The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-02-19
Tunney Resists Temptations Of Ring
Former Heavyweight Champ
Hates Fight Game and
Shuns Publicity
by EDWARD J. Z /

--
BY EDWARD J. NEIL
New York, Feb. 19.-N)-Gene I'un-
ney was stretched OH q rubbing table
In his training quarters at Strouds-
burg, Pa, resting while Lou Fink
kneaded his muscles. His first duel
with Jack Dempsey for the heavy
weight championship was still a
month away.
Old Bill McCabe. kindly, p~aternal,
stuck his fuzzy white head through
the half opened door. He glared at
the newspapermen crowding around.
Jimmie Bronson's here, Gene" he
said.
BoW-Tie Jim from Joplin. one of
the finest characters in the fight bust
ness, walked over to the big marine
and shook his hand. He had come
to help Tunney prepare for the title
shot. Alone of the small crowd in
the dressing room he thought Gene
could whip Dempsey.
The Almighty" he said, looking
down into Tunney's face, nodded YOU
to lick Dempsey. You are the cham
pion."
Tunney Is Serious
Tunney looked up at Bronson, seri-
GUS faced, earnest. For a moment he
thought he was being kidded. He re-
allied he wasn't. He gripped Jim's
hand tight. :
There are just two men who be-
lieve that" he said. and at that mo-
ment the man of destiny of the prize
ring came into being.
Tunney never doubted after that
that he would beat Dempsey. He flew
to the scene of the fight in Phila-
delphia.
IF I changed planes twice In the
air along the way" he told Bronson,
still nothing could happen to pre-
vent my winning the championship
He slept in his dressing room, wait
ing to be called into the ring before
100, 900 deriding faithful for the big
gest opportunity of his life. The only
plan of battle he had was one SEN
tence from Bronson:
No Plans for Battle
1.-THE first time Dempsey cocks his
left hook, break your right arm it
you can on the first punch to the
chin"
In the first round Dempsey drew
back the left. Tunney threw every
thing he had into a right. It landed
high on the side of the Man Mauler's
head. Dempsey's knees sagged. Two
inches lower and it might have been
a clean knockout. The bell rang and
Tunney returned to his corner
Il didn't break my ARM" he said
softly, but I've won myself a fight"
Tunney loves boxing but he hates
the fight game. He is headed for Asia
with an exploration expedition, partly
because he was being tempted to come
back. He doesn't believe he has two
real friends among the people con-
nected with the boxing business.
He shuns publicity, but he gets a
mass of correspondence daily at his
small office hidden away in the bust
ness quarters Of a friend. He answers
all letters himself. He has no bust
ness connections and he wants none.
Never Had Manager
Tunney never had a manager,
though many held the title. He real
ly loves books and friends among the
class of people who can add something
to his life. He dislikes parties and
social affairs. One of his sisters is a
nun.
Tunney grew up in a hardy neigh
borhood on the west side of New York,
but always ran with the white COL
lar" boys. He was deeply religious
and ambitious.
He paid the guarantees of two pre-
liminary fighters who had been
banned from the Heeney card because
they had been his sparring partners.
He refused to foot a 5000 check foisted
upon him by friends who summoned
him to their hilarity in a Miami cafe
for the sole purpose of handing him
the bill.
Runs Backward
During his roadWork at Spectator,
before the second Dempsey fight, he'd
often scratch a 20-foot ring in the
dirt and practice running backwards.
His handlers thought he was crazy
until they saw him in the seventh
round at Chicago.
He has a close command on his
SlllOVlOAlS. Wucll lIG Is dHSTlcSJ his
lips curl. He pays little attention to
clothes. Likes blue ties and has a
color-Tunney blue-named after his
eyes. He believes his life should be
a model to the country's youth. He
refused an offer of $4,000 to endorse
la cigarette.
Il don't smoke" he said.
He stood at the rail of a transport
coming home from France, talking to
Eddie Egan, who was coming back to
school. Egan had won the interval
lied middleweight championship, Tun-
ney the A. e. F. light heavyweight
title. Egan wanted Gene to 90 to
Yale with him.
mo-" said Tunney. I'm going to be
the next heavyweight champion of the
world.
Forget it," said Egan. Il can lick
you myself"
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