Roger Murray Sr. played football at Annapolis in the days when Army and Navy were two of the best teams in the nation. Born at Jackson, Tennessee, in 1898, Murray graduated from Jackson High School in 1915 and then received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy. Affectionately called “Thug” by his teammates, he was a mainstay on the Navy team that defeated Army in 1919 and 1920. “The New York Times”, in its write-up following the 1920 game, praised Murray for opening holes in the Army line all afternoon, through which “a wagon could be driven.” The late Walter Camp designated him as an honorable mention All-American. After leaving the academy, Murray served as an officer in the U.S. Merchant Marines for a short period of time and later entered the University of the South in 1921. He resumed his football career, starting as a tackle for the Tigers in 1921 and 1922. Murray later attended Cumberland University School at Lebanon and earned his law degree while serving as athletic director, head football coach, and, with the loose eligibility rules of that era, as a player. His 1923 squad outscored its opponents 138-71 and recorded wins over Western Kentucky, Tennessee Tech, and Chattanooga. Murray was posthumously inducted into the Cumberland Sports Hall of Fame in 1981. His heroics on the gridiron make him part of the rich tradition of college football in the early 1900s.
