Gene Tunney

Gene Tunney
Tunney c. 1925
Born	James Joseph Tunney (1897-05-25)May 25, 1897 New York City, U.S.
Died	November 7, 1978(1978-11-07) (aged 81) Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.
Nationality	American
Other names	The Fighting Marine
Statistics
Weight(s)	Light-heavyweight Heavyweight
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Reach	76 in (193 cm)
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	88
Wins	82
Wins by KO	49
Losses	1
Draws	4
No contests	1

James Joseph "Gene" Tunney (May 25, 1897 – November 7, 1978) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1915 to 1928. He held the world heavyweight title from 1926 to 1928, and the American light heavyweight title twice between 1922 and 1923. A highly technical boxer, Tunney had a five-fight light heavyweight rivalry with Harry Greb in which he won three, drew once, and lost once. He also knocked out Georges Carpentier and defeated Jack Dempsey twice; first in 1926 and again in 1927. Tunney's successful title defense against Dempsey remains one of the most famous bouts in boxing history and is known as The Long Count Fight. He retired undefeated as a heavyweight after his victory over Tom Heeney in 1928, after which Tunney was named Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine.

Early life

Mary Lydon from Culleen House, Gorthgarve, Kiltimagh, County Mayo, Ireland, emigrated to the United States after the Great Famine. She settled in New York City, where she met John Tunney, also from Cill Aodain, Kiltimagh. They married after a short courtship. The Tunneys had seven children; one son was murdered around 1920, another was a New York Police Department detective from 1924 to 1951, dying in 1971, while Gene would become famous as a World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. At an early age, Tunney was inspired by President Theodore Roosevelt to become physically fit.

Career

Tunney in Marine uniform

Tunney fought some 68 official professional fights, losing only one, to Harry Greb, while fighting as a light heavyweight. Tunney fought many other fights whose scoring was unofficial, judged by newspaper reporters. He also lost none of these "newspaper decisions." He reported that he lost a second fight during World War I, a 10-round decision, to Tommy Loughran, as a Marine before he began his professional boxing career. Tunney was regarded as an extremely skillful boxer who excelled in defense. In addition to beating Dempsey, the most famous fighter of his era, Tunney defeated Tommy Gibbons, Georges Carpentier and many other fine boxers.

Already the U.S. Expeditionary Forces champion, Tunney spent the winter of 1921 as a lumberjack in northern Ontario for the J. R. Booth Company of Ottawa, without revealing he was a champion boxer. He explained this as "wanting the solitude and the strenuous labors of the woods to help condition himself for the career that appeared before him."

Tunney also had a brief acting career, starring in the movie The Fighting Marine in 1926. Unfortunately, no prints of this film are known to exist.

He was elected as Ring Magazine's first-ever Fighter of the Year in 1928 and later elected to the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1980, the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990 and the United States Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.

Military career

Tunney enlisted the Marine Corps during World War I and served as Private with 11th Marine Regiment in France and later in Germany during the occupation of the Rhineland in 1919. He saw no combat and spent most of the war in the Marine boxing team, becoming U.S. Expeditionary Forces champion. Tunney was demobilized following the war, but remained in the Marine Corps Reserve, ultimately reaching the rank of Major in the Connecticut Naval Militia.

Following the United States entry into World War II, at the request of Navy Undersecretary James Forrestal, Tunney accepted a commission in the United States Naval Reserve as a lieutenant commander to set up a physical fitness program for student pilots. He headed the Navy's physical fitness programme for the duration of the war and also made inspection trip to Hawaii and surrounding area.

Tunney was consecutively promoted to the ranks of Commander and Captain and retired shortly following the War. For his wartime service, he was decorated with the Navy Commendation Medal and also held World War I Victory Medal with France Clasp, Army of Occupation of Germany Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal and Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal for his World War I enlisted service.

Personal life

In 1928, Tunney married a wealthy socialite, the former Mary "Polly" Lauder (April 24, 1907 – April 19, 2008). Mrs. Tunney was born into the Lauder Greenway Family; her grandfather was billionaire George Lauder, a first cousin and business partner of industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. According to a 2007 biography, Tunney promised Polly that he would quit boxing and defended his title only one more time after the second Dempsey fight, against Tom Heeney of New Zealand.

After Mr. Tunney's retirement, the couple lived in Stamford, Connecticut and raised four children. They had three boys including John Varick Tunney (1934–2018), who was a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from California from 1965 until 1977; Jonathan "Jay" Rowland Tunney of Stamford, Connecticut; and Gene Lauder Tunney (1931-2009) who became a lawyer and served as district attorney for Sonoma County, California, for 20 years. Their one daughter was Joan Tunney Wilkinson (1939 – 2008) of San Francisco. who was committed to McLean Hospital on June 6, 1970, after she murdered her husband, Lynn Carter Wilkinson Jr.

Previous to his marriage to Mrs. Tunney, Tunney was sued in 1927 for breach of promise by Mrs. Katherine King Fogarty.

Death

Tunney died on November 7, 1978 at the Greenwich Hospital in Connecticut at the age of eighty-one, after suffering from a circulation ailment. He was interred at Long Ridge Union Cemetery in Stamford, Connecticut.

Fighting style

Tunney at Trinity College Dublin, 1928

Tunney was a thinking fighter who preferred to make a boxing match into a game of chess, which was not popular during the times when such sluggers as Jack Dempsey, Harry Greb and Mickey Walker were commanding center stage. Tunney's style was influenced by other noted boxing thinkers such as James J. Corbett and Benny Leonard. Nevertheless, it is incorrect to think of Tunney as a stick-and-move fighter in the Ali style. While Tunney's heavyweight fights against Gibbons, Carpentier, and Dempsey featured his fleet-footed movement and rapid-fire jabbing, his earlier bouts, especially the five against Harry Greb, demonstrated his vicious body punching and willingness to fight toe-to-toe. It was Benny Leonard who advised Tunney that the only way to beat Harry "The Human Windmill" Greb was to aim his punches at Greb's body rather than his head.

Always moving and boxing behind an excellent left jab, Tunney would study his opponents from the first bell. He generally preferred to stay outside and nullify any attacks, while using quick counters to keep the opponent off balance. In his fights against Jack Dempsey, today's viewer can see Tunney's style: hands held low for greater power, fast footwork that adjusts to every move his opponent makes and quick and accurate one-two style counter-punches with the left and right.

Tunney was never knocked out, while only ever being knocked down once, that in his second fight with Dempsey in the infamous Long Count. This makes him one of only five Heavyweight champions, alongside Rocky Marciano, Riddick Bowe, Sultan Ibragimov and Nicolai Valuev to retire without ever suffering a stoppage defeat. Tunney, along with Marciano, Lewis and Vitali Klitschko is one of four heavyweight champions to have retired as champion and to have ended their career with a win in a world title fight. Having avenged his only defeat to Harry Greb, with whom he also drew), Tunney joins Ingemar Johansson, Rocky Marciano, Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe as the only five heavyweight champions to have retired while holding a victory over every opponent he faced as a professional (barring no-contests).

Publications

In 1932, Tunney published a book called A Man Must Fight, in which he gave comments on his career and boxing techniques.

The Tunney Cup

In 1928, the U.S. Marine Corps presented – as a sign of friendship – a challenge cup to the Corps of Royal Marines, in the hope it might be competed for by Royal Marines association football teams. The Royal Marines named the trophy the "Tunney Cup," in honor of then–USMC Captain Tunney, who, with Sergeant Major Charles R. Francis, presented the trophy on behalf of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Cultural references

Stamp honoring Tunney

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis had a comedy routine in which Lewis (in boxing shorts and gear) states he's fight'n Gene Tierney (the actress). Martin corrects Lewis and suggests that he must mean "Gene Tunney." Lewis then quips "You fight who you wanna fight, I'm fight'n who I wanna fight, I'm fight'n Gene Tierney."

In the song She Twists the Knife Again from Richard Thompson's 1985 album Across a Crowded Room, describing the mismatched intensity in a strife-ladened relationship, Thompson writes: "I'm in a fist fight/She thinks she's Gene Tunney!"

He's also mentioned in Act 1 of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman: Willy tells his sons he has a punching bag with Tunney's signature on it.

Mentioned in "A Whistle in the Dark" (Act 1, pg. 31) by Tom Murphy : 'in the words of the great Gene Tunney, a man must fight back. His father was a Mayoman too'.

Mentioned in the short story "Fallon" by JD Luther, when imprisoned character Tyson Wayne Vance recalls his abusive father, "Was more than one night momma'd look like she went fifteen rounds with Gene Tunney...",

In the 1932 boxing film Winner Take All, James Cagney's character Jimmy Kane—a has-been former champion trying to get educated—laments that William Shakespeare was "the one who ruined Gene Tunney."

The novelette "A KO for Christmas" by Shawn Pollock features a character, Stitch Stanford, who hopes to fight Gene Tunney for the heavyweight title.

Professional boxing record

88 fights	82 wins	1 loss
By knockout	49	0
By decision	33	1
By disqualification	0	0
Draws	4
No contests	1

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
88	Win	82–1–4 (1)	Tom Heeney	TKO	11 (15), 2:52	26 Jul 1928	Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, U.S.	Retained NBA, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
87	Win	81–1–4 (1)	Jack Dempsey	UD	10	22 Sep 1927	Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.	Retained NBA, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
86	Win	80–1–4 (1)	Jack Dempsey	UD	10	23 Sep 1926	Sesquicentennial Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.	Won NBA, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
85	Win	79–1–4 (1)	Dan O'Dowd	KO	2 (10), 0:31	29 Dec 1925	Waterfront Park, Saint Petersburg, Florida, U.S.
84	Win	78–1–4 (1)	Johnny Risko	NWS	12	18 Nov 1925	Public Hall, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
83	Win	77–1–4 (1)	Bartley Madden	KO	3 (10)	25 Sep 1925	Minneapolis Arena, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
82	Win	76–1–4 (1)	Italian Jack Herman	KO	2 (10)	3 Jul 1925	Memorial Hall, Kansas City, Kansas, U.S.
81	Win	75–1–4 (1)	Tommy Gibbons	KO	12 (15)	5 Jun 1925	Polo Grounds, New York City, New York, U.S.
80	Win	74–1–4 (1)	Harry Greb	NWS	10	27 Mar 1925	Auditorium, Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
79	Win	73–1–4 (1)	Jeff Smith	NWS	15	8 Dec 1924	Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
78	Win	72–1–4 (1)	Buddy McHale	TKO	2 (8)	10 Nov 1924	Southern Athletic Club, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
77	Win	71–1–4 (1)	Harry Foley	TKO	1 (8), 2:05	27 Oct 1924	Auditorium, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
76	Win	70–1–4 (1)	Ray Neuman	PTS	10	27 Sep 1924	Cambria County Fairgrounds, Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
75	Draw	69–1–4 (1)	Harry Greb	NWS	10	17 Sep 1924	Olympic Arena, Brooklyn, Ohio, U.S.
74	Win	69–1–3 (1)	Joe Lohman	TKO	8 (12)	18 Aug 1924	Fairmont Arena, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
73	Win	68–1–3 (1)	Georges Carpentier	TKO	15 (15), 0:14	24 Jul 1924	Polo Grounds, New York City, New York, U.S.
72	Win	67–1–3 (1)	Erminio Spalla	TKO	7 (12)	26 Jun 1924	Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, U.S.
71	Win	66–1–3 (1)	Jimmy Delaney	NWS	10	17 Mar 1924	Auditorium, Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
70	Win	65–1–3 (1)	Martin Burke	PTS	15	15 Feb 1924	Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
69	Win	64–1–3 (1)	Ray Thompson	KO	2 (10)	24 Jan 1924	Legion Arena, West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.
68	Win	63–1–3 (1)	Harry Foley	NWS	10	15 Jan 1924	Coliseum, Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
67	Win	62–1–3 (1)	Harry Greb	UD	15	10 Dec 1923	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.	Retained American light-heavyweight title
66	Win	61–1–3 (1)	Dan O'Dowd	PTS	12	31 Jul 1923	Queensboro Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S.
65	Win	60–1–3 (1)	Jimmy Delaney	NWS	10	16 May 1923	Chicago Coliseum, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
64	Win	59–1–3 (1)	Jack Clifford	TKO	8 (10)	7 May 1923	Fair Grounds Coliseum, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
63	Win	58–1–3 (1)	Harry Greb	SD	15	23 Feb 1923	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.	Won American light-heavyweight title
62	Win	57–1–3 (1)	Chuck Wiggins	PTS	12	3 Feb 1923	Commonwealth Sporting Club, New York City, New York, U.S.
61	NC	56–1–3 (1)	Jack Renault	NC	4 (8)	29 Jan 1923	Philadelphia Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
60	Win	56–1–3	Charley Weinert	KO	4 (15)	29 Nov 1922	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
59	Win	55–1–3	Jack Hanlon	KO	1 (12), 1:22	3 Nov 1922	Clermont Avenue Skating Rink, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
58	Win	54–1–3	Chuck Wiggins	PTS	10	27 Oct 1922	Mechanics Hall, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
57	Draw	53–1–3	Tommy Loughran	NWS	8	24 Aug 1922	Shibe Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
56	Win	53–1–2	Charley Weinert	NWS	12	17 Aug 1922	Broad Athletic Club, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
55	Win	52–1–2	Ray Thompson	KO	3 (10)	4 Aug 1922	Ocean Park Casino, Long Branch, New Jersey, U.S.
54	Win	51–1–2	Fay Keiser	PTS	12	7 Jul 1922	Rockaway Beach Arena, Queens, New York, U.S.
53	Loss	50–1–2	Harry Greb	UD	15	23 May 1922	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.	Lost American light-heavyweight title
52	Win	50–0–2	Jack Burke	TKO	9 (10)	10 Apr 1922	Motor Square Garden, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
51	Win	49–0–2	Fay Keiser	NWS	10	3 Mar 1922	Armory, Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
50	Win	48–0–2	Whitey Wenzel	TKO	4 (8)	14 Feb 1922	Philadelphia_Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
49	Win	47–0–2	Jack Clifford	TKO	6 (12), 2:50	11 Feb 1922	Clermont Avenue Skating Rink, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
48	Win	46–0–2	Battling Levinsky	PTS	12	13 Jan 1922	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.	Won American light-heavyweight title
47	Win	45–0–2	Eddie O'Hare	KO	6 (8)	22 Dec 1921	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
46	Win	44–0–2	Wolf Larsen	TKO	7 (12), 1:35	25 Oct 1921	Pioneer Sporting Club, New York City, New York, U.S.
45	Win	43–0–2	Jack Burke	TKO	3 (8)	14 Oct 1921	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
44	Win	42–0–2	Herbert Crossley	PTS	7	26 Sep 1921	Dyckman Oval, New York City, New York, U.S.
43	Win	41–0–2	Eddie Josephs	PTS	12	18 Aug 1921	Sisco Park, New York City, New York, U.S.
42	Win	40–0–2	Martin Burke	PTS	10	4 Aug 1921	Dyckman Oval, New York City, New York, U.S.
41	Win	39–0–2	Soldier Jones	TKO	7 (8)	2 Jul 1921	Boyle's Thirty Acres, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
40	Win	38–0–2	Johnny Ambrose	KO	1 (12), 2:45	28 Jun 1921	Pioneer Sporting Club, New York City, New York, U.S.
39	Win	37–0–2	Leo Hauck	NWS	10	7 Dec 1920	4th Regiment Armory, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
38	Win	36–0–2	Leo Hauck	NWS	6	25 Nov 1920	Olympia Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
37	Win	35–0–2	Paul Samson Koerner	NWS	10	25 Oct 1920	6th Regiment Armory, Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.
36	Win	34–0–2	Sergeant Ray Smith	TKO	2 (8)	22 Oct 1920	Sportsman's Club, Camden, New Jersey, U.S.
35	Win	33–0–2	Ole Anderson	TKO	3 (10), 0:40	28 Jun 1920	4th Regiment Armory, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
34	Win	32–0–2	Jeff Madden	TKO	2 (12)	7 Jun 1920	4th Regiment Armory, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
33	Win	31–0–2	Jack Clifford	KO	3 (10)	9 Apr 1920	Community Hall, Johnson City, New York, U.S.
32	Win	30–0–2	K.O. Sullivan	KO	1 (8), 2:15	5 Apr 1920	1st Regiment Armory, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
31	Win	29–0–2	Ed Kinley	KO	5 (8)	4 Mar 1920	Grand View Auditorium, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
30	Win	28–0–2	Al Roberts	KO	8 (8), 1:06	2 Feb 1920	1st Regiment Armory, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
29	Win	27–0–2	Jim Monahan	KO	1 (8), 2:50	26 Jan 1920	4th Regiment Armory, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
28	Win	26–0–2	Bud Nelson	KO	1 (8)	20 Jan 1920	Schuetzen Park, Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.
27	Win	25–0–2	Whitey Allen	KO	2 (8)	1 Jan 1920	Schuetzen Park, Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.
26	Win	24–0–2	Bob Pearce	KO	2 (8)	29 Dec 1919	4th Regiment Armory, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
25	Win	23–0–2	Dan O'Dowd	NWS	8	16 Dec 1919	Schuetzen Park, Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.
24	Win	22–0–2	Ted Jamieson	PTS	10	26 Apr 1919	Cirque de Paris, Paris, France	Won American Expeditionary Forces light-heavyweight title
23	Win	21–0–2	K.O. Sullivan	PTS	10	14 Apr 1919	Paris, France
22	Win	20–0–2	Dare Lewis	KO	3	31 Mar 1919	Tours, Paris, France
21	Win	19–0–2	Indian Lewis	KO	1	24 Mar 1919	Tours, Paris, France
20	Win	18–0–2	Bob Martin	PTS	4	27 Jan 1919	Salle Wagram, Paris, France
19	Win	17–0–2	Victor Marchand	KO	2	9 Jan 1919	Paris, France
18	Draw	16–0–2	Tommy Gavigan	PTS	10	20 Dec 1918	Romorantin-Lanthenay, Loir-et-Cher, France
17	Win	16–0–1	Howard Morrow	KO	6	10 Dec 1918	Romorantin-Lanthenay, Loir-et-Cher, France
16	Win	15–0–1	Johnny Newton	KO	6	20 Nov 1918	Romorantin-Lanthenay, Loir-et-Cher, France
15	Win	14–0–1	Hank Werhl	KO	6	1 Nov 1918	Romorantin-Lanthenay, Loir-et-Cher, France
14	Win	13–0–1	Young Guerini	KO	1 (8)	8 Jul 1918	4th Regiment Armory, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
13	Win	12–0–1	Hugh Weir	KO	2 (10)	15 Jan 1918	Pioneer Sporting Club, New York City, New York, U.S.
12	Win	11–0–1	Joe Borrell	KO	2 (10)	28 Dec 1917	New Polo Athletic Club, New York City, New York, U.S.
11	Win	10–0–1	K.O. Sullivan	NWS	10	2 Oct 1917	New York City, New York, U.S.
10	Win	9–0–1	Victor Dahl	NWS	10	2 Feb 1917	New York City, New York, U.S.
9	Win	8–0–1	Sailor Wolfe	KO	2 (10)	29 Dec 1916	Miners 8th St Theater, New York City, New York, U.S.
8	Win	7–0–1	George Leahy	NWS	6	22 Dec 1916	Miners 8th St Theater, New York City, New York, U.S.
7	Win	6–0–1	Young Sharkey	KO	6 (10)	15 Dec 1916	Miners 8th St Theater, New York City, New York, U.S.
6	Win	5–0–1	Young Guerini	TKO	8 (10)	8 Dec 1916	Miners 8th St Theater, New York City, New York, U.S.
5	Draw	4–0–1	KO Jaffe	NWS	10	21 Jul 1916	New Polo Athletic Club, New York City, New York, U.S.
4	Win	4–0	Billy Rowe	NWS	6	1 Dec 1915	Fairmont Athletic Club, Bronx, New York, U.S.
3	Win	3–0	George Leahy	KO	2 (6)	28 Aug 1915	Fairmont Athletic Club, Bronx, New York, U.S.
2	Win	2–0	Battling Genrimo	KO	3 (10)	6 Aug 1915	Miner's Bowery Theatre, New York City, New York, U.S.
1	Win	1–0	Bobby Dawson	TKO	8 (10)	3 Jul 1915	Sharkey Athletic Club, New York City, New York, U.S.

See also

• List of heavyweight boxing champions
• List of The Ring world champions
• List of undisputed boxing champions
• International Boxing Hall of Fame
• Boxing in the 1920s
• List of people on the cover of Time magazine (30 August 1926)

External links

• Works by Gene Tunney at Open Library
• Boxing record for Gene Tunney from BoxRec (registration required)
• Gene Tunney at Find a Grave
• Gene Tunney profile at Cyber Boxing Zone
• Boxing Hall of Fame
• ESPN.com