TUNNEY HUNSAKER

Tunney Morgan Hunsaker (September 1, 1930 – April 27, 2005) was an American professional boxer who is best remembered as the first professional opponent of boxing great Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali. Outside of his boxing career, Hunsaker served many years as the Police Chief of Fayetteville, West Virginia.

He was born in the Western Kentucky town of Princeton, in Caldwell County. In his youth he served in the United States Air Force, stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas

Hunsaker became the youngest police chief in the history of West Virginia, going on to serve as Fayetteville police chief for 38 years. He was later inducted into the Law Enforcement Hall Of Fame

His career ended after a boxing-related head injury suffered on April 6, 1962, in Beckley, West Virginia. Rushed to a Beckley hospital, Hunsaker was in a coma for 9 days during which he underwent two brain operations.

Hunsaker suffered the physical effects of his last match for the rest of his life. He was 74 when he died on 27 April 2005, having been afflicted with Alzheimer's disease in his last years.

In the US state of West Virginia, the Fayette Station Bridge carrying County Route 82 over the New River at the bottom of New River Gorge was named after him.