The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-09-12
HUNT FOR JOB
BROUGHT GENE
INITIAL FIGHT
Took 500 to Meet Dan
O'Dowd; StrOve Seven Years
For Heavy Crown
By EDWARD J. NEII.
(AssOciated Press Sports Writer Of
Tunncy'y Training Camn)

Chicago. Sept. lO.--A)-For three
days after being mustered out Of
Uncle Sans army in 1919, Gene Tun-
ncy trampcd the streets of New York,
his home town, searching for a Job.
Although he had boxed with a
great deal Of success in army tour
namcnts while with the Marine Corps
in France, winning the light heavy
weight championship Of the American
Expedit!Onary Forces and defeating
Bob Martin, army heavyweight title
holder, the thought Of turning to the
ring for Il livelihood then was far
from the mind of the future heavy
weigh. king Of fistiana.
fight promoter from Jersey City
met Tunney during the latter stages
OF frutless search for work He
knew of Genes fighting record over
seas.
Offered 500 For First Fight
I'll give you 500 to fight Dan
O'Dowd eight rounds no decision, at
my club" he offered.
Tunney refused the offer, turned
away and started again to rcjon the
horde of cx-service men combing the
city for jobs. He walked few steps
and turned back.
I'll fight O'Dowd for that $780,"
he said.
Once definitely launched on "a fistic
career, Iunncy, then just a big mid
dleWcight. conceived the idea that
some day he could and would rule
the game as heavyweight champion
OF the world. That same year, the
chance Of college education was
refused, he said. "bccausc | wanted
to win that tite."
The road to the heights was long
AID tedious inst rs the DEVELOPMENT
of heavyweight's physique was q
STOW ana .aDOr Gus process, " 49,
Gene fought only five times, winning
four contests, one by knockout. ~,
! additi"" to the no-decision contest
with O'Dowd. n. /.
| Then lonowcd the slow building up
process. Wading throug ha host Of
third raters. flattening two-thirds of
them with stiff right-hand punch,
Tunney grew into the light heavy
weight ranks in the next three
years. His most prominent
tussles in this time were victories
over Charley Wcinert, Battling Lc-
whisky. and Chuck Virgins. in 1922
In that year. Gene lost the only fight
Of his career, Il 15-round decision Ia
Harry Greb.
| Whipped Creb Twice
In 1923, Gene whipped Greb twice
and hammered down host Of lesser
opposition. The next year, Tunney
disposed Of Martin Burke, Erminio
Spalla, Georges Carpenter, and Joe
. Lehman, as we'll as fighting no.
decision contests with Greb, Jimmy
Delaney, and jeff Smith.
Branching into the heavyweight
ranks in 1925. Gene knocked out Ton
Gibbons in Is rounds, BARLEY Mad
den in three. and Italian Jack Her
man in two, in addition to meeting
Greb and Johnny Risko in decision
less matches. Up to the time Tc,
Ricard chose him in 1926 as outstand
ing contender for Jack Dempsey
crown, Tunney had engaged in G.
skirmishes, winning 30 by knockouts
Is by decisions losing once and en-
! gaging in IA no-decisiaon contests
Didn't COncede Him Chance
Few critics and close followers o.
the game conceded Tunney more thar
AN outside chance Of conquerinl
Dempsey at Philadelphia. Durini
the controversy over staging tn.
! fight, when Richard, barred from New
York state by Dempsey's failure tx
secure boxing license, took tn.
fight first to Chicago, and finally K
Philadelphia, the New York Stat.
| Athletic Commission declared Tun
ney undesirable" to oppose the ter
rifle punching power of the Manassas
Mauler. Harry Wills was still first
choice as contender in Gotham.
Yet the supreme confidence of thu
Greenwich villag youth who "wasn't
afraid IT Dempsey's punches after
facing machine gun bullets in
France" carried him triumphantly
through to the object Of seven years
Of patient and arduous preparation
the heavyweight championship Of the
world.