Comments for Tom Benjey's Weblog

Comment on Redskins Renamed 80 Years Ago by tombenjey

tombenjey — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:51:50 +0000

I recall reading that the team lost money in 1932 and Marshall lost his partners because of that. I assumed that financial reasons prompted the venue change but have no evidence to support it. If the Redskins still have his old lease agreements, the difference in terms, if any, might shed some light on this.

Comment on Redskins Renamed 80 Years Ago by Joseph Gordon Hylton

Joseph Gordon Hylton — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:35:51 +0000

This is all quite fascinating. Do you know anything regarding the course of negotiations with the owners of Braves Field after the first season? Did Marshall have a falling out with his landlord? Because of a change in the Boston Blue Law, Fenway Park was available for Sunday sporting events in 1934, unlike the situation in 1933 and earlier. Did Marshall prefer Fenway over Braves Park, or was the problem related to issues he may have had with the Braves owners? I’m not sure who owned Braves Field in 1933-1934. I know that Gaffney retained ownership of the Field when he sold the team in 1916, but he died in 1932.

Comment on Redskins Renamed 80 Years Ago by tombenjey

tombenjey — Mon, 06 May 2013 21:07:55 +0000

Thank you for your comment, Dr. Hylton. I was unaware of George Preston Marshall’s fascination with Indians. That fascination probably predisposed him to calling his teams by Indian names but other (practical) factors surely contributed to the choices he made. That his NFL team first played at Braves Field made Braves a natural. He could capitalize on the name recognition of the existing baseball team to promote his new football team.

His hiring of Lone Star Dietz was announced in the Boston Herald on March 8, 1933 when the team was still called the Braves. The stationery listing Lone Star Dietz as Head Coach of the Braves on page 278 of my biography of Dietz isn’t dated. It’s quite possible the old stationery was used for some time after the name change because Marshall wasn’t known for wasting money.

The July 6, 1933 edition of the Boston Herald announced the team’s name change from the Braves to the Redskins. I will write a blog article about this topic and include the newspaper article.

Tom

Comment on Redskins Renamed 80 Years Ago by Joseph Gordon Hylton

Joseph Gordon Hylton — Sun, 05 May 2013 14:05:00 +0000

I have never understood the claim that the team was named “Redskins” in “honor” of Dietz when the team was called the “Braves” before Dietz was even hired. Given that Marshall wanted to drop the name “Braves” now that the team was going to play in Fenway Park, the shift from Braves to Redskins (as a variant of Red Sox) makes perfect sense.

We also know that the name change occurred after Dietz was hired, as surviving team stationery from 1934 identifies the team as “Braves” but lists Dietz as the coach. Has anyone pinpointed the day that the name change was announced?

There is no question that Redskins owner George Preston Marshall used Dietz’ hiring as an occasion to place much greater emphasis on the team’s “Native American” connections–the hiring of several Indians players in 1934 and the adorning the players with warpaint were obvious examples of this. However, Marshall had a life-long fascination with Native Americans stemming from the Indian Burial Mound in Romney, West Virginia, where he grandfather and father were both buried. Dietz’ presence probably prompted Marshall to exploit the Native American tie-in, but his interest in Indians did not originate with either the Braves or Dietz.

Gordon Hylton
Marquette University

Comment on Origin of Redskins Team Name by Chad Felker

Chad Felker — Wed, 01 May 2013 05:35:39 +0000

it could be washington red warriors

Comment on Rare, Pristine Football Program by Mark Schneider

Mark Schneider — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 01:49:58 +0000

Is yours stapled or string bound? There is a reproduction version out there too.

Comment on Rare, Pristine Football Program by marcus harding

marcus harding — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:25:28 +0000

i have that exact football program. i found it after my dad passed away a few years ago

Comment on Hall of Fame for the Birds by tombenjey

tombenjey — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:30:16 +0000

Sam Bird is one of my favorites. He was quite a man and left a lasting legacy.

Comment on Hall of Fame for the Birds by Mindie BIrd

Mindie BIrd — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:04:52 +0000

Sampson Bird is my great-great-great Grandfather. I have been researching his contribution to Native American sports for awhile. I am so glad you posted this. Thank you very much!

Comment on Rush Roberts May Have Been White by Rozena Roberts

Rozena Roberts — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 05:04:55 +0000

Hello! I came across this site looking for some more information in regards to my grandfather Rush Rector Roberts. I’m interested if David and I are speaking on the same person. My mother Colleen Roberts never knew her father. She was told he passed away at war. David, was your father in the military?