On This Day (31 May 1955): “Murray’s Latest Letter From America”

Régis Le Bris and his squad have an exciting pre-season trip to the United States scheduled for later this summer, when the Sunderland head coach will be following in the footsteps of one of his predecessors, Bill Murray.

class="has-text-align-none">The former Roker Park full back had returned to the club in 1939 to take up the managerial hotseat and during his reign, Sunderland gained a reputation for being one of the most glamourous teams in the sport.

class="has-text-align-none">A series of high-profile and highly lucrative fixtures were lined up for North America upon the end of the 1954/1955 season and shortly after the group had departed, stories of sightseeing and various high jinks soon started filtering back home, with Murray himself one of those keeping supporters updated through a series of letters to The Sunderland Echo and Shipping Gazette.

class="has-text-align-none">The following is an abridged version of one of these updates, first printed on Tuesday 31 May 1955…

I am afraid this is the last letter from the big city, as we leave for Montreal on Friday morning.

class="has-text-align-none">Since writing you last, it has been noticeable how blasé the party has become in New York City.

class="has-text-align-none">Everything is being taken in their stride and the newcomers to the hotel, who arrive every day, are completely ignored — despite their garish garb. These parties, who arrive from places we used to associate with cowboys and Indians, are dressed in the most fantastic and colourful clothes one could imagine.

class="has-text-align-none">The hotel always has a huge placard (6ft x 4ft) saying welcome to every club or party which comes along. The Sunderland soccer club placard looks like a permanent fitting.

class="has-text-align-none">The boys did not take long in finding a way past the expensive haircutting.

class="has-text-align-none">A Glasgow Scot has been appointed unpaid hairdresser to the club while in New York. He has refereed and acted as linesman in our matches. His shop is stocked with football periodicals and he fills in the gaps with soccer stories of his own while cutting the hair. YES, IT IS A WONDERFUL CITY.

class="has-text-align-none">Our trip to Philadelphia was a huge success.

class="has-text-align-none">We arrived in time to see a parade of the American Army, Navy and Air Force, but it was tough going even to stand watching with a temperature of 81 degrees. We also paid a visit to the Steven Gerard College, where boys who have no father are educated. A very interesting visit it was, particularly as it was Founders’ Day. It can accommodate 2,000 boys from the age of five years.

class="has-text-align-none">The match against the Uhrik Truckers [which Sunderland won 3-1 on 22 May] was a good sporting game which everybody thoroughly enjoyed.

class="has-text-align-none">On Saturday night, we attended the Old Timers’ Soccer Association of Philadelphia. Over 250 were present and after the eats there were musical items and presentations of various trophies. They even made me a life member, but it is a long way to come for an annual meeting!

class="has-text-align-none">Sixty-four-year-old John Nesbitt, a Southwick lad who came out in 1907, is Secretary and Treasurer of the Philadelphia Association and gave a really wonderful build up to the Sunderland Club before presenting a very nice plaque.

class="has-text-align-none">Mr Ditchburn [Chairman of Sunderland AFC], Mr Ritson [Vice chairman] and myself in that order then had the honour and privilege of saying a few words over the microphone. It was a real get-together of the old timers, the oldest being 91.

class="has-text-align-none">The pre-match play up shook our party.

class="has-text-align-none">After ten minutes kicking in, all the players were brought to one end of the field, and as the announcer gave out each individual player’s name, number, nationality, transfer fee etc. they had to run to their respective places on the field. As he announced Len Shackleton…a Scot…etc. the antics of the rest of the boys must have had the spectators worried for a bit as the error was not corrected.

class="has-text-align-none">The British Consul General, John Kingston O’Donoghue OBE, kicked off the match and when the ball was retrieved Mr Walter D. Miller, President of the Chamber of Commerce Philadelphia, also kicked off. The first double kick off I have ever seen, but this is America when anything can, and does happen.

After the match we were taken to the home of Mr Tony Uhrik, who sponsors the Truckers.

class="has-text-align-none">A wealthy bachelor in the trucking business, he is mad on soccer and determined to see it grow in the States. His home is situated in the middle of heavily wooded country and the table for refreshments and food was set under the trees which were floodlit after dark.

class="has-text-align-none">The house was thrown wide open for everyone to use and it was with considerable reluctance that we left for New York City. A night to be remembered by everyone.

class="has-text-align-none">Tonight [25 May] we fulfilled a request fixture from the Bronx Area of New York City, when we beat a select team from New Jersey, Philadelphia and New York 4-1.

class="has-text-align-none">Purdon (3) and Bingham were the scorers. It was a pioneering effort on a poor ground with poor accommodation, so the boys stripped in the hotel and went up in a bus. The lights were not too good but the boys gave a very good show despite the heat (84 degrees). You can imagine we are looking forward to the cooler weather of Canada.

class="has-text-align-none">On our way home, our bus ran into the back of a car. The front of the bus was badly damaged so the boys trooped out and we took taxis for the remainder of the journey.

class="has-text-align-none">Bert Johnston [trainer and a former Sunderland teammate of Murray’s] and myself helped the driver to get his bus to the hotel.

class="has-text-align-none">Bert and myself were amused at the various speed cops etc. who came on the scene and jotted down all the evidence. One cop had a carton of ice cream, which he placed on the rear of the damaged car and kept taking a few spoonfuls while taking down the evidence. Yes, anything can happen.

class="has-text-align-none">TO NEW YORK CITY, WE SAY THANKS FOR A WONDERFUL THREE WEEKS AND TO THE LEGION OF PEOPLE WHO RALLIED ROUND THE PLAYERS AND ENTERTAINED THEM ROYALLY I SAY THE HEARTFELT THANKS OF THE CLUB FOR DOING SUCH A GRAND JOB OF WORK.

*Prior to the Truckers’ match, Sunderland’s previous game had ended in a 1-1 draw with Nuremburg in Brooklyn.

class="has-text-align-none">As the game was tied, it was unclear which side would be presented with the trophy that had been provided by the organisers, so the matter was decided by way of a coin toss. Murray had stated separately that he “accompanied [captain] George Aitken into the German dressing room”.

class="has-text-align-none">“As skipper Morlock didn’t speak English, there was a bit of a palaver before it was decided he should use his index finger to show which side of the coin, a silver half dollar, was his choice.”

class="has-text-align-none">Morlock was out of luck however, and as of 2026, the trophy remains on display at the Stadium of Light.