The name, Frankie Lucas, means nothing to today’s boxing fans. But dramatic life has been turned into a three-act play. 

Jazz Lintott played the role of Lucas in the play “Going for Gold” which will open at the Rotunda Theatre in Brighton on 29th May 2023. 

 Frankie Lucas shifted to Croydon, South London, from St Vincent with his mother at the age of nine. He joined Sir Philip Game ABC which was founded by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner. Lucas kept close proximity to police personnel which helped him in the future.  He turned out to be a tough middle-weight boxer. He won the ABC middle-weight title and became a strong contender for the Common Wealth team, going to be held at New Zealand, Game in 1974.

To his utter surprise, he found that the selectors have selected Carl Speake whom he has defeated in the 1973 ABC final. Annoyed Frankie decided to turn to a professional boxer when Ken Rimington, a policeman and Sir Philip Game committee man, came forward to resolve the matter. 

Ken held discussions with St Vincent‘s authorities, who were not sending any athletes to New Zealand. Ken was successful in his mission. He persuaded the authorities to send Lucas to the Common Wealth Games as a one-man team under the flag of St Vincent. 

The next big offer was from Frank Hendry, a Scottish Amateur Boxing senior official, who offered to travel to New Zealand at their expense. Lucas agreed to the proposal. Hendry said, “He was almost a part of our team. Our boys cheered for him in every round. He was a hell of a character.”   

He was given a VIP treatment. Rimington said, “I was surprised entering his room in the game’s village, where there were half a dozen embossed invitations to various receptions to be attended by Queen, Prince Charles, Prince Philip, or Princess Anne. When I asked if he has accepted any of them he said with a cheeky smile he was going to attend all of them.”  

Lucas was through the semi-finals where he beat Speare, just as he did in the National Championship final, and faced Julius Lupia of Zambia. Lucas won the bout and secured gold. He told to BBC before the final, “I have come to win gold and I will win the gold.” Lucas is the only representative from St Vincent to stand at the top of the Common Wealth Games podium.

After this, Lucas decided to turn professional. But he was defeated by Tony Sibson in the middleweight category. He received a brawl and was knocked out in the fifth round. 

It was after that Lucas was depressed for not getting any meaningful boxing bouts and he went missing. Nothing was heard about him for 30 years and everybody presumed that he was dead.  

Five years ago he was discovered suffering from brain cancer and was in a coma. With his great fighting spirit, he survived. Lintott, who is also producing “Going for Gold” heard the story and he got the idea for the play. Despite his health problem, Lucas helped Lintott with his research. Unfortunately, Lucas did not survive long to see him portrayed on stage. He passed away on 8th April 2019. 

Michael, son of Lucas and an amateur heavyweight boxer who almost was most selected for the 2000 British Olympic team, said, “I was a year old when my father got the gold. After that, he went away from my life and came back when I was 46.” He added, “I am consoled that he met his granddaughter and great-grandson.”