Tunney M. Hunsaker, the part-time pugilist who lost to Muhammad Ali in the boxing great's first professional fight, died on April 25 after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. He was 75.
Hunsaker was a journeyman heavyweight who also served as Fayetteville, W. Va.'s police chief. He had a reputation for being willing and aggressive -- and a record of 15 wins, 7 losses -- when he fought 18-year-old Cassius Clay at Louisville, Ky.'s Freedom Hall on Oct. 29, 1960. By the end of the sixth and final round, both of Hunsaker's eyes were swollen shut, and Ali won the fight on points.
"…The thing I remember most about him was that he was so big and yet so fast. I used every trick in the book. The more I'd do, the madder I'd make him and the better he fought," Hunsaker once said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Although he was only a minor figure in boxing, and Ali went on to become one of the greatest athletes of the last century, the two fighters remained in contact over the years. Ali even attended a retirement party marking the end of Hunsaker's three-decade run as police chief.
Hunsaker won a Golden Gloves title while stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. In his final bout in 1961, Joe "Shotgun" Sheldon landed a 10th-round punch that sent him into a coma for nine days. Although he underwent two brain surgeries, Hunsaker suffered from pugilistic dementia for the rest of his life. To honor his accomplishments in law enforcement and boxing, the state of West Virginia named a bridge after him.
Posted on April 28, 2005 11:56 PMfrom the twins in germ. congrat.
Posted by Ken Rau on September 4, 2005 11:08 PM
I grew up with Tunney AND FAMILY, 4 GIRLS, 3 BOYS. ALL 3 BOYS ROBERT, TUNNEY AND GEORGE ALL DIED IN 06 THE LAST OF THE FAMILY.
TUNNEY GREW UP TOUGH FARMING NEAR PRINCETON, KY.
I REMEMBER AT 10 HE PUT HIS FATHERS' 12 GUAGE SHOT GUN BUT TO A TREE SO AS NOT TO GET KICKED, IT BURSTED THE STOCK OF THE GUN,
THEY WERE A TOUGH KIND FAMILY AND ARE ALL GONE.
GOD BLESS THEM ALL. DEMPSEY WRIGHT SAME AGE AS TUNNEY 76
I remember him well i was raised in Fayetteville all my life the thing i remember most about him was when i was at a highschool football game i was about 11 or 12 and he was arresting someone,they were giveing him trouble tying to man handle him but that didnt go over well with TUNNEY he slapped that man open handed and laid him out i was like wow,put the cuffs on him and took him away,i was standing there thinking that old man just kicked that young guys butt.
Posted by Jason Burdette on October 4, 2007 4:47 PM