Tunney Hunsaker
Encyclopedia
Tunney Morgan Hunsaker was the police
chief of Fayetteville
, West Virginia
in 1960 when Hunsaker was Cassius Clay's (now Muhammed Ali) first opponent in a professional boxing
bout. After the fight Hunsaker said "Clay was as fast as lightning ... I tried every trick I knew to throw at him off balance but he was just too good". In his autobiography, Ali said Hunsaker dealt him one of the hardest body blows he ever took in his career. Ali and Hunsaker became good friends and stayed in touch over the years. Hunsaker said he did not agree with Ali's decision to refuse military service, but praised him as a great humanitarian and athlete.
Hunsaker ended up with a record of 17 wins with 15 defeats with 8 wins by way of KO (as of boxrec). His career ended after a head injury in 1962. Hunsaker was in a coma for nine days and suffered the physical effects for the rest of his life. He was 74 when he died after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease
. He was a Journeyman with more wins than defeats.
In his private life, Hunsaker was active in the Oak Hill Church of the Nazarene
for many years, teaching a Sunday School class for fifth and sixth grade boys. At the time of his death in 2005, he had been married to wife Patricia for over thirty years.
Hunsaker was the youngest police chief in the history of West Virginia, at age 27. He was later inducted into the Law Enforcement Hall Of Fame. A hobby of his was to turn the traffic signals off during rush hour and after the high school football games to direct traffic, something that became somewhat of a sport to him and an expected occurrence to residents.
The Tunney Hunsaker Bridge (former U.S. 19 Bridge) crossing the New River Gorge has been named after him.
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
chief of Fayetteville
Fayetteville, West Virginia
Fayetteville is a town in and the county seat of Fayette County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 2,754 at the 2000 census.Fayetteville was listed as one of the 2006 "Top 10 Coolest Small Towns in America" by Budget Travel Magazine ....
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
in 1960 when Hunsaker was Cassius Clay's (now Muhammed Ali) first opponent in a professional boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
bout. After the fight Hunsaker said "Clay was as fast as lightning ... I tried every trick I knew to throw at him off balance but he was just too good". In his autobiography, Ali said Hunsaker dealt him one of the hardest body blows he ever took in his career. Ali and Hunsaker became good friends and stayed in touch over the years. Hunsaker said he did not agree with Ali's decision to refuse military service, but praised him as a great humanitarian and athlete.
Hunsaker ended up with a record of 17 wins with 15 defeats with 8 wins by way of KO (as of boxrec). His career ended after a head injury in 1962. Hunsaker was in a coma for nine days and suffered the physical effects for the rest of his life. He was 74 when he died after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
. He was a Journeyman with more wins than defeats.
In his private life, Hunsaker was active in the Oak Hill Church of the Nazarene
Church of the Nazarene
The Church of the Nazarene is an evangelical Christian denomination that emerged from the 19th century Holiness movement in North America with its members colloquially referred to as Nazarenes. It is the largest Wesleyan-holiness denomination in the world. At the end of 2010, the Church of the...
for many years, teaching a Sunday School class for fifth and sixth grade boys. At the time of his death in 2005, he had been married to wife Patricia for over thirty years.
Hunsaker was the youngest police chief in the history of West Virginia, at age 27. He was later inducted into the Law Enforcement Hall Of Fame. A hobby of his was to turn the traffic signals off during rush hour and after the high school football games to direct traffic, something that became somewhat of a sport to him and an expected occurrence to residents.
The Tunney Hunsaker Bridge (former U.S. 19 Bridge) crossing the New River Gorge has been named after him.