The Washington times., 1928-08-11
Ry Davis ] walsh

NEW YORK, Aug. IL
Charging that he was fouled
miserably BY Gene Tunney
when he sustained the famous
Injury to his eye in the eighth
round, Tom Heeney boldly att
lacks tile sportsmanship of the
victorious and now retired
champion in an interview ap-
pearing iii the London Daily
Express, 3 copy of which
Preached the writer today
The story Il headed was Heeney
Fonled? And then goes on ID give
more Or less affirmative answer
to It's own question.
The interviewer. himself ring
side observer. hints rather strongly
that he believes foul was commit
ted and quotes to kindred effect
several authorities, Including Eddie
Kane. manager OF the Iigbtweieht
champion. sammy MandelI. Kane.
he said, expressed indignation At
the treatment Heeney had been act
corded The challenger. when ap-
preached, at first declined 70 put
himself on record, accordinE 70 tne
Express account, but later Is quoted
as having said:
.Can't You ten the Daily FIX
nrea9 readers what YOU have
heard from others about itg
refuse r. make excuses, but
would like to state 10 y0u, per-
sOnally, that / was fOuIed nliser.
ably. What Of it, I'm stu
young and I hope I'm good
sportsman.
aMv eve was cut by some kind
OF 4 punch that was not natural. The
upper eyelashes went down behind
nv lower lid and every tinae
blfnlxed nv bad eve caused tears
IL flow from both eyes,
.sA6y nose started bleeding after
nv eve was out Of action. 4 was
almost hopeIessIv handicapped but
II thought could have gone on
beyond the eleventh round because
i had recovered 50 quick
In 50 FAR az the writer's obserYar
tons were concerned, Heeney may
be right about this last contention.
Hut every Indication r. that he il
All wrong il he really thinks Gene
Tunney had the slightest intention
OF damaging his eye except BIZ
legitimate punch. OF course,
neither swung the punch nor felt
its effect: so, technically. suppose
Il can't pretend to be an authority
on its intent.
Officially, however, + gained my
own Impressions which, briefly
were these:
Tunney, using shift, led with
right, as he often did during the
fight. 1t wasn't much OF a punch,
being neither q swing nor straight
right. IT was more 81 poke than
anything else. Heeney immediately
broke ground TO clutch his damaged
eye and never WAS the same there
after.
II happens to be my opinion
that, except for this incident.
the fight would have gone the
limit Of 10 rounds but that Il
nIfllmpOrtant now and probably
never was anything else. Sd
much Tor optical evidence.
Tactically. there wasn't the
sllghtest reason for Tunney TO try
Tor an unfair advantage. He had
every advantages az It was. Frnn,
the fourth round TO the eighth, he
outscored the challenger bv two
Io one and even those III Heeney's
corner must have realized that
their man didn't have chance.
~ II. then, to be supposed that
man. knowing that victory was
certain, would so deliberately out
TO foul q defeated rival? This isnt
being done, even by notoriously
unetnicai fighters, and Tunney was
many miles from being one ~ these.
his record, in fact, is immaculate
in this respect.
His attitude after the injury oc.
Cured also spoke for the sincerity
OF his good intentions, Legally. he
was at liberty to have AT the III.
Iured man, pronto, and do his worst.
Instead, he was all for ethics, re-
treating respectful distance and
Watching anxiously for MANY mo-
ments while waiting for Heenev
to recover. II Sinny,Iyy v,--..,.st ~