Reginald Baker (sportsman)

Reginald ( "Snowy " ) Leslie Baker ( born February 8, 1884 in Sydney, † December 2, 1953 in Los Angeles ) was an Australian athlete, Olympic medalist, actor, stuntman and organizer of sports events.

Biography

In the course of his life, Baker is said to have operated not less than 26 sports. It is known that he was multiple student champion in swimming, playing water polo and denied in athletics middle distance races. By profession he was a draftsman. During his military service he took a liking to other sports, such as fencing, wrestling and shooting. In 1904 he was a member of the Rugby Union selection of the state of New South Wales and was with this on a UK tour.

1902 Baker had begun with boxes. 1905 and 1906 he was middleweight champion in the states of New South Wales and Victoria. The end of 1906 he traveled to Britain to be with the aim of British Amateur champion, but he fell ill with pneumonia. Just in time for the Olympic Games in London in 1908, he was fit again. First, he took part in the water and jumping in swimming, reaching the Australian freestyle relay in fourth place. After that he took part in the Olympic boxing tournament and won the middleweight class the silver medal, only in the final he was defeated by Johnny Douglas.

After his return to Australia, Baker operated as a businessman, journalist and Boxringrichter. In addition, he has organized numerous championship boxing matches, and wrote a sports textbook. After he had been involved since 1918 in some Australian films, he moved in 1920 to California, where he aspired to a career as an actor. He played minor roles in some Hollywood films, his stage name was Rex Baker. But as a stuntman, trainer and businessman, he was far more successful.

During the Summer Olympics in 1932, which took place in his adopted hometown of Los Angeles, Baker served as team captain the Australian participants. In 1933 he became director of an exclusive country club in Los Angeles. He played polo and brought numerous Hollywood stars like Greta Garbo, Douglas Fairbanks and the young Elizabeth Taylor riding at.