The Washington Redskins have been under a great deal of fire recently for their offensive name. I've often wondered if the criticism would be as intense if the name was associated with a football team that didn't play it's home games in this nation's capital. The offending team made the move to Washington D.C. on this day 77 years ago. On February 13, 1937, the NFL approved the transfer of the Boston Redskins to Washington D.C. The Redskins were an instant hit in Washington D.C which was a great improvement over the apathy that the team found in Boston. It definitely helped that the team was able to add TCU quarterback Sammy Baugh in the 1937 NFL Draft. Baugh immediately became an impact player all over the field. Not only was he one of the best quarterbacks that the game has sever seen, he was an excellent defensive back and a tremendous punter. As a rookie, Baugh led the new Washington Redskins to their first NFL title in 1937.
In 1932, George Preston Marshall led a group of investors, including Vincent Bendix, Jay O'Brien, and Dorland Doyle, that was awarded a new NFL franchise in Boston. They signed a contract to play their home games at Braves Field, home of the National League baseball team, and were called the Boston Braves. His partners left the team after one season, leaving Marshall in control. In 1933, Marshall moved his team to Fenway Park and renamed them the Boston Redskins. The team might be in much less of a fire now if Marshall had kept that Braves name then. Braves might be a little offensive to some but Redskins is very offensive to many. The Redskins never could gain any traction with the fans in Boston. Attendance was always low even as the team became competitive. In 1936, the Redskins earned their first shot at a title. Because of poor attendance, Marshall moved the NFL Championship game between the Green Bay Packers and his Boston Redskins from Fenway Park to the Polo Grounds in New York City. It's stunning that the lack of fan support was such that Marshall would rather play the championship game at a neutral site than on his home field. The Packers won the game 21-6 and Marshall gave up on Boston as the home of his football team. Two months later, on February 13, 1937, the Boston Redskins became the Washington Redskins.
The word most often used to describe George Preston Marshall then, and still, is flamboyant. Racist works as well. The name of his football team is an indication of that. So to was his adamant stand against blacks playing in the NFL. He was the last owner to integrate his football team. He finally managed to do that in 1962 after President John F. Kennedy forced him to do so. If you can get past the racist part of Marshall, he actually did quite a bit to improve professional football. As soon as he got an NFL team, he pushed for dividing the league into two conferences and playing a championship game. He pushed for more liberalized rules that opened up the passing game. He certainly benefited from that when he drafted Baugh four years later. Leaning more towards his flamboyant side, he saw the value of putting on a show for those that attend football games. Before his Redskins even played a game in Washington D.C., Marshall formed the Washington Redskins Marching Band, an all-volunteer ensemble. Marshall's goal was to entertain fans from the moment that they entered the stadium until the time that they went home. With a band, he had to have a fight song. We were then blessed with "Hail to the Redskins." Marshall would even rent trains to take thousands of Redskins fans to away games. In the 1950s, Marshall was one of the first owners to embrace television. He built a huge television network to broadcast Reskins games across the south. It's no wonder that the fans supported him and continue to support his team now. Tradition is so strong with the Redskins that it's really no surprise that so many are so reluctant to give up their offensive name.
If my vote counted, and it should, the Washington Redskins should change their name to the Washington Braves. It's far less offensive and still leans on the team's fine history. No matter what happens in the future, the NFL's Washington D.C. football team was born on this in 1937. So, Happy Birthday Washington Redskins.
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