National Soccer Hall-of-Famer Bruce Murray is the spitting image of his gentlemanly father and was (in the likely words of his expat Scottish father) but a “wee lad” when I had the distinct pleasure of acquaintance with the family back in the 1970s, and I wish him nothing but goodwill through his current health issues, as reported in the July 6 Sports article “ ‘We just don’t know.’ ”
The “phenom” 1990 World Cup player was noted to have learned the game at the Bretton Woods Recreation Center in Germantown.
Lest it be forgotten or overlooked, it is worth noting — in the current political climate in which some wish to deny systemic racism — that the Bretton Woods Recreation Center was the creation of the State Department back in the late 1960s. The State Department sought a local venue where Black African diplomats might enjoy golf or tennis outings with public- and private-sector individuals. There was no local country club at the time whose bylaws allowed participation by these diplomats, even as a guest, much less a member.
Progress on this front has admittedly been made, but that was not such a very long time ago, and there is a long way to go yet.
Read More: Opinion | A soccer ‘phenom’ has an unlikely connection to the State Department
