Tunney & The Absence Of Black Fighters On His Resume.

[Ivich]

As Tunney's name has appeared in a thread regarding a fight between him and Jack Renault,and being unable to dig up any info on the fight, I wondered if this might be of interest?

It's a thread from a now defunct forum debating Tunney and his attitude towards blacks and his character in general.If the mods deem it inappropriate to post it here they are of course at liberty to remove it.


why did not Gene Tunney fight Blacks? | Page 5 | Boxing Forums (***************.com)

[cfang]

It’s a big smear on the careers of both Dempsey and Tunney that they drew the colour line when other fighters didn’t.

[cfang]

It also affects their standing when comparing to other heavys who fought against a bigger pool.

[Marchegiano]

Or a LHW title fight

[billeau2]

Lol I've gotten into it with Klompton. Glad to see I am not the only one.

My own thinking on this issue primarily comes from growing up in East Harlem where there were still reminants of an old Irish ****** on a few select blocks. The Irish felt like they had to prove themselves and step up the proverbial economic/social ladder, out of the melting pot of ethnic America and over those whom were competition. Tunney's own insecurity, which was analogous to Jack London's own, expressed in the semi autobiographical novel "Martin Edan" was that of a man with education but no social class to claim status (Gatsby ole boy!).

Naturally this made Tunney unwilling to be associated with those he deemed "undeserving" and in those days this judgement was made, often ignorantly, based on ethnic clansmanship. So, while Tunney was differential to Corbett, a man who bragged, exxagerated and did not truly represent uncompromising good character, Tunney was never truly ready to accept that a Black Fighter could be so deserving. That is my opinion.

One must keep in mind that Tunney was not fearful... This was a man who entertained himself as a kid, by swimming out to giant ocean liners, and when the ship had gotten on a bit, would dive off the deck (what about 75 feet, or so?) and swim back to shore via the Hudson River... We thought we were tough holding on to the back of buses in traffic!!

[QueensburyRules]

It’s a big smear on the careers of both Dempsey and Tunney that they drew the colour line when other fighters didn’t.

- - No blacks for Gene, but Jack fought a couple and worked as a kid in a black gym owned by Young Peter Jackson and would’ve sparred many black fighters and filled in on fight nites.

Well documented how hard he worked to make the Wills fight. Moreover, most his sparring partners were black sad champ. He took his good friend Big Bill Tate to Hollywood to keep in training for Wills.

When Hollywood neighbors complained about Tate living with him and his wife, Jack made him his Chauffeur that smoothed things out.

[cfang]

Could Dempsey have made the wills fight happen?

[Dr. Z]

Lol I've gotten into it with Klompton. Glad to see I am not the only one.

My own thinking on this issue primarily comes from growing up in East Harlem where there were still reminants of an old Irish ****** on a few select blocks. The Irish felt like they had to prove themselves and step up the proverbial economic/social ladder, out of the melting pot of ethnic America and over those whom were competition. Tunney's own insecurity, which was analogous to Jack London's own, expressed in the semi autobiographical novel "Martin Edan" was that of a man with education but no social class to claim status (Gatsby ole boy!).

Naturally this made Tunney unwilling to be associated with those he deemed "undeserving" and in those days this judgement was made, often ignorantly, based on ethnic clansmanship. So, while Tunney was differential to Corbett, a man who bragged, exxagerated and did not truly represent uncompromising good character, Tunney was never truly ready to accept that a Black Fighter could be so deserving. That is my opinion.

One must keep in mind that Tunney was not fearful... This was a man who entertained himself as a kid, by swimming out to giant ocean liners, and when the ship had gotten on a bit, would dive off the deck (what about 75 feet, or so?) and swim back to shore via the Hudson River... We thought we were tough holding on to the back of buses in traffic!!

So has the OP!

I did not know that story on swimming out to ocean liners and diving off the deck! That seems to be impossible as ocean liners are not level with the water and are built several feet up to the deck making access from swimmers impossible. If you read this somewhere, it is likely wrong.

[QueensburyRules]

Could Dempsey have made the wills fight happen?

- - The $$$ was there, $300K apiece with the venue first in Boston and then NYC, both guaranteed by Harry Frazee, the owner of the Boston White Sox where the first fight was scheduled, and then brand spanking new Yankee Stadium, a literal MONUMENT to Baseball.

State and City leaders refused to sanction the fight. You could look it up as Casey Stengel used to opine.

[cfang]

Thanks Queensbury