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Gene Tunney

Chronology



1897 Born May 25 in New York City (some accounts say 1898)
1907 Receives first pair of boxing gloves
1915 Fights first professional boxing match, winning by knockout
1918 Serves in the U. S. Marines in World War I
1922 Defeats Battling Levinsky to become light heavy weight champion of North America
1922 Loses title in a 15-round decision to Harry Greb
1923 Regains title from Greb in another 15-round decision
1926 Defeats Jack Dempsey to become heavyweight champion of the world
1927 Wins "battle of the long count" with Dempsey to retain his title
1928 Defeats Tom Heeney to retain title
1928 Retires from boxing, marries Mary Josephine ("Polly") Lauder
1928 Starts successful business career, dropping out of the public eye
1942 Serves in the U.S. Navy during World War II
1945 Writes Encyclopedia Britannica entry on boxing
1978 Dies in Greenwich, Connecticut at the age of 80

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Famous Sports StarsBoxingGene Tunney Biography - A Boxing New Yorker, First North America, Then The World, Chronology, The "battle Of The Long Count" - SELECTED WRITINGS BY TUNNEY: