Former WWE President Jack Tunney Dies

[a_good_brotha]

Tunney dies at 68

by Phil Speer

Feb. 2, 2004

Jack Tunney, who portrayed the president of WWE from the mid-1980s to the mid-90s and also headed up WWE’s Canadian division, has died.

Tunney passed away in his sleep, reportedly of a heart attack, on Saturday, Jan. 24, at the age of 68. His funeral was Tuesday.

“The Tunney family was synonymous with wrestling in Toronto for many, many, many years,” said longtime WWE ring announcer Howard Finkel. “Back in the 80s, when WWE was ready to make its move to a national and international stage, Jack Tunney … jumped at the opportunity to join the bandwagon. Certainly, that was a key that opened up the door.”

When Tunney came on board with WWE, it was a controversial move to be sure; it foreshadowed the end of regional wrestling promotions in Canada. But the move made enormous business sense for WWE; the 67,678 fans who packed SkyDome for WrestleMania VI are proof.

Tunney arrived in the days that Vincent K. McMahon was strictly an announcer, never acknowledging that he owned the company. It was long before the days of general managers, boards of directors and sheriffs, so Tunney was the law. He popped up on television from time to time to hand down controversial decisions, always following the WWE rulebook to the letter.

It was Tunney who suspended “evil” referee Danny Davis for life (which turned out to be a few years, until Davis reformed his ways). Subsequent to “The Main Event,” WWE’s highly successful NBC primetime special in 1988, Tunney announced the WWE Title Tournament at WrestleMania IV. After all, Tunney concluded, even though Andre The Giant had pinned Hulk Hogan under extremely controversial circumstances (with the help of one of the Hebner twins), the referee’s decision is always final. But since Andre had forfeited the title (to Ted DiBiase, who by rule could not obtain a title in such a fashion), Andre was no longer the champion, either. Thus, the title was declared vacant and a new undisputed champion – it turned out to be “Macho Man” Randy Savage – was to be crowned at WrestleMania IV.

Years later, in 1994, when Bret Hart and Lex Luger seemed to touch the floor simultaneously at the conclusion of the Royal Rumble Match, Tunney made the unprecedented move of ordering two World Title defenses, which happened at WrestleMania X.

Behind the scenes, Tunney helped promote wrestling events in Canada, including WrestleMania VI, headlined by Hulk Hogan vs. Ultimate Warrior, which set an attendance record that would stand until WrestleMania X8 attracted 68,237 fans.

Tunney was known to have a presence about him, as he always dressed to the nines.

“I never met Jack until I came to work for WWE in ’93, even though I had heard of him for many years prior,” said Jim Ross, the voice of RAW and the head of WWE’s talent relations department. “He traveled to most of our (shows) with his business associate and longtime friend Billy ‘Red’ Lyons, and the pair was classy and old school all the way. Jack was always early to all his meetings and was always impeccably dressed in a suit and tie. Jack Tunney could tell great stories of an era gone by and loved to laugh.”

Tunney hired SmackDown! referee Jim Korderas, a native of Toronto who has been with the company since 1985.

Korderas said he used to attend all the Maple Leaf Gardens wrestling shows, and he got to know Elio Zarlenga, who took pictures for WWE’s programs. Zarlenga introduced Korderas to Tunney, who told him, “We don’t really need another photographer, but we’ll find something for you.”

Tunney soon hired Korderas to work on the ring crew, and Korderas became a referee in 1987.

“Jack was a Cognac and cigars kind of guy,” Korderas said. “When he walked into a room, you knew he was important. Just the way he carried himself – very distinguished, very well dressed.”

Korderas added, “Jack was always very good to me. He treated the (Superstars) very well too. He always took care of them. We used to run events every third Sunday at Maple Leaf Gardens. He would arrange hotel rooms for the guys. He would arrange for a suite for the guys to come up and have a few pops, have a sandwich (or) just shoot the breeze.”

Unlike many television personalities, when Tunney retired, in the mid-1990s, he stayed retired and out of the spotlight.

“I ran into him once afterwards,” Korderas said. “It was a chance meeting a couple of years ago. He was the kind of guy who, away from the business, just kept to himself, kept quite. He didn’t really like the attention. He didn’t really communicate with anybody that I know of – in the business, anyway.”

Ross said, “After Jack left WWE several years ago, I lost contact with him, which I regret. Every time one of our own passes away, we oftentimes reflect on the memories of them and always wish we had been able to have that one last conversation and to share a last laugh.

Jack was a consummate old-school wrestling promoter, which continues to be a vanishing breed. I personally appreciate all his contributions to our business over his many years of service.”

According to published reports, Tunney’s wife, Ann, died in 1991. Tunney is survived by two daughters, Jane and Jackie, as well as three brothers, two sisters, two grandchildren and his longtime companion, Patricia.

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I'm sorry to hear about this one too. I was just wondering not too long ago what had happened to him. May he rest in peace.

[Symbol]

Man, it seems that everyone in wrestling has the life expectancy of ice in the July sun.

[panel]

Originally posted by Symbol

Man, it seems that everyone in wrestling has the life expectancy of ice in the July sun.

No shocker there.