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Tunney: Boxing's Brainiest Champ and His Upset of the Great Jack Dempsey
Among the legendary athletes of the 1920s, the unquestioned halcyon days of sports, stands Gene Tunney, the boxer who upset Jack Dempsey in spectacular fashion, notched a 77—1 record as a prizefighter, and later avenged his sole setback (to a fearless and highly unorthodox fighter named Harry Greb). Yet within a few years of retiring from the ring, Tunney willingly receded into the background, renouncing the image of jock celebrity that became the stock in trade of so many of his contemporaries. To this day, Gene Tunney’s name is most often recognized only in conjunction with his epic “long count” second bout with Dempsey.
In Tunney , the veteran journalist and author Jack Cavanaugh gives an account of the incomparable sporting milieu of the Roaring Twenties, centered around Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey, the gladiators whose two titanic clashes transfixed a nation. Cavanaugh traces Tunney’s life and career, taking us from the mean streets of Tunney’s native Greenwich Village to the Greenwich, Connecticut, home of his only love, the heiress Polly Lauder; from Parris Island to Yale University; from Tunney learning fisticuffs as a skinny kid at the knee of his longshoreman father to his reign atop boxing’s glamorous heavyweight division.
Gene Tunney defied easy categorization, as a fighter and as a person. He was a sex symbol, a master of defensive boxing strategy, and the possessor of a powerful, and occasionally showy, intellect–qualities that prompted the great sportswriters of the golden age of sports to portray Tunney as “aloof.” This intelligence would later serve him well in the corporate world, as CEO of several major companies and as a patron of the arts. And while the public craved reports of bad blood between Tunney and Dempsey, the pair were, in reality, respectful ring adversaries who in retirement grew to share a sincere lifelong friendship–with Dempsey even stumping for Tunney’s son, John, during the younger Tunney’s successful run for Congress.
Tunney offers a unique perspective on sports, celebrity, and popular culture in the 1920s. But more than an exciting and insightful real-life tale, replete with heads of state, irrepressible showmen, mobsters, Hollywood luminaries, and the cream of New York society, Tunney is an irresistible story of an American underdog who forever changed the way fans look at their heroes.
In Tunney , the veteran journalist and author Jack Cavanaugh gives an account of the incomparable sporting milieu of the Roaring Twenties, centered around Gene Tunney and Jack Dempsey, the gladiators whose two titanic clashes transfixed a nation. Cavanaugh traces Tunney’s life and career, taking us from the mean streets of Tunney’s native Greenwich Village to the Greenwich, Connecticut, home of his only love, the heiress Polly Lauder; from Parris Island to Yale University; from Tunney learning fisticuffs as a skinny kid at the knee of his longshoreman father to his reign atop boxing’s glamorous heavyweight division.
Gene Tunney defied easy categorization, as a fighter and as a person. He was a sex symbol, a master of defensive boxing strategy, and the possessor of a powerful, and occasionally showy, intellect–qualities that prompted the great sportswriters of the golden age of sports to portray Tunney as “aloof.” This intelligence would later serve him well in the corporate world, as CEO of several major companies and as a patron of the arts. And while the public craved reports of bad blood between Tunney and Dempsey, the pair were, in reality, respectful ring adversaries who in retirement grew to share a sincere lifelong friendship–with Dempsey even stumping for Tunney’s son, John, during the younger Tunney’s successful run for Congress.
Tunney offers a unique perspective on sports, celebrity, and popular culture in the 1920s. But more than an exciting and insightful real-life tale, replete with heads of state, irrepressible showmen, mobsters, Hollywood luminaries, and the cream of New York society, Tunney is an irresistible story of an American underdog who forever changed the way fans look at their heroes.
496 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
23 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Jack Cavanaugh
44 books2 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
December 12, 2021
This is a good book, yet one whose ambitions led to less focus on its subject than the title would suggest. My interest was in reading a good focused biography of Gene Tunney. That this book's primary deck is the boxer's last name brought me to it. Where the book focuses on Tunney, it excels in painting a vivid portrait of the boxer. Fights are described with a sportswriter's flair, and sections on Tunney's personal life provide insight and color. This is a clear strength of this bio. Where the book's ambitions lead it astray is when it veers to extended discussions of other boxers, leaving large sections -20 to 40 pages even - without a mention of the fighter for which this book is named. That was somewhat frustrating to me, given my interest in reading about Tunney. Some attention to opponents is warranted, but overly lengthy sections that compromise a focus on the featured subject, as here, lead to imbalance. More discipline in sticking to its subject would make this a more compelling read.
Occasionally too detailed (especially when focusing on other boxers), and occasionally repetitive (too often reminding the reader what it covered even recently), this book is nonetheless worthwhile to boxing fans in general, and those interested in Tunney particularly.
Occasionally too detailed (especially when focusing on other boxers), and occasionally repetitive (too often reminding the reader what it covered even recently), this book is nonetheless worthwhile to boxing fans in general, and those interested in Tunney particularly.
December 21, 2018
Maybe about 1/2 of Jack Cavanaugh's book entitled: Tunny: Boxing's Brainiest Champ And His Upset
Of The Great Jack Dempsey is actually about Tunney. But the book is a great history of boxing over
about a quarter of the century's sport. A great deal of it is about the colorful Jack Dempsey, boxing's
heavyweight champion for most of the 20s the so called Golden Age of Sports.
Colorful Dempsey was and colorless Tunney was although God knows he was built up enough as the
fighting Marine. Tunney who grew up in Greenwich Village before it became known as a Bohemian
enclave of a working class Irish family and he was quiet bookish sort of kid. But those kind get picked
on and he learned to fight also at an early age. He enlisted in the Marines after the USA entered World War I and became boxing champion of the American Expeditionary Force. Then he turned pro.
Tunney was only defeated once in his whole career to Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Champion
Harry Greb. He was a boxer who could discuss literature with George Bernard Shaw. Not your typical pugilist by any means.
After three years of being idle for a combination of reasons I won't go into Jack Dempsey defended
his heavyweight championship against Tunney. A better conditioned Tunney defeated him in a
15 round decision in 1926. The following year Tunney won a second decision defending against
Dempsey, but Dempsey was the victim of the infamous 'long count' where he knocked Tunney down, but didn't retreat to a neutral corner at first so the referee did not begin his 10 count. Those
extra seconds are the most famous in boxing history allowing Tunney that extra time to recover.
Tunney made one more defense of his title against New Zealand heavyweight Tom Heeney and then
retired. He married a Carnegie heir and had four children, one of them John V. Tunney became a
US Senator. He had little to do with boxing after his retirement.
You'll read about all the people who crossed the lives of Dempsey and Tunney. One of the most
interesting is Jack 'Doc' Kearns, Dempsey's manager who promoted himself as much as the fighters
he managed. Another is fight promoter Tex Rickard racist and womanizer.
One of the most tragic is Harry Wills, black heavyweight contender who could not get a shot at
either Dempsey or Tunney. The man should have been given a chance to prove himself.
They're all there in a colorful book about a great but colorless champion, Gene Tunney.
Of The Great Jack Dempsey is actually about Tunney. But the book is a great history of boxing over
about a quarter of the century's sport. A great deal of it is about the colorful Jack Dempsey, boxing's
heavyweight champion for most of the 20s the so called Golden Age of Sports.
Colorful Dempsey was and colorless Tunney was although God knows he was built up enough as the
fighting Marine. Tunney who grew up in Greenwich Village before it became known as a Bohemian
enclave of a working class Irish family and he was quiet bookish sort of kid. But those kind get picked
on and he learned to fight also at an early age. He enlisted in the Marines after the USA entered World War I and became boxing champion of the American Expeditionary Force. Then he turned pro.
Tunney was only defeated once in his whole career to Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Champion
Harry Greb. He was a boxer who could discuss literature with George Bernard Shaw. Not your typical pugilist by any means.
After three years of being idle for a combination of reasons I won't go into Jack Dempsey defended
his heavyweight championship against Tunney. A better conditioned Tunney defeated him in a
15 round decision in 1926. The following year Tunney won a second decision defending against
Dempsey, but Dempsey was the victim of the infamous 'long count' where he knocked Tunney down, but didn't retreat to a neutral corner at first so the referee did not begin his 10 count. Those
extra seconds are the most famous in boxing history allowing Tunney that extra time to recover.
Tunney made one more defense of his title against New Zealand heavyweight Tom Heeney and then
retired. He married a Carnegie heir and had four children, one of them John V. Tunney became a
US Senator. He had little to do with boxing after his retirement.
You'll read about all the people who crossed the lives of Dempsey and Tunney. One of the most
interesting is Jack 'Doc' Kearns, Dempsey's manager who promoted himself as much as the fighters
he managed. Another is fight promoter Tex Rickard racist and womanizer.
One of the most tragic is Harry Wills, black heavyweight contender who could not get a shot at
either Dempsey or Tunney. The man should have been given a chance to prove himself.
They're all there in a colorful book about a great but colorless champion, Gene Tunney.
February 16, 2020
A great book about a great fighter who was a good man. We love our renegades, barbarians, ferocious brawlers. How often, if ever, do we tolerate a boxer with bigger things going on, academic pursuits, intellectual aspirations. Gene Tunney was a brilliant boxer (not fighter, because Mr. Tunney wouldn’t like me calling him a fighter). He was a lot better than he gets credit for, partly because he never tried to draw attention to himself, never sought credit. He was a man. A good man. Oh yeah and he also beat the most popular heavyweight champion of all time twice, participated in the armed forces in World War 1 & 2 and served on the board of many blue chip companies. This was a really good read.
May 14, 2023
Jack Cavanaugh has written a stellar biography of the forgotten and under-acknowledged champion Gene Tunney, and a brilliant history of the riotous era of the sport of boxing as well. While his focus is on Greenwich Village-born Tunney, in these pages you also get to learn so much about Tunney's main rival Jack Dempsey, and other colorful fighters like "The Pittsburgh Windmill" Harry Grebs, who damn near deserves his own book. Using Tunney as a tentpole, Cavanaugh wonderfully reconstructs a bygone era. This book was such a pleasure to read.
September 19, 2024
I loved every page of this magnificent book. The amount of info about everything relating to boxing, from the people to the techniques. This book is truly one of a kind, and one of the better books I have read this year.
As the title suggests, this book is about Gene Tunnery, one of the best boxers ever. I used the term boxer because that is what Mr. Tunney would like. He hated the term fighter, as you will learn in this book.
This book also talks in length about the people who made Tunney, such as Jack Dempsey, his in ring rival and friend.
As the title suggests, this book is about Gene Tunnery, one of the best boxers ever. I used the term boxer because that is what Mr. Tunney would like. He hated the term fighter, as you will learn in this book.
This book also talks in length about the people who made Tunney, such as Jack Dempsey, his in ring rival and friend.
February 23, 2019
Tunney was an anomaly; educated, well-spoken and a lover of Shakespeare. He was also a scientific boxer, precise puncher rather than a brawler. Book does an excellent job of presenting Tunney as well as other boxing greats: Baer, Dempsey, and many others. Discussions of African American boxers is fascinating and tragic for boxers who were perhaps the greatest ever (cf Charley Burley, Jack Johnson, Ezzard Charles and the Black Murderers Row) but were thwarted by the “color line”.
June 27, 2021
I was always vaguely familiar with Gene Tunney because I grew up about a half mile from Star Meadow Farm. I learned a great deal from this book about Gene Tunney, Jack Dempsey and the world of boxing during its peak. Gene Tunney was an impressive man. I was hoping to gain some insights that would help me to understand the cast of characters over the years that rented a house on Star Meadow Farm. But, I guess that mystery will remain unsolved.
August 18, 2023
I knew almost nothing about boxing. I didn't need to. This is a real revelation. The boxer who beat Jack Dempsey twice. From his scruffy upbringing in Greenwich Village New York to the elite circles of eastern US society, he charmed and won over many in the worlds of literature and finance. Even after he became the world's heavy weight champion he never attained the respect he deserved from disgruntled Dempsey fans and others in the boxing world. You will be amazed.
November 17, 2022
Great book about the first golden age of boxing all the names of the era get a mention, superbly researched and expertly written. The thing that stands out for me is how light they were 190 pounds or so and how light the gloves at that time were 5oz, basically a fist in a garden glove. How they were able to fight sometimes once a week without being cut to ribbons is amazing.
September 17, 2025
Very well researched. The author occasionally devotes parts of this book to explaining other boxers' achievements and legacies but it is usually in service of providing context to the importance of Tunney's wins over them. Cavanaugh writes about Tunney's career in parallel to Jack Dempsey's, which greatly builds tension when they eventually meet in the ring.
July 27, 2024
This is a great book it’s more than just about Gene Tunney and beating Dempsey. This book covers a lot of the other boxing fighters of that era that Tunney and Dempsey faced. Some of the fight stories were very informative. I am glad I picked this book up.
May 15, 2022
A very well-researched look at one of boxing's most enigmatic champions. A must-have for any boxing fan's library.
September 7, 2022
Very well researched.
January 11, 2019
I will say this... when the author actually talked about Gene Tunney it was incredibly interesting. But for a book named “Tunney”, I think that’s a bit of a problem. That being said, a lot of stories and chapters not about Tunney (like ones about Jack Dempsey and Harry Greb) we’re very enjoyable and fun. A great read... but the author should consider changing the title nonetheless.
July 31, 2018
Tunney and Dempsey. Legendary roaring 1920 boxers. They both became mega stars. Also there are other house hold name boxers. The Pittsburgh Windmill. He knock out Tunney and Dempsey. Greatest golden boxing year book. I ever read.
February 9, 2025
Just a great all around book! Not just about Tunney but also a lot of great history about Dempsey, boxing and the times during the early 1900's. Very hard to put down.
September 22, 2011
This is a thoroughly researched and well written biography of one of the two heavyweight champs that dominated boxing in the Roaring Twenties, the often overlooked brainy fighting technician who introduced true boxing skills to the weight class, Gene Tunney. His life is juxtaposed with that of the other great champ of the period--the one everyone remembers, not in small part because he embodied the public's perception of what such a champion should be like: Jack Dempsey.
We get an overview of both men's lives, but just as riveting for me was learning the history of the sport in the first half of the twentieth century, how and why its social status and acceptability changed, how the great sportswriters of the day covered it and interacted with the athletes, and what roles promoters, politicians, and gangsters played in this process. I read the retelling of the second Dempsey-Tunney fight while I was still seething from watching the Mayweather-Ortiz fight in September, 2011--this helped me put in historical context my ideas about sportsmanship, bravado, promotional strategies, and why some champions get away with so much ungallant behavior.
Tunney remains a hero to me for a range of reasons. I take ethnic pride in a poor irish-American who makes good, I wholeheartedly endorse his lifelong love of reading (though it cost him quite a few fans) and I like the fact that he gave up boxing when he did because he loved a rich heiress and she asked him to. I also was intrigued that he became close to george Bernard Shaw, that he lectured on Shakespeare at Yale while a professional boxer (and got a standing ovation for it from the room), and that he took no pleasure in hurting another human, although he had incredible talent and skill in the boxing ring.
We get an overview of both men's lives, but just as riveting for me was learning the history of the sport in the first half of the twentieth century, how and why its social status and acceptability changed, how the great sportswriters of the day covered it and interacted with the athletes, and what roles promoters, politicians, and gangsters played in this process. I read the retelling of the second Dempsey-Tunney fight while I was still seething from watching the Mayweather-Ortiz fight in September, 2011--this helped me put in historical context my ideas about sportsmanship, bravado, promotional strategies, and why some champions get away with so much ungallant behavior.
Tunney remains a hero to me for a range of reasons. I take ethnic pride in a poor irish-American who makes good, I wholeheartedly endorse his lifelong love of reading (though it cost him quite a few fans) and I like the fact that he gave up boxing when he did because he loved a rich heiress and she asked him to. I also was intrigued that he became close to george Bernard Shaw, that he lectured on Shakespeare at Yale while a professional boxer (and got a standing ovation for it from the room), and that he took no pleasure in hurting another human, although he had incredible talent and skill in the boxing ring.
July 4, 2012
Tunney fought in the shadow of the ring's most famous practioner from the Roaring Twenties, Jack Dempsey. Tunney twice fought and beat Dempsey, but beating Dempsey didn't make Tunney respected or revered. Rather he was frowned upon as being too well educated (read smart) to be heavyweight champion of the era.
Like Larry Holmes who beat Muhammad Ali, Tunney never got the recognition he deserved as an excellent boxer and tactician in the ring. Cavanaugh does a good job of shedding some light on the ring craft that made Tunney exceptional, but if I had to read one more time that Tunney was "handsome" I was going to lose it.
Cavanaugh is clearly biased in favor of his subject, which is not a bad thing per se, but it comes across clearly and a bit thick at times.
What I will credit Cavanaugh in doing is giving Dempsey some huamization from the icon of the period he was. Also, he gave me some insight into Harry Greb that was fascinating. Tunney and Greb fought twice. Greb was an absolute beast in the ring and worked Tunney over the first time. In their second go round, it was one of the dirtiest fights of the time. I may have to read further about Harry Greb.
Like Larry Holmes who beat Muhammad Ali, Tunney never got the recognition he deserved as an excellent boxer and tactician in the ring. Cavanaugh does a good job of shedding some light on the ring craft that made Tunney exceptional, but if I had to read one more time that Tunney was "handsome" I was going to lose it.
Cavanaugh is clearly biased in favor of his subject, which is not a bad thing per se, but it comes across clearly and a bit thick at times.
What I will credit Cavanaugh in doing is giving Dempsey some huamization from the icon of the period he was. Also, he gave me some insight into Harry Greb that was fascinating. Tunney and Greb fought twice. Greb was an absolute beast in the ring and worked Tunney over the first time. In their second go round, it was one of the dirtiest fights of the time. I may have to read further about Harry Greb.
Read
January 26, 2016I trust WSJ book reviews. I picked up this history of a 1920's heavyweight boxing champ (famed for beating Jack Dempsey, and the 'long count' round). I'm not really interested in boxing, BUT at that time boxing WAS the #1 sport, so I assumed it would be an interesting period piece and a great story. I was right!
Gene Tunney is a great American story - grew up Irish poor in NY, but through a number of chance events, is able to blossom into boxing champ AND intellectual. In the 20's (and today, frankly) core boxing fans do NOT want their champions reading Shakespeare.
Anyway, an (unexpectedly) delightful read.
Gene Tunney is a great American story - grew up Irish poor in NY, but through a number of chance events, is able to blossom into boxing champ AND intellectual. In the 20's (and today, frankly) core boxing fans do NOT want their champions reading Shakespeare.
Anyway, an (unexpectedly) delightful read.
August 21, 2013
An excellent biography of Gene Tunney as well as many other notable fighters who fought during the golden age of boxing in the 1920s and 1930s. The author concentrates primarily on the light heavyweight and heavyweight ranks since these were the divisions in which Tunney fought. Anyone with even a passing interest in boxing will enjoy this book.
September 29, 2009
amazing story of an amazing and complex man. if i told you this story was fiction i could convince you it'd make the movie of the decade...yet hollywood trots out get smart remakes and eddie murphy movies.
August 6, 2011
Very good story about a forgotten boxer. But as with any book on an athelete, the story of their life always ends when the sport is over and with Tunney, his life after boxing deserves much more attention.
March 26, 2008
Fascinating story, but points off for not mentioning that Tunney was a complete boozehound for the last half of his life.
January 4, 2010
well written about a very interesting person, and a great snapshot of the times, focused on the fight game, obviously.
January 4, 2010
He was much more than a boxer. Very smart man. Great nostalgic stories from an earlier era.
November 10, 2010
1920s boxing champion walked away from the sport for love and became CEO of several companies
March 10, 2012
The best book I've read about boxing and American sports in the early 1900's. If your interested, this and "A Flame of Pure Fire" (story of Jack Dempsey) are the best.
December 28, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyed it , really good book just shy of a 5 star.
July 16, 2018
A great read and must for anybody interested in Tunney or boxing in this period.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews