting himself without leave to take part in the fight.[{{cite news |title="Gus" Platts Arrested |work=Birmingham Gazette |date=17 May 1915 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000669/19150517/093/0003| via = [British Newspaper Archive](/source/British_Newspaper_Archive)|url-access=subscription }}] In August 1915 he beat [Tom Gummer](/source/Tom_Gummer) and in December 1916 he drew with Basham.[{{cite news |title=Basham's Close Call |work=Dundee Courier |date=27 December 1916 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000276/19171102/059/0003| via = [British Newspaper Archive](/source/British_Newspaper_Archive)|url-access=subscription }}] In November 1917 he beat [Noel "Boy" McCormick](/source/Noel_%22Boy%22_McCormick) after the latter broke a bone in his hand punching Platts.[{{cite news |title=Win for Gus Platts |work=Sheffield Evening Telegraph |date=2 November 1917 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000276/19171102/059/0003| via = [British Newspaper Archive](/source/British_Newspaper_Archive)|url-access=subscription }}]
Platts won the European middleweight title in February 1921, beating [Ercole de Balzac](/source/Ercole_de_Balzac) in the 7th round.[{{cite news |title=Gus Platts Dead |work=Hull Daily Mail |date=7 December 1942 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19421207/067/0004| via = [British Newspaper Archive](/source/British_Newspaper_Archive)|url-access=subscription }}][{{cite news |title=Platts Beats Balzac |work=Dundee Courier |date=22 February 1921 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000164/19210222/097/0006| via = [British Newspaper Archive](/source/British_Newspaper_Archive)|url-access=subscription }}] 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](/source/Johnny_Basham) on points at the [Royal Albert Hall](/source/Royal_Albert_Hall).[{{cite news |title=Basham Wins Championship from Platts |work=Hartlepool Mail |date=1 June 1921 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000378/19210601/125/0005| via = [British Newspaper Archive](/source/British_Newspaper_Archive)|url-access=subscription }}] He again made the trip to the US where he lost to [Mike McTigue](/source/Mike_McTigue) among others.[{{cite news |title=British Boxers Lose in America |work=Dundee Courier |date=28 September 1921 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000164/19210928/092/0006| via = [British Newspaper Archive](/source/British_Newspaper_Archive)|url-access=subscription }}] He fought Balzac again in January 1922, this time losing to the Frenchman,[{{cite news |title=Balzac Beats Gus Platts on Points |work=Dundee Evening Telegraph |date=17 January 1922 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000563/19220117/105/0007| via = [British Newspaper Archive](/source/British_Newspaper_Archive)|url-access=subscription }}] and continued until May that year, his last fight a defeat to Rene DeVos in [Antwerp](/source/Antwerp).
Platts had a part in the 1922 film ''[The Referee](/source/The_Referee_(1922_film))'' 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](/source/Harry_Reeve).[{{cite news |title=O'Kelly v Gus Platts |work=Hull Daily Mail |date=27 January 1927 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19270127/042/0008| via = [British Newspaper Archive](/source/British_Newspaper_Archive)|url-access=subscription }}] 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.[Mullan, Harry (1997) "[https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/boxing-from-spice-boy-to-man-of-the-world-1268223.html Boxing: From Spice Boy to man of the world]", ''[The Independent](/source/The_Independent)'', 20 April 1997. Retrieved 30 November 2014]
After retiring from boxing, Platts had a successful career as a [wrestler](/source/Wrestling), his first match being in April 1932.[{{cite news |title=Gus Platts: Former Boxer Takes up Wrestling |work=Hull Daily Mail |date=13 April 1932 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19320413/105/0009| via = [British Newspaper Archive](/source/British_Newspaper_Archive)|url-access=subscription }}] He went on to become a boxing manager and promoter, and also a referee.[{{cite news |title=Gus Platts in Derby: Former Champion to Referee Sports Ground Fights |work=Derby Daily Telegraph |date=10 May 1932 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000520/19320510/071/0009| via = [British Newspaper Archive](/source/British_Newspaper_Archive)|url-access=subscription }}]
Platts married Grace Gite and after retiring from boxing was a [publican](/source/publican), running a public house in Petre Street in Sheffield, before moving to [Nottingham](/source/Nottingham) where he ran the White Hart Inn in Glasshouse Street.[{{cite news |title=Funeral of Mr. Gus Platts |work=Nottingham Evening Post |date=9 December 1942 |accessdate=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000321/19421209/019/0004| via = [British Newspaper Archive](/source/British_Newspaper_Archive)|url-access=subscription }}]
Gus Platts died on 4 December 1942 in a Nottingham hospital after a long illness;["Sheffield Telegraph Obituaries 1850 - c. 1970 Surnames P - T", sheffield.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 November 2014] he was 51.