Ernest Frederick Parker

Ernest Frederick Parker 1883-1918 was Western Australia's only first-class cricketer killed in action during WWI. Ernie Parker was the premier Western Australian batsman of his day and favourably compared to Victor Trumper. Arguably the greatest athlete produced in Western Australian in the 19th century Ernie was a prolific batsman and skilful tennis player. In 1909 he trialled for the Australian cricket team and but for the tyrany of distance and limited exposure to interstate cricket could have been Western Australia's first Test player. In 1913 Ernie won the Australasian tennis championship, the Grand Slam tournament known today as the Australian Open. Ernie Parker was killed in France in May 1918. In 1992 Ernie was inducted in the W.A. Hall of Champions and in 2012 inducted into the Western Australian Cricket Gallery of Greats.