Wigan Album

A photo from 1938/39 at Central Park, when the “irrepressible” or as the Aussies referred to him “the little dictator” Harry Sunderland, is perhaps demonstrating to the Wigan players “just how it should be done” - something I’m sure was just set up for the press photo. Judging by the expression of the players it certainly was.
My father Jack Bowen is in this photo and this was after Harry had taken over as Secretary-Manager of the Club the week after Wigan had won the Lancashire Cup.
Shortly after arriving he was championing a Tour down under for the Club. According to my father the players were all for it and had agreed to put £50 each (about £3,000 in today’s terms) towards the sponsoring of a Tournament in Australia against the top clubs, any profit to be shared between them.
Harry was busy persuading authorities here and in Australia of its merits, having won the Wigan Directors approval. Ten matches were planned, Sydney, New South Wales and Queensland clubs were to be played. The intention was also to travel to America on their way to Australia and play an exhibition game during the New York World’s Fair.
In March 1939 the NSW Rugby Football League wired the English Rugby League Council and were anxious for their approval since they considered it would be a fillip to the game in Australia. The Tour would have lasted from June 24 to July 22 1939, however, by early April the whole thing was called off because although the Rugby League Council approved it, they placed restrictions (only Wigan club players allowed and no top French players allowed to supplement the party) which Harry could not accept, even though he was prepared to invest his life savings in the venture of £120,000 in today’s terms.
Harry may have been considered bumptious and self promoting, he was a short, portly man who had never played the game, but was always looking for ways to further the Rugby League game. He visited America and saw how they operated and paid their American Football players over there, he advocated more use of floodlights, he wanted two Rugby League clubs based in London and he went over and kick started Rugby League in France.
He managed the Kangaroo teams on their tours of England in 1929-30, 1933-34 and 1937-38, and did much to establish the game in France. He was also a journalist, a job he continued in England with the Daily Mail, as well as commentating on the game on radio at the BBC, which no doubt supplemented his Wigan salary. An avid follower of sport in general, he attended the Olympic Games (1932) at Los Angeles I think as a reporter.
My father tells me that Harry wisely left the coaching / tactics etc., to Jim Sullivan on the field and Harry concentrated on what he did best, talking. He certainly excelled at that, as my father and others said that Harry could “talk the leg off a donkey”.
Having read some of his statements, in my opinion, he would surely have made a good politician or a member of the diplomatic service. One of his three sons Sydney, was a well known and respected Medical man who at the time Harry was at Wigan, was lecturing at the invitation of Oxford University - he later became Sir Sydney Sunderland.
Harry after his retirement settled at Chorlton-upon-Medlock where he passed away in 1964 aged 74, since when the Harry Sunderland Trophy has been awarded to the man-of-the-match in our Super League Grand Final. In addition, the Harry Sunderland Medal is the award given to the best Australian player in each home Ashes series.
A gifted but controversial figure who was forever seeking new ways and initiatives to advance the Rugby League game, critics would say Harry’s promotional efforts for the game were second only to his own self advancement.