Gene Tunney enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps from high school and served in France during
World War I. While there, he boxed in military tournaments as a marine for the entertainment
of the American troops. At the end of the war, he returned home to New York City, turned
professional, and went on to achieve a string of victories which allowed him to be selected
to fight Jack Dempsey, the World Heavyweight champion. Gene's friend, Bill Osborne, a fellow
marine in France, and owner of an Inn in Speculator, New York, convinced Gene to set up his
training camp in Speculator for his championship fights with Dempsey. The first
Tunney-Dempsey match was held on September 23, 1926 in Philadelphia. It was labeled
"The Fighting Marine" vs. "The Manassa Mauler" and Tunney, The Fighting Marine, defeated
Dempsey. A return match in Chicago a year later on September 22, 1927 witnessed 120,000
fans see the same outcome as Tunney successfully defended his new title. Speculator became
known as the training camp for would-be champions. Max Schmeling, the German champion
came to the camp in 1931 and Max Baer, the Californian champion, arrived in 1934.
Not only was Gene a great boxer, but he was an avid reader of many great books.
George Bernard Shaw, the world renowned playwright became a very close friend of Gene.
In a new
book, The Prizefighter and The Playwright, by Gene's son Jay, the private and
human sides of Gene Tunney and Bernard Shaw are richly portrayed
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