Les Murray interviewed by Roy Hay for the Sport oral history project [sound recording]
- Bib ID:
- 4364534
- Format:
- Audio
- Author:
- Murray, Les, 1945- 2017, interviewee
- Online Access:
- National Library of Australia digitised item
- Access Conditions:
- Access open for research, personal copies and public use.
- Description:
-
- 2008
- 3 sound files (ca. 191 min.)
- Series:
- Sport oral history project.
- Summary:
-
Les Murray recollects his early life in Hungary; his parents were anti-Soviet; Stalinism, police state; difficulties of leaving Hungary. Speaks of his introduction to football; Hungary was then the best team in the world; childhood football games, owning a football after he migrated to Australia; speaks of his schooling, high academic standard in Hungary; languages in school, Hungarian culture and being taught to show respect; assembling the 'Golden Team' leading up to the 1954 World Cup, a pivotal event in Hungarian and world political history; the players, Ferenc Puskás, Nándor Hidegkuti, Sándor Kocsis, József Bozsik; Hungary favourite to win the 1954 World Cup; the 1956 Hungarian revolution, political oppression and the secret police; Nikita Khrushchev; the effect of the Suez crisis on the Hungarian revolution; parents decision to leave the country; long-term effect of the Hungarian anti-Communist uprising; Goulash communism, glasnost and perestroika.
Murray discusses his family's flight from Hungary, refugee camp in Austria; people traffickers; decision to come to Australia instead of South Africa; early experiences in Bonegilla; father's job at Port Kembla; learning English; discovering cricket and other Aussie sports; his shock at no soccer; migration is full of hostilities and racism; exploitation of migrants, loan sharks and hire-purchase; his mother's car accident and compensation; the importance of football in his life; declining an offer of a contract by Prague FC to sign with Budapest; his studies in medical technology; the family interest in show business; singing lessons, his time in a rock and roll band and singing Hungarian music, giving him confidence when he came to television; being politically conservative; the Vietnam War, conscription, the hippy movement; being truthful, Martin Luther King; forming the values he holds today. Comments on soccer, becoming a sports journalist; SBS television, Johnny Warren; his marriage; moving to Europe, returning to Hungary, cultural values; British football; televised football in Australia and his commentary career; Channel 10; first football broadcast with Johnny Warren and ongoing partnership; cultural diversity of Australia; football coverage in Australia; coaches, players and the success of the restructure of football in Australia.
- Notes:
- Recorded on April 7, 2008 in Sydney, N.S.W.
- Index/Finding Aid Note:
- Summary (8 p.) and uncorrected transcript (typescript, 88 leaves)
- Subject:
- Occupation:
- Journalists
- Other authors/contributors:
- Hay, Roy, 1940-, interviewer
- Related Records:
-
This belongs to the Sport oral history project.
This collection contains 93 records. - Copyright:
-
In Copyright
You may copy under some circumstances, for example you may copy a portion for research or study. Order a copy through Copies Direct to the extent allowed under fair dealing. Contact us for further information about copying.
- Reason for copyright status:
- Until 2078 [Created/Published Date + 70 Years]
Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Sound Recording
- Published status:
- Unpublished
- Creation date:
- 2008
Copyright status may not be correct if data in the record is incomplete or inaccurate. Other access conditions may also apply. For more information please see: Copyright in library collections.
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