Sparky Paris

Name: Sparky Paris
Birth Name: Hugh Paris
Hometown: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada
Birthplace: New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada
Died: 2014-03-08 (Age:91)
Judge: Record
Pro Boxer: Record

Brother of Percy Paris

Obituary

NEW GLASGOW - Hugh “Sparky” Paris, 91, New Glasgow, passed away Saturday, March 8, 2014 at home, surrounded by his loving family.

Born in New Glasgow, he was a son of the late Rosie Paris. Fondly known as Sparky, he was a self-employed businessperson, providing sanitation services in the New Glasgow area until the age of 89. He employed many young men, providing them with work, while teaching them ethics and life skills. Sparky began working at the age of eight to care for his family, delivering 600 newspapers daily for one penny a paper. At the age of 18 while working at Maritime Steel making artillery supplies for the war effort, he was approached one morning by two men promoting a local boxing match. For a promise of $25 for a full house, he agreed to fight and having never boxed before, trained himself for the fight. Sparky fought about 25 fights and was never knocked out. Following his ring career, he became a referee and trainer. He operated “The Paris Boys Gym”, New Glasgow from 1942-1964 and had 40 amateur and professional fighters, black and white, training in his gym at one time. Sparky was inducted into the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame, the Nova Scotia Sports Heritage Hall of Fame and the Pictou County Boxing Hall of Fame. He was a member and Honorary Chairperson of the Pictou County Heritage Sports Hall of Fame.