I’m using “Redskins” in a story for the first time since 2015, when my Chronicle bosses banned Washington’s 87-year-old nickname because it’s offensive to Native Americans.
Owner Daniel Snyder grew up in Maryland as a devoted fan of Washington’s football team that won Super Bowls after the 1982, 1987 and 1991 seasons. Since purchasing the franchise from the estate of Jack Kent Cooke in 1999, Snyder had sworn he would never change the name, despite growing pressure that created a nationwide controversy.
Then corporate America spoke, and Snyder backpedaled like Darrell Green.
After some of the most powerful companies in the country vowed to stop doing business with Snyder, including his stadium sponsor, FedEx, he caved under the financial pressure. On Monday, the team announced it would retire the name and logo once a review is completed and a new name is selected.
Usually, a name change can take a year. Snyder seems to be rushing it and hoping to have a new one in place by the start of the season. Trying to force it should be a nightmare for those involved in the transformation.
Snyder should keep Washington and go without a nickname this season. Usually, teams hire experts and bring in focus groups of fans to see how they feel about certain possibilities. The team then runs it by the NFL before having a monster event for the unveiling of the new name and logo.
Fortunately, Snyder is keeping the colors, burgundy and gold, that have served the franchise prominently for decades.
Redskins is on the team’s gear, facility, website, street and so much more in the Washington area. Imagine how fast the franchise and the NFL will have to manufacture new items, like jerseys and helmets, if they try to do it this season.
Snyder is going to make a lot of money for his decision. He’d lost much of his fan base because the team has been so awful for so long. He’ll make money once the new nickname is selected and everything is in stores and online for fans to purchase.
Changing the name also could help Snyder get a new stadium on the site of RFK Stadium, where the team played from 1961 to 1996 before moving to FedEx Field in suburban Landover, Md., for the 1997 season.
Snyder hopes to abandon FedEx Field and return to Washington. He wants a new stadium built on the site of RFK Stadium, which is supposed to be demolished next year. Changing his team name could be the first step in that direction because he has some politicians and business leaders on his side. They want the franchise back in D.C., where the Nationals, Capitals, Wizards and United play home games.
It’s too bad Snyder will become wealthier by doing the right thing, something that should have been done years ago.
Something that isn’t getting much attention but is close to the hearts of longtime Washington fans are the coming changes to the team’s popular fight song, “Hail to the Redskins,” second-oldest in the NFL to that of the Green Bay Packers.
“Hail to the Redskins” has an interesting history.
George Preston Marshall, the team founder, was a well-documented racist who was the last owner to have African American players on his roster. Marshall wanted an all-white team. He was a showman, and when he moved his franchise from Boston to Washington, he wanted a fight song that would excite his new fans.
Marshall’s wife, Corinne, wrote the words to the original “Hail to the Redskins.” The team’s band leader, Barnee Breeskin, composed the music. It was played for the first time in 1938.
Through the years, lyrics have been changed in “Hail to the Redskins,” and they will be again to reflect the new name.
When George Halas, the Chicago Bears’ powerful owner who had co-founded the NFL, wanted the league to expand to Dallas and Minneapolis, Marshall fought against Dallas. Marshall had always considered the Redskins a Southern team with fans across the South.
Clint Murchison, who was pursuing an expansion franchise for Dallas, pulled a slick one. He bought the rights for “Hail to the Redskins” from Breeskin, who had fallen out with Marshall. Naturally, Marshall was infuriated. To get back the rights to his cherished fight song, he agreed to no longer stand in Murchison’s way, and the rest is Cowboys history.
Marshall also fought against employing Black players but was forced to by President John F. Kennedy. Marshall’s determination to continue to field an all-white team was no secret. Neither was his desire to move into the new RFK Stadium in 1961.
President Kennedy wielded his power and refused to allow the Redskins to play in the new stadium without Black players. Marshall acquiesced and brought in five African American players so the team could play at RFK Stadium in 1961.
Integrating his team was the right thing for Marshall to do, and his franchise benefited from it. Changing the name is the right thing for Snyder to do, but he’s doing it for the wrong reasons. Unfortunately, like Marshall, Snyder will benefit financially, too.
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