Frank Nicks began his running career in 1924 at the age of ten. As a member of the Quinpool Road School Team, he competed in the Halifax Public School Meet, finishing second in the 160-yard relay.

In 1930, Frank stole the show at the Maritime Provinces Interscholastic Track and Field Championships. He won both the 220 and 440-yard events, shattering the existing record times for each, and took home the trophy as the highest individual scorer. At the 1931 meet, he ran even faster, breaking his own records for the 220 and 440-yard races.

Nicks’ record setting continued and in 1932, he and the other 440-yard relay team members from the Halifax Academy established a Canadian Interscholastic 440-yard relay record time of 42 and 2/5 seconds, a record that stood for more than 25 years. In 1933, he set the Canadian Interscholastic 440-yard record time of 49 and 3/5 seconds. This record was also unbeaten for many years. In 1932 and 1933, Nicks went undefeated in every 100-, 220-, and 440-yard event that he entered, and he helped his relay teams to multiple wins in the 440- and 880-yard and 1-mile events.

Nicks’ talent and success earned him a place on the 1934 British Empire Games team, where his team won the silver medal in the 440-yard relay. That year, he was also the well-deserving recipient of the Nova Scotia’s Outstanding Athlete of the Year Award.

During the span of his eleven-year track career, Frank amassed an incredible total of over 80 first-place finishes, 14 second-place finishes, and 7 third-place finishes, making him a worthy member of the Original Hall of Fame.