George Swinnerton Parker (December 12, 1866 – September 26, 1952) was an American game designer and businessman who founded Geo. S. Parker Co. and Parker Brothers.
Life and career
Parker was born in Salem, Massachusetts.[1]
Parker's philosophy deviated from the prevalent theme of board game design; he believed that games should be played for enjoyment and did not need to emphasize morals and values. He published his first game, Banking, in 1883 at the age of 16.[2] Banking is a card game in which players borrowed money from the bank and tried to generate wealth by guessing how well they could do. The game included 160 cards which foretold their failures or successes. The game was so popular among family and friends that his brother, Charles Parker urged him to publish it. George approached two Boston publishers with the idea, but was unsuccessful. Not discouraged, he spent $40 to make 500 sets of Banking.[2]