New Britain herald., 1926-09-02

Copyright, 1926, Nl3A Service, Inc.)
Gene Tunnvy3 first professional
opponent in America after tho war
was Dan O'Dowd Of Boston, strong
turkey with a weakness for the
canvas. Tunney rendered him null
and void after eight rounds. For
this he was paid the 100 berries
promised by Billy Roche.
Il was interested more in the
money than in winning, or los.
ing that fight" recalls Tunney
Il needed it desperately. | don't
even remember what kind OF a tight
l made. or what kind of fight
ODowd made against me"
Tunney's mother had never
wanted him to make fighting bust
ness. That was the CHIEF reason
he came back from the war deter
mined to return to his desk as a
stenographic clerk.
Tunney's mother had dreams of
him wearing the somher robes Of
the priesthood, and had not limited
funds made it necessary for the old
est boy TO so out ana provide for
the family the monastery is where
he would have gone.
Like Any Business
l don't know what actually hap
pened when Tunncy came back to
his home in Banks street in Green
witch Village that December night
after whipping O'Dowd at Bayonnc,
n. j.
1t must have been hard for him
to announce he had definitely de-
cided to become a fighter. And it
must have been hard for the
mother, leaning on the arm of the
boy she had pictured as u priest
it must have been hard listening to
this boys quiet, firm voice as it
broke the tense stiffness of the prim
little living room.
It's the only way | can make
money mother. It's Just as much
a business as oil, or steel, or mer-
chandising. l will start a the bot
tom and keep working until | have
reached the top. Yes, until I have
won the championship from Demp-
sey"
Tunney didn't remain under
Roche's management long After
bouncing over flock OF dime-a-
quart tomatoes. he signed a contract
with Frank DOC" Bagley. one of
the big league managers Of the
street. Bagley had taken Willie
Jackson, hard-hitting philadelphia
lightweight, and made fortune
out of him.
The shrewd Bagley got Tunney
plenty of work and under him he
began to develop unmistakable
symptoms Of a coming fighter.
Among his early battles was an
indoor engagement against an I'M
known by the name of Sullivan,
which was held at Newark, and
which Tunney remembers MS the
hardest fight of his career although
he won by a knockout in the first
round.
This fellow was a southpaw."
says Tunney. The first so,rhpaw
| had ever faced. At the gong he
shot out of his corner and crowded
me to the ropes In some way or
other I became entangled in them
and before | could get squared
away l felt something land kerr
PUNK! on the right side of my Jaw.
II thought Mr.. Goliath was one
of the ringsiders and had playfully
thrown an anvil into the ring. "
proved only to be Mr.. SuIliyan's
good left hand. l Immediately saw
a dozen Sullivans. My knees began
to buckle and l would have gone
down and probably stayed down If
I hadn't been within reach Of the
ropes.
Foe stayed Down
Il managed TO clear my head and
slid out of the corner and into the
middle of the ring again. Finally
| got an opening and dropped him
with right and he didn't get up
But I'll never forget that punch he
landed on my jaw"
Tunney broke his hand hittir.
sullivan He didn't know how
hit in those days and he was alw
busting a knuckle. Besides
hands were fundamentally W