Sid Terris, "The Galloping Ghost of the Ghetto." He went 50-0 in the amateurs, in 1922 he won the New York State, New York City, National and International amateur lightweight championships within a 10-month span, he also racked up the National AAU bantamweight championship. Once he turned pro, he raised hell for the next nine years, beating Jimmy Goodrich, Johnny Dundee, Ace Hudkins, Benny Valger, Rocky Kansas, Billy Petrolle, Sammy Mandell. In 1927 he fought his life-long friend Ruby Goldstein, and climbed off the deck in the first round to knock Goldstein out. As a fighter, he had a sharp, punishing left jab, was famous for his blistering speed and evasive footwork. His nickname is one of the coolest in sports history, he earned it due to his phantom-like movements that frustrated his opponents. Legendary fighter. This is the 1925-31 W590 Strip Card - Sid Terris.
It sucks and it's frustrating as hell that I can't find the photo to match up with the 1927 E211 - York Caramel Prizefighters - Sid Terris. I love this set, it's rarity is mythical.
Marcel Thil, 1930s middleweight title claimant from Saint-Dizier, France who also won the European light heavyweight title. Thil was a tough, iron-chinned boxer-puncher with cauliflower ears who made a living down in the trenches mauling the hell out of opponents. Just a brutal, punishing fighter, one of my personal favorites. This is the 1932 De Beukelaer Biscuits - All Sports - Marcel Thil.
Up next, Gene Tunney, aka "The Fighting Marine". I really don't know where to begin with him, he was a boxing genius, one of the brainiest fighters that ever lived, so methodical and calculating about every move he made, he studied Dempsey for years in preparation to take his heavyweight title, and in 1926 he did just that. Tunney was a dangerous man, always watching, learning, when he step into a boxing ring he was playing chess, always thinking five, six moves ahead. He finished his career with a record of 65-1 (48 KO), the lone loss of his career came at the hands of quite possibly the greatest pound-for-pound fighter that ever lived, Harry Greb, and Tunney learned from that loss and avenged it four times. I love watching him on film, he could take you apart with the technical precision of an Aerospace engineer, and if the opportunity arose, he had the power to put you to bed. Great, great fighter, one of the best that ever did it. We'll start off with my favorite Tunney photo and card, the 1929 Salem Cigarettes - The World in Pictures - Gene Tunney.
It's fascinating, the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History holds the boxing gloves worn by Gene Tunney during his infamous 1927 rematch against Jack Dempsey, known as "The Long Count". The Tunney family officially donated the 6-ounce leather gloves to the museum's sports collections. They are kept alongside other legendary boxing artifacts, such as Joe Louis’ gloves and the robe Muhammad Ali wore for the "Rumble in the Jungle". Tunney had a chin made of Iron, he was knocked down exactly once in his career, in the 7th round of "The Long Count" fight.
This next issue can be tricky if you don't know what to look for, the 1930 Cloetta Ross - Gene Tunney and 1930 Cloetta - Gene Tunney. Notice the word "Ross" under his right shoulder is present on one card and missing on the other, it's two different variations, the version without the word "Ross" is much more scarce.
This is really cool, Heavyweight Boxing board game, made by Excalibre Games (1979). It is a two-player game with a playing time of about 30 minutes a bout. You are a manager controlling the ring strategy of your fighter, balancing his punching power and offensive and defensive boxing abilities against those of his opponent. You can play two contemporary (1979) or all-time-great fighters creating many "what-if?" situations...Included is a simulated boxing ring with 2 corners divided into sections for each fighter's stance of: Aggressive/Counter/Defense.
Also included are 2 realistic metal fighters (look great if you paint them), 2 Game charts, and a pad of score sheets, rulebook, 1D6, 20 Contemporary and 20 All-time-great fighter cards. A turn consists of simultaneously: 1) Secretly choosing your stance, 2) rolling on the "Boxing ability vs. stance" chart for any punches landed, 3) rolling for each landed punch on the "Punching power vs. defense" chart for results, 4) recording points and stats on the score sheet, 5) roll recovery if needed and repeat sequence 3x for each round. Advanced optional rules include Endurance, TKO, Injuries, Solitaire, Rope-a-dope, Haymakers, Clinching, Stuns, Head Butts, Tiring and everyone's favorite; "add your own" rule. This game has a real nice boxing feel to it and is remarkably easy to play, especially if you're not the bookkeeper statistician. If you are creative you can come up with modern fighter cards based on their stats". Some of the all-time greats include Muhammed Ali, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Max Schmeling, and Sonny Liston. There is even a card for the great Cuban heavyweight Teofilo Stevenson.
1928 Exhibit Supply Company - Blue Boxers - Gene Tunney. You know, I have to say, I love these exhibit cards, especially the colored ones, they just look really cool. And it's really neat how they were issued in vending machines.
1956 Adventure Gum - Undefeated Champ - Gene Tunney. This issue is notorious for being off-center, this copy is about as good as it gets as far as centering goes.
2013 Panini Golden Age - Base - Gene Tunney. It's always fascinating to see what photos of the fighters that these card companies choose to use for the images on these cards.
Oh yeah, forgot this one, Panini really goes all out when they include a fighter in a set, love the Panini Golden Age series. This is the 2013 Panini Golden Age - Museum Age Memorabilia - Gene Tunney.
Comments
1920s Romeo Y Julieta - Lew Tendler.
1923 W515-2 - Little Wonder Picture Series Strip Cards Lou Tendler.
1923 Exhibit Supply Company - Lew Tendler.
Exhibit Supply Company - Blue Boxers - Lew Tendler.
1923 German Transfers - Lew Tendler.
Sid Terris, "The Galloping Ghost of the Ghetto." He went 50-0 in the amateurs, in 1922 he won the New York State, New York City, National and International amateur lightweight championships within a 10-month span, he also racked up the National AAU bantamweight championship. Once he turned pro, he raised hell for the next nine years, beating Jimmy Goodrich, Johnny Dundee, Ace Hudkins, Benny Valger, Rocky Kansas, Billy Petrolle, Sammy Mandell. In 1927 he fought his life-long friend Ruby Goldstein, and climbed off the deck in the first round to knock Goldstein out. As a fighter, he had a sharp, punishing left jab, was famous for his blistering speed and evasive footwork. His nickname is one of the coolest in sports history, he earned it due to his phantom-like movements that frustrated his opponents. Legendary fighter. This is the 1925-31 W590 Strip Card - Sid Terris.
It sucks and it's frustrating as hell that I can't find the photo to match up with the 1927 E211 - York Caramel Prizefighters - Sid Terris. I love this set, it's rarity is mythical.
Marcel Thil, 1930s middleweight title claimant from Saint-Dizier, France who also won the European light heavyweight title. Thil was a tough, iron-chinned boxer-puncher with cauliflower ears who made a living down in the trenches mauling the hell out of opponents. Just a brutal, punishing fighter, one of my personal favorites. This is the 1932 De Beukelaer Biscuits - All Sports - Marcel Thil.
Music break. A classic from the 80s.
Leaving this here in case I find the photo to match up with it someday, the 1937 Globo Chewing Gum - Marcel Thill.
Up next, Gene Tunney, aka "The Fighting Marine". I really don't know where to begin with him, he was a boxing genius, one of the brainiest fighters that ever lived, so methodical and calculating about every move he made, he studied Dempsey for years in preparation to take his heavyweight title, and in 1926 he did just that. Tunney was a dangerous man, always watching, learning, when he step into a boxing ring he was playing chess, always thinking five, six moves ahead. He finished his career with a record of 65-1 (48 KO), the lone loss of his career came at the hands of quite possibly the greatest pound-for-pound fighter that ever lived, Harry Greb, and Tunney learned from that loss and avenged it four times. I love watching him on film, he could take you apart with the technical precision of an Aerospace engineer, and if the opportunity arose, he had the power to put you to bed. Great, great fighter, one of the best that ever did it. We'll start off with my favorite Tunney photo and card, the 1929 Salem Cigarettes - The World in Pictures - Gene Tunney.
1926 C.H.L Gartmann - Boxers - Gene Tunney.
1926 Chocolates San Fernando - Boxeadores Celebres - James Joseph Tunney.
This is another one of my favorites, the 1968 Mira Tuttosport - Gene Tunney. Beautiful sticker.
1995 Coca-Cola - Collect-A-Card - Gene Tunney.
I love that Coca-Cola card, it's actually a nod to the 1947 Coca-Cola cardboard premium featuring Gene Tunney.
Here's a good scan showing the pop of the Coca-Cola premium. Beautiful.
It's fascinating, the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History holds the boxing gloves worn by Gene Tunney during his infamous 1927 rematch against Jack Dempsey, known as "The Long Count". The Tunney family officially donated the 6-ounce leather gloves to the museum's sports collections. They are kept alongside other legendary boxing artifacts, such as Joe Louis’ gloves and the robe Muhammad Ali wore for the "Rumble in the Jungle". Tunney had a chin made of Iron, he was knocked down exactly once in his career, in the 7th round of "The Long Count" fight.
1928 John Player & Sons - Pugilists in Action - Gene Tunney.
This next issue can be tricky if you don't know what to look for, the 1930 Cloetta Ross - Gene Tunney and 1930 Cloetta - Gene Tunney. Notice the word "Ross" under his right shoulder is present on one card and missing on the other, it's two different variations, the version without the word "Ross" is much more scarce.
1940-70 Boxing News Photos - Postcard Back - Gene Tunney.
1928 Amatller Chocolate - #25 - Gene Tunney. I love the Amatller cards, such beautiful images.
1933 Sport Kings Gum - Gene Tunney.
1929-30 Rogers Peet - Gene Tunney.
This is really cool, Heavyweight Boxing board game, made by Excalibre Games (1979). It is a two-player game with a playing time of about 30 minutes a bout. You are a manager controlling the ring strategy of your fighter, balancing his punching power and offensive and defensive boxing abilities against those of his opponent. You can play two contemporary (1979) or all-time-great fighters creating many "what-if?" situations...Included is a simulated boxing ring with 2 corners divided into sections for each fighter's stance of: Aggressive/Counter/Defense.
Also included are 2 realistic metal fighters (look great if you paint them), 2 Game charts, and a pad of score sheets, rulebook, 1D6, 20 Contemporary and 20 All-time-great fighter cards. A turn consists of simultaneously: 1) Secretly choosing your stance, 2) rolling on the "Boxing ability vs. stance" chart for any punches landed, 3) rolling for each landed punch on the "Punching power vs. defense" chart for results, 4) recording points and stats on the score sheet, 5) roll recovery if needed and repeat sequence 3x for each round. Advanced optional rules include Endurance, TKO, Injuries, Solitaire, Rope-a-dope, Haymakers, Clinching, Stuns, Head Butts, Tiring and everyone's favorite; "add your own" rule. This game has a real nice boxing feel to it and is remarkably easy to play, especially if you're not the bookkeeper statistician. If you are creative you can come up with modern fighter cards based on their stats". Some of the all-time greats include Muhammed Ali, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Max Schmeling, and Sonny Liston. There is even a card for the great Cuban heavyweight Teofilo Stevenson.
1928 Exhibit Supply Company - Blue Boxers - Gene Tunney. You know, I have to say, I love these exhibit cards, especially the colored ones, they just look really cool. And it's really neat how they were issued in vending machines.
1946 Propagandas Montiel - Gene Tunney.
1948 Leaf Gum - Gene Tunney. Wow, what an example.
1930 Major Drapkin & Co. - Sporting Celebrities in Action - Gene Tunney.
1956 Adventure Gum - Undefeated Champ - Gene Tunney. This issue is notorious for being off-center, this copy is about as good as it gets as far as centering goes.
1996-99 Japan World Boxing - Gene Tunney.
We got us a bonafide monster of a card right here, the 2010 Ringside Boxing Round One - Cut Signatures 1/1 - Gene Tunney.
2010 Ringside Boxing Round One - Base - Gene Tunney.
2013 Panini Golden Age - Base - Gene Tunney. It's always fascinating to see what photos of the fighters that these card companies choose to use for the images on these cards.
2013 Panini Golden Age - Batter Up - Gene Tunney.
2014 Panini Golden Age - Base - Gene Tunney.
2014 Panini Golden Age - Oversized Box Topper - Memorabilia Relic #/20 - Gene Tunney.
2014 Panini Golden Age - Star Stamps - Hagen/Jones/Thorpe/Tunney.
2012 Topps Magic - Historical Coins #/25 - Gene Tunney.
Oh yeah, forgot this one, Panini really goes all out when they include a fighter in a set, love the Panini Golden Age series. This is the 2013 Panini Golden Age - Museum Age Memorabilia - Gene Tunney.
2024 David Lee Art Cards - Boxing Legend #/10 - Gene Tunney.
2025 Historic Autographs - Famous Americans Series 2 - Stained Glass #/15 - Gene Tunney.
1932 La Pie Qui Chante - Front View - Bio Back - Gene Tunney.
1932 La Pie Qui Chante - Side View - Bio Back - Gene Tunney.
1930 Mazetti Chocolates - Athletes - Gene Tunney.
2024 Top Trumps - Boxing Icons - Gene Tunney.
1933 Trumpf Chocolate - Gene Tunney.
1991 Victoria Gallery - Boxing Champions - Black Back - Gene Tunney.
1930s Rose Marie Chokladen - Gene Tunney.
1927 Greiling Boxer - Gene Tunney.