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Gene Tunney. May 25, 1897 - November 7, 1978. Born May 25, 1897 and died November 7, 1978 Real name is James Joseph Tunney 1 of 7 children Parents were John Tunney and Mary Jean Lydon During WWI he enlisted in the marines and was known as “The Fighting Marine”
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Gene Tunney May 25, 1897 - November 7, 1978
Born May 25, 1897 and died November 7, 1978 • Real name is James Joseph Tunney • 1 of 7 children • Parents were John Tunney and Mary Jean Lydon • During WWI he enlisted in the marines and was known as “The Fighting Marine” • Retired from boxing in 1928 and married Mary “Polly” Lauder • They lived in Stamford, Connecticut • They had 4 children • Died at age 81 and buried in Long Ridge Union Cemetery in Stamford Personal Life
Early Boxing • First started to fight on the streets of Manhattan • Developed the skill of recognizing his opponents weaknesses because he lacked the speed and strength • Joined the Greenwich Village Athletic Club and started formal boxing training • Started professional boxing in1919 under the nickname “Gene” Tunney
Professional Boxing Career • Heavyweight boxing champion from 1926-1928 • Twice defeated Jack Dempsey. Once in 1926 and then in 1927 • In 1928 he was named Fighter of the Year • In 1980 he was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame • In 1990 he entered the International Boxing Hall of Fame • In 2001 he was inducted into the USMC Sports Hall of Fame • Final record was 65-1-1
The controversial fight between Tunney and Heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey • The first fight took place September 23, 1926 in Philadelphia with over 120,000 paying spectators • The rematch was September 22, 1927 at Soldier Field in Chicago with 102,000 spectators paying 2.6 million • Named “the Long Count” because of the controversial 17 seconds between the time Tunney was knocked down to the time he got back on his feet The Long Count
The “Long Count” Video 0:46-2:30
Gene Tunney Clips 0:40-1:07
Works Cited 1. "Gene Tunney." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 1 Dec. 2010. Web. 02 Dec. 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Tunney>. 2. "James Joseph "Gene" Tunney." Facebook. 1 Dec. 2010. Web. 02 Dec. 2010. <http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/James-Joseph-Gene-Tunney/110228888999976>. 3. Google Image Result for Http://www.americanmemorabilia.com/pics/45534_01_lg.jpg. Photograph. Google. Web. 03 Dec. 2010. <http://www.americanmemorabilia.com/pics/45534_01_lg.jpg>. 4. Dempsey vs. Tunney. Photograph. Google. Web. 03 Dec. 2010. <http://www.championsofthering.com/boxing/Dempsey-Tunney%208mm.jpg>. 5. Dempsey's Comeback Fails as Tunney Wins Decision. Photograph. Google. Web. 03 Dec. 2010. <http://www.boxinggyms.com/news/headlines/images/tunney_dempsey1927.jpg>. 6. Boxing Champ Gene Tunney. Photograph. Encyclopedia Britanica Blog. Web. 03 Dec. 2010. <http://www.britannica.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/tunney.jpg>. 7. Gene Tunney and His Bride. Photograph. The Sydney Morning Herald. Web. 03 Dec. 2010. <http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2008/04/21/pollytunney_wideweb__470x360,0.jpg>. 8. The Long Count. Photograph. Chicago Sports Memories. Web. 03 Dec. 2010. <http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5XxjSQgxTPk/TJl2ui4W4xI/AAAAAAAAAYo/HZ4ZUKcdA8M/s1600/Long+Count.jpg>. 9. SoundBible.com. Web. 06 Dec. 2010. <http://soundbible.com/>.