Gene Tunney


James Joseph "Gene" Tunney 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 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. 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, 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 who became a lawyer and served as district attorney for Sonoma County, California, for 20 years. Their one daughter was Joan Tunney Wilkinson 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 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.

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

and Jerry Lewis had a comedy routine in which Lewis states he's fight'n Gene Tierney. 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" 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

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
88Win82–1–4 Tom HeeneyTKO11, 2:5226 Jul 1928 Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, U.S.Retained NBA, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
87Win81–1–4 Jack DempseyUD1022 Sep 1927 Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.Retained NBA, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
86Win80–1–4 Jack DempseyUD1023 Sep 1926 Sesquicentennial Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.Won NBA, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles
85Win79–1–4 Dan O'DowdKO2, 0:3129 Dec 1925 Waterfront Park, Saint Petersburg, Florida, U.S.
84Win78–1–4 Johnny RiskoNWS1218 Nov 1925 Public Hall, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
83Win77–1–4 Bartley MaddenKO3 25 Sep 1925 Minneapolis Arena, Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
82Win76–1–4 Italian Jack HermanKO2 3 Jul 1925 Memorial Hall, Kansas City, Kansas, U.S.
81Win75–1–4 Tommy GibbonsKO12 5 Jun 1925 Polo Grounds, New York City, New York, U.S.
80Win74–1–4 Harry GrebNWS1027 Mar 1925 Auditorium, Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
79Win73–1–4 Jeff SmithNWS158 Dec 1924 Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
78Win72–1–4 Buddy McHaleTKO2 10 Nov 1924 Southern Athletic Club, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
77Win71–1–4 Harry FoleyTKO1, 2:0527 Oct 1924 Auditorium, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
76Win70–1–4 Ray NeumanPTS1027 Sep 1924 Cambria County Fairgrounds, Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
75Draw69–1–4 Harry GrebNWS1017 Sep 1924 Olympic Arena, Brooklyn, Ohio, U.S.
74Win69–1–3 Joe LohmanTKO8 18 Aug 1924 Fairmont Arena, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
73Win68–1–3 Georges CarpentierTKO15, 0:1424 Jul 1924 Polo Grounds, New York City, New York, U.S.
72Win67–1–3 Erminio SpallaTKO7 26 Jun 1924 Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, U.S.
71Win66–1–3 Jimmy DelaneyNWS1017 Mar 1924 Auditorium, Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
70Win65–1–3 Martin BurkePTS1515 Feb 1924 Coliseum Arena, New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
69Win64–1–3 Ray ThompsonKO2 24 Jan 1924 Legion Arena, West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.
68Win63–1–3 Harry FoleyNWS1015 Jan 1924 Coliseum, Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
67Win62–1–3 Harry GrebUD1510 Dec 1923 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.Retained American light-heavyweight title
66Win61–1–3 Dan O'DowdPTS1231 Jul 1923 Queensboro Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S.
65Win60–1–3 Jimmy DelaneyNWS1016 May 1923 Chicago Coliseum, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
64Win59–1–3 Jack CliffordTKO8 7 May 1923 Fair Grounds Coliseum, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
63Win58–1–3 Harry Greb1523 Feb 1923 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.Won American light-heavyweight title
62Win57–1–3 Chuck WigginsPTS123 Feb 1923 Commonwealth Sporting Club, New York City, New York, U.S.
6156–1–3 Jack RenaultNC4 29 Jan 1923 Philadelphia Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
60Win56–1–3 Charley WeinertKO4 29 Nov 1922 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
59Win55–1–3 Jack HanlonKO1, 1:223 Nov 1922 Clermont Avenue Skating Rink, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
58Win54–1–3 Chuck WigginsPTS1027 Oct 1922 Mechanics Hall, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
57Draw53–1–3 Tommy LoughranNWS824 Aug 1922 Shibe Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
56Win53–1–2 Charley WeinertNWS1217 Aug 1922 Broad Athletic Club, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
55Win52–1–2 Ray ThompsonKO3 4 Aug 1922 Ocean Park Casino, Long Branch, New Jersey, U.S.
54Win51–1–2 Fay KeiserPTS127 Jul 1922 Rockaway Beach Arena, Queens, New York, U.S.
53Loss50–1–2 Harry Greb1523 May 1922 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.Lost American light-heavyweight title
52Win50–0–2 Jack BurkeTKO9 10 Apr 1922 Motor Square Garden, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
51Win49–0–2 Fay KeiserNWS103 Mar 1922 Armory, Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
50Win48–0–2 Whitey WenzelTKO4 14 Feb 1922 Philadelphia_Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
49Win47–0–2 Jack CliffordTKO6, 2:5011 Feb 1922 Clermont Avenue Skating Rink, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
48Win46–0–2 Battling LevinskyPTS1213 Jan 1922 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.Won American light-heavyweight title
47Win45–0–2 Eddie O'HareKO6 22 Dec 1921 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
46Win44–0–2 Wolf LarsenTKO7, 1:3525 Oct 1921 Pioneer Sporting Club, New York City, New York, U.S.
45Win43–0–2 Jack BurkeTKO3 14 Oct 1921 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
44Win42–0–2 Herbert CrossleyPTS726 Sep 1921 Dyckman Oval, New York City, New York, U.S.
43Win41–0–2 Eddie JosephsPTS1218 Aug 1921 Sisco Park, New York City, New York, U.S.
42Win40–0–2 Martin BurkePTS104 Aug 1921 Dyckman Oval, New York City, New York, U.S.
41Win39–0–2 Soldier JonesTKO7 2 Jul 1921 Boyle's Thirty Acres, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
40Win38–0–2 Johnny AmbroseKO1, 2:4528 Jun 1921 Pioneer Sporting Club, New York City, New York, U.S.
39Win37–0–2 Leo HauckNWS107 Dec 1920 4th Regiment Armory, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
38Win36–0–2 Leo HauckNWS625 Nov 1920 Olympia Athletic Club, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
37Win35–0–2 Paul Samson KoernerNWS1025 Oct 1920 6th Regiment Armory, Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.
36Win34–0–2 Sergeant Ray SmithTKO2 22 Oct 1920 Sportsman's Club, Camden, New Jersey, U.S.
35Win33–0–2 Ole AndersonTKO3, 0:4028 Jun 1920 4th Regiment Armory, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
34Win32–0–2 Jeff MaddenTKO2 7 Jun 1920 4th Regiment Armory, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
33Win31–0–2 Jack CliffordKO3 9 Apr 1920 Community Hall, Johnson City, New York, U.S.
32Win30–0–2 K.O. SullivanKO1, 2:155 Apr 1920 1st Regiment Armory, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
31Win29–0–2 Ed KinleyKO5 4 Mar 1920 Grand View Auditorium, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
30Win28–0–2 Al RobertsKO8, 1:062 Feb 1920 1st Regiment Armory, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
29Win27–0–2 Jim MonahanKO1, 2:5026 Jan 1920 4th Regiment Armory, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
28Win26–0–2 Bud NelsonKO1 20 Jan 1920 Schuetzen Park, Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.
27Win25–0–2 Whitey AllenKO2 1 Jan 1920 Schuetzen Park, Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.
26Win24–0–2 Bob PearceKO2 29 Dec 1919 4th Regiment Armory, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
25Win23–0–2 Dan O'DowdNWS816 Dec 1919 Schuetzen Park, Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.
24Win22–0–2 Ted JamiesonPTS1026 Apr 1919 Cirque de Paris, Paris, FranceWon American Expeditionary Forces light-heavyweight title
23Win21–0–2 K.O. SullivanPTS1014 Apr 1919 Paris, France
22Win20–0–2 Dare LewisKO331 Mar 1919 Tours, Paris, France
21Win19–0–2 Indian LewisKO124 Mar 1919 Tours, Paris, France
20Win18–0–2 Bob MartinPTS427 Jan 1919 Salle Wagram, Paris, France
19Win17–0–2 Victor MarchandKO29 Jan 1919 Paris, France
18Draw16–0–2 Tommy Gavigan1020 Dec 1918 Romorantin-Lanthenay, Loir-et-Cher, France
17Win16–0–1 Howard MorrowKO610 Dec 1918 Romorantin-Lanthenay, Loir-et-Cher, France
16Win15–0–1 Johnny NewtonKO620 Nov 1918 Romorantin-Lanthenay, Loir-et-Cher, France
15Win14–0–1 Hank WerhlKO61 Nov 1918 Romorantin-Lanthenay, Loir-et-Cher, France
14Win13–0–1 Young GueriniKO1 8 Jul 1918 4th Regiment Armory, Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
13Win12–0–1 Hugh WeirKO2 15 Jan 1918 Pioneer Sporting Club, New York City, New York, U.S.
12Win11–0–1 Joe BorrellKO2 28 Dec 1917 New Polo Athletic Club, New York City, New York, U.S.
11Win10–0–1 K.O. SullivanNWS102 Oct 1917 New York City, New York, U.S.
10Win9–0–1 Victor DahlNWS102 Feb 1917 New York City, New York, U.S.
9Win8–0–1 Sailor WolfeKO2 29 Dec 1916 Miners 8th St Theater, New York City, New York, U.S.
8Win7–0–1 George LeahyNWS622 Dec 1916 Miners 8th St Theater, New York City, New York, U.S.
7Win6–0–1 Young SharkeyKO6 15 Dec 1916 Miners 8th St Theater, New York City, New York, U.S.
6Win5–0–1 Young GueriniTKO8 8 Dec 1916 Miners 8th St Theater, New York City, New York, U.S.
5Draw4–0–1 KO JaffeNWS1021 Jul 1916 New Polo Athletic Club, New York City, New York, U.S.
4Win4–0 Billy Rowe61 Dec 1915 Fairmont Athletic Club, Bronx, New York, U.S.
3Win3–0 George LeahyKO2 28 Aug 1915 Fairmont Athletic Club, Bronx, New York, U.S.
2Win2–0 Battling Genrimo3 6 Aug 1915 Miner's Bowery Theatre, New York City, New York, U.S.
1Win1–0 Bobby Dawson8 3 Jul 1915 Sharkey Athletic Club, New York City, New York, U.S.