George Swinnerton Parker facts for kids

George Swinnerton Parker (born December 12, 1866 – died September 26, 1952) was an American game designer and a smart businessman. He is famous for starting two big game companies: Geo. S. Parker Co. and later, Parker Brothers. He believed that games should be fun and enjoyable, not just about teaching lessons.

Early Life and First Game

George Parker was born in Salem, Massachusetts. From a young age, he loved games. He thought many games at the time were too focused on teaching morals. He wanted to create games that were simply fun to play.

When he was just 16 years old, in 1883, George created his first game called Banking. This was a card game where players borrowed money from a bank. They then tried to earn more money by guessing how well they would do. The game had 160 cards that would tell players about their successes or failures.

Banking became very popular with his family and friends. His brother, Charles Parker, told him he should try to sell it. George tried to get two publishers in Boston to print his game, but they said no.

Starting His Own Company

Even though he was turned down, George didn't give up. He spent $40 of his own money to make 500 copies of Banking. He sold almost all of them, making a profit of $100! This showed him that his idea was a good one.

In 1883, George started his own game company. He first called it the Geo. S. Parker & Company. He started it in his hometown of Medford, Massachusetts. After Banking, he made two more games: Famous Men, another card game, and Baker's Dozen, a board game designed by one of his teachers.

In 1885, George's family moved back to Salem. There, he published four more card games. These included The Dickens Game, Ivanhoe, Speculation, and Great Battlefields.

Parker Brothers Grows

In 1888, George's brother Charles joined the company. This is when the company's name changed to the more famous Parker Brothers. Later, in 1898, their third brother, Edward H. Parker, also joined the business.

For many years, George Parker designed most of the games himself. He also wrote all the rules for them. Many of the games he created were based on important events happening at the time. For example, Klondike was about the Alaskan gold rush. War in Cuba was based on the upcoming Spanish–American War.

The game industry was growing fast, and Parker Brothers became very successful. In 1906, they released a card game called Rook. This game quickly became the best-selling game in the country and is still popular today.

Famous Games and Legacy

During the Great Depression, many companies struggled or went out of business. But Parker Brothers did something amazing. In 1935, they released a new board game called Monopoly. The company had actually said no to the game in 1934, but they changed their minds.

Monopoly was an instant hit! Parker Brothers had trouble making enough copies to keep up with how many people wanted to buy it. The company kept growing over the next few decades. They created many other classic games that are still played today. These include Clue, Risk, and Sorry!.

The popular murder mystery game Clue was even based on the house where George Parker and his wife Grace lived. Their home was in Peterborough, New Hampshire.

George Parker passed away in Boston on September 26, 1952, at the age of 85. He was buried in Harmony Grove Cemetery in Salem, Massachusetts. His love for fun games changed the way people played and created a lasting legacy.