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Frank Eugene Hook
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's12th district
In office January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1947
Preceded by	John B. Bennett
Succeeded by	John B. Bennett
In office January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1943
Preceded by	W. Frank James
Succeeded by	John B. Bennett
Personal details
Born	Frank Eugene Hook (1893-05-26)May 26, 1893 L'Anse, Michigan, U.S.
Died	June 21, 1982(1982-06-21) (aged 89) Edina, Minnesota, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	University of Detroit Valparaiso University
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1918–1919
Battles/wars	World War I

Frank Eugene Hook (May 26, 1893 – June 21, 1982) was a politician from theU.S. state ofMichigan.

Hook was born inL'Anse, Michigan and graduated from L'Anse High School in 1912. He attended the College of Law of theUniversity of Detroit and graduated from the law department ofValparaiso University in 1918. He served in theUnited States Army Infantry duringWorld War I from July 1918 until February 1919.

After the war, he was employed in lumber woods and as an iron ore miner and also as a law clerk atWakefield, Michigan, 1919–1924. He was a member of the board of supervisors ofGogebic County, 1921–1923. Admitted to thebar in 1924, he commenced practice in Wakefield. He was admitted to practice before theUnited States Supreme Court in 1936. He also served as city commissioner of Wakefield from 1921 to 1923 and as municipal judge of Wakefield in 1924 and 1925.

Hook moved toIronwood in 1925 and continued the practice of law. He was president of WJMS Radio Station in Ironwood, 1930–1933 and was a delegate toDemocratic National Conventions in1936,1940,1944, and1948.

In 1934, Hook was theDemocratic Party candidate fromMichigan's 12th congressional district for theU.S. House of Representatives. Hook defeated incumbentRepublicanW. Frank James in the general election to be elected to the74th Congress and to the three succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1935 to January 3, 1943. In 1942, Hook lost in the general election to RepublicanJohn B. Bennett (having previously defeated him in 1938 and 1940). In 1944, Hook defeated Bennett to reclaim the seat in the79th Congress, serving from January 3, 1945 to January 3, 1947. He lost the seat again to Bennett in 1946. In 1948, he made an unsuccessful bid to be elected theUnited States Senate, losing to RepublicanHomer Ferguson.

Hook served under PresidentsFranklin Delano Roosevelt andHarry S. Truman. He voted to declare war uponJapan, when Congress was convened upon theattack on Pearl Harbor. Hook was instrumental in the establishment ofSocial Security and theminimum wage — part of Roosevelt'sNew Deal. He also proposed a bill to establish theIsle Royale National Park, located inLake Superior and had the honor of dedicating it in August 1946.

In 1940, Hook alleged in Congress thatMartin Dies had ties toWilliam Dudley Pelley, the leader of afascist organization, theSilver Legion of America. However, unbeknownst to him, the documents Hook used to make his case turned out to be forgeries.[1]

Hook's moniker "Fightin' Frank," earned from high school days, was reinforced once again during an infamous bout on the floor of Congress. His nemesis,John Rankin of Mississippi, drew his ire, but could not cull a punch, as Hook was later quoted, "A gentleman cannot strike an old man." The wrassling match was physically initiated by Rankin jumping on Hook's back on Washington's birthday in 1945, during the session. The skirmish was the end result of a verbal exchange between Hook & Rankin concerning the former's support and the latter's denouncement of the C.I.O. Rankin hollered shouts of "communism!" while Hook defended the integrity of the organization. As to the disruption, Hook later recited a 3-minute apology, while Rankin maintained his own innocence. When Hook offered to resign if Rankin would also "...for the good of the country," Rankin "held his tongue" and the controversial exchange faded into obscurity.[2]

Hook was a member of the President's Fair Employment Practices Committee in 1943 and 1944 and was appointed a member of Motor Carrier Claims Commission October 1, 1949, serving until his resignation August 22, 1950. He made several unsuccessful attempts to reclaim a seat in the U.S. House from the 12th district, losing in 1954 to Bennett in the general election, losing in 1956 and 1958 to Joseph S. Mack in the Democratic primary elections. In 1966, he lost to incumbentRaymond F. Clevenger in the Democratic primary for the11th district.

He resumed the practice of law in Detroit and in 1953 moved toIronwood where he reestablished his law practice. He was admitted to the Wisconsin bar in 1962 and was a resident ofEdina, Minnesota, at the time of his death. He is interred inFort Snelling National Cemetery inMinneapolis, Minnesota.

• United States Congress."Frank Eugene Hook (id: H000757)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• The Political Graveyard
• "Fightin' Frank, The Biography of Upper Peninsula's 12th District Democratic Congressman" by Mary Louise Hook Allen

• President Truman stumps for HookArchived 2003-10-21 at theWayback Machine

• 1893 births
• 1982 deaths
• People from L'Anse, Michigan
• Valparaiso University alumni
• American Lutherans
• Burials at Fort Snelling National Cemetery
• University of Detroit Mercy alumni
• Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan
• People from Wakefield, Michigan
• 20th-century Lutherans
• 20th-century United States representatives

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