Editing Washington Commanders (section)

===George Preston Marshall era (1932–1965)===
[[File:George Marshall and Ray Flaherty, football coach of Washington Redskins (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Team founder [[George Preston Marshall]] with head coach [[Ray Flaherty]], 1937]]
The city of [[Boston]] was awarded a [[National Football League]] (NFL) franchise on July 9, 1932, under the ownership of American businessman [[George Preston Marshall]].<ref name="thirties">{{Cite web |title=The 1930s |url=https://www.commanders.com/team/history/1930-by-the-decade |access-date=February 2, 2022 |website=Commanders.com |archive-date=April 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406193933/https://www.redskins.com/team/history/1930-by-the-decade |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Washington Football Team Team Facts |url=https://www.profootballhof.com/teams/washington-football-team/team-facts/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210101230225/https://www.profootballhof.com/teams/washington-football-team/team-facts/ |archive-date=January 1, 2021 |access-date=September 22, 2020 |website=ProFootballHOF.com}}</ref> The team was named after the [[Boston Braves]] baseball team, with whom they shared [[Braves Field]], with the [[1932 Boston Braves (NFL) season|inaugural season]] coached by [[Lud Wray]]. The team saw several changes in [[1933 Boston Redskins season|1933]], including a name change to the "Redskins" and playing their home games at [[Fenway Park]], home of the [[Boston Red Sox]]. Wray was also replaced at head coach by [[Lone Star Dietz]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Waggoner |first=Linda M. |author-link=Linda Waggoner |title=On Trial: The R*dskins Wily Mascot: Coach William "Lone Star" Dietz |url=http://nmai.si.edu/sites/1/files/pdf/seminars-symposia/WaggonerWEBSpr2013.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911111431/http://nmai.si.edu/sites/1/files/pdf/seminars-symposia/WaggonerWEBSpr2013.pdf |archive-date=September 11, 2017 |access-date=July 16, 2020 |website=[[Montana (journal)|Montana]] |via=[[National Museum of the American Indian]] |issue=Spring 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Leiby |first=Richard |date=November 6, 2013 |title=The legend of Lone Star Dietz: Redskins namesake, coach – and possible impostor? |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-legend-of-lone-star-dietz-redskins-namesake-coach--and-possible-imposter/2013/11/06/a1358a76-466b-11e3-bf0c-cebf37c6f484_story.html |url-status=live |access-date=July 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107041103/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-legend-of-lone-star-dietz-redskins-namesake-coach--and-possible-imposter/2013/11/06/a1358a76-466b-11e3-bf0c-cebf37c6f484_story.html |archive-date=January 7, 2019}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Richman |first=Michael |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W8pvThJ6lRMC |title=The Redskins Encyclopedia |publisher=[[Temple University Press]] |year=2008 |isbn=9781592135448 |location=[[Philadelphia]] |page=3 |quote=William 'Lone Star' Dietz, a part-blooded Native American |access-date=July 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200904091347/https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Redskins_Encyclopedia/W8pvThJ6lRMC?gbpv=1 |archive-date=September 4, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The situation faced by Marshall in Boston was difficult. In 1935, Joe F. Carr opined: "To the casual observer bred in the knowledge of [[New England]]'s place in football's sun, because its cradle and nursery were there, the success of a Boston team in the professional ranks would be a foregone conclusion. Nothing could have been more erroneous. Boston finished the most forbidding ground for professional football of any large city in the country. The history of the game in Boston and New England was entirely associated with college, preparatory, and high school playing. Its eminence as an institution of sport grew in a hallowed atmosphere as an almost sacrosanct element of education which was to be kept ever free from commercial pollution."<ref>"Boston Redskins," in Joe F. Carr (ed.), ''Official Guide of the National Football League, 1935.'' New York: American Sports Publishing, 1935, pp. 16-17.</ref>

The Redskins appeared in the [[1936 NFL Championship Game]], their first championship appearance, but lost to the [[Green Bay Packers]] 21–6. In 1937, the Redskins moved to [[Washington, D.C.]], after five years in Boston, with Marshall stating that the area showed a lack of interest in the team.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Annear |first=Steve |date=July 13, 2020 |title=How did the 'Redskins' get their name, anyway? It started in Boston |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/07/13/metro/how-did-redskins-get-their-name-anyway-it-started-boston/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211144805/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/07/13/metro/how-did-redskins-get-their-name-anyway-it-started-boston/ |archive-date=February 11, 2021 |access-date=January 13, 2021 |website=The Boston Globe}}</ref> Through [[1960 Washington Redskins season|1960]], the team shared baseball's [[Griffith Stadium]] with the first American League [[History of the Washington Senators (1901–1960)|Washington Senators]] baseball team.<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 24, 1998 |title=Third Stadium a Real Charm |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/general/povich/launch/stadium.htm |url-status=live |access-date=April 5, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531050452/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/general/povich/launch/stadium.htm |archive-date=May 31, 2010}}</ref> In their first game in Washington, D.C., the Redskins defeated the [[1937 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] in the season opener.<ref name="thirties" /> The same season, they earned their first division title in Washington with a {{nowrap|49–14}} win over the Giants.<ref name="thirties" /> Shortly after, the team won their first championship by defeating the [[1937 Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]] in the [[1937 NFL Championship Game]].<ref name="thirties" />
[[File:George Preston Marshall and the Washington Redskins, 1937.jpg|thumb|Marshall talking to players [[Wayne Millner]], Charlie Malone, [[Vic Carroll]], [[Bill Young (American football lineman)|Bill Young]], [[Ed Michaels]], and Jim Garber in 1937, their [[1937 Washington Redskins season|first season in Washington, D.C.]]]]
The Redskins met the [[1940 Chicago Bears season|Bears]] again in the [[1940 NFL Championship Game]].<ref name="playoffs">{{Cite web |title=Washington Redskins playoff history | date=December 27, 2007 |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/playoffs07/news/story?page=history07/was |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080116084617/http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs07/news/story?page=history07%2Fwas |archive-date=January 16, 2008 |access-date=April 5, 2008 |publisher=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> The result, {{nowrap|73–0}} in favor of the Bears, remains the worst one-sided loss in NFL history.<ref name="playoffs" /> The Redskins won their second championship in [[1942 NFL Championship Game|1942]], defeating the [[1942 Chicago Bears season|Bears]] {{nowrap|14–6.<ref name="playoffs" />}} In [[1943 NFL Championship Game|1943]], Dutch Bergman was named head coach and led the team to a return to the [[1943 NFL Championship Game|NFL championship game]], however they were defeated by the Chicago Bears {{nowrap|41–21.<ref name="playoffs" />}} That same season, [[Sammy Baugh]] led the NFL in passing, [[Punter (American football)|punting]], and [[interception]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFL History: 1943 |url=http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1941-1950#1943 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516040046/http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1941-1950#1943 |archive-date=May 16, 2008 |access-date=April 6, 2008 |work=[[National Football League]]}}</ref>

The Redskins played in the NFL Championship one more time before a quarter-century drought that lasted until the [[1972 NFL season|1972 season]]. With former Olympic [[gold medal]]ist [[Dudley DeGroot]] as their new head coach, the [[1945 Washington Redskins season|Redskins]] went {{Win-loss record|w=8|l=2}} during the [[1945 NFL season|1945 season]]. One of the most impressive performances came from Baugh, who had a completion percentage of 70.3.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=December 22, 1952 |title=No. 33 |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,889570,00.html |url-status=dead |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125223859/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,889570,00.html |archive-date=November 25, 2010 |access-date=April 7, 2008}}</ref> They ended the season by losing to the [[1945 Cleveland Rams season|Cleveland Rams]] in the [[1945 NFL Championship Game]], 15–14.<ref name="playoffs" /> The one-point margin of victory came under scrutiny because of a [[Safety (gridiron football score)|safety]] that occurred early in the game. In the first quarter, the Redskins had the ball at their own 5-yard line. Dropping back into the [[end zone]], [[quarterback]] Baugh threw to an open receiver, but the ball hit the goal post and bounced back to the ground in the end zone. Under the rules at the time, this was ruled as a safety and thus gave the Rams a 2–0 lead. Marshall was so upset at the outcome that he became a major force in passing a major rule change after the season, in which a forward pass that struck the goalpost was automatically ruled incomplete. This later became known as the "Baugh/Marshall Rule".<ref>Nash, Bruce, and Allen Zullo (1986). ''The Football Hall of Shame'', 68–69, Pocket Books. {{ISBN|0-671-74551-4}}.</ref>

The Redskins had four different head coaches from 1946 to 1951, including former players [[Turk Edwards]] and [[Dick Todd (American football)|Dick Todd]] as well as [[John Whelchel]] and [[Herman Ball]].<ref name="seasonresults">{{Cite web |title=Washington Redskins' History |url=http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/history/WAS |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161216061008/http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/history/WAS |archive-date=December 16, 2016 |access-date=December 13, 2009 |website=[[CBS Sports]]}}</ref> But this did not stop Marshall from trying to make the Redskins the most successful franchise in the league. His first major alteration happened on June 14, 1950, when it was announced that the [[American Oil Company]] planned to televise all Redskins games, making them the first NFL team to have an entire season of televised games.<ref name="fifties">{{Cite web |title=The 1950s–History by the Decades |url=https://www.commanders.com/team/history/1950-by-the-decade |access-date=May 13, 2022 |website=Commanders.com }}</ref> His next major change came in February 1952, when he hired former Green Bay Packers coach [[Earl "Curly" Lambeau]].<ref name="fifties" /> But, after two seasons, Marshall fired Lambeau following the [[1952 Washington Redskins season|Redskins]] loss in their exhibition opener to the [[1952 Los Angeles Rams season|Los Angeles Rams]] and hired [[Joe Kuharich]].<ref name="fifties" /> In 1955, Kuharich led the [[1955 Washington Redskins season|Redskins]] to their first winning season in ten years and was named both [[Sporting News NFL Coach of the Year|Sporting News Coach of the Year]] and [[UPI NFL Coach of the Year]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFL Coach of the Year Award |url=http://www.hickoksports.com/history/nflcoy.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205094433/http://www.hickoksports.com/history/nflcoy.shtml |archive-date=December 5, 2012 |access-date=April 6, 2008 |work=Hickok Sports}}</ref>

In [[1961 Washington Redskins season|1961]], the Redskins moved into their new stadium called D.C. Stadium, later renamed [[Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium]] in 1969. The first game in new D.C. Stadium occurred on October 1 in front of 37,767 fans. However, the Redskins failed to hold a 14-point lead and lost to the [[1961 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] {{nowrap|24–21.<ref name="sixties">{{Cite web |title=The 1960s–History by the Decades |url=https://www.commanders.com/team/history/1960-by-the-decade |access-date=May 13, 2022 |website=Commanders.com }}</ref>}} That same year, [[Bill McPeak]] became the head coach and had a record of {{Win-loss record|w=21|l=46|t=3}} over five seasons. During his tenure, he helped draft future stars: wide receiver [[Charley Taylor]], tight end [[Jerry Smith (tight end)|Jerry Smith]], safety [[Paul Krause]], center [[Len Hauss]], and linebacker [[Chris Hanburger]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 9, 1991 |title=Bill McPeak, Football Scout, 64 |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE4DA123FF93AA35756C0A967958260 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200904091348/https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/09/obituaries/bill-mcpeak-football-scout-64.html |archive-date=September 4, 2020 |access-date=April 6, 2008 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> He also helped pull off two important trades, gaining quarterback [[Sonny Jurgensen]] from the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] and linebacker [[Sam Huff]] from the [[New York Giants]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hack |first=Damon |date=October 27, 2002 |title=Pro Football: Inside The NFL; A Greatest Redskin Still Loves New York |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9507EEDC163FF934A15753C1A9649C8B63 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200904091354/https://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/27/sports/pro-football-inside-the-nfl-a-greatest-redskin-still-loves-new-york.html |archive-date=September 4, 2020 |access-date=April 5, 2008 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> In [[1966 Washington Redskins season|1966]], [[Otto Graham]] was hired as the new head coach. Graham coached the Redskins for three seasons for a record of {{Win-loss record|w=17|l=22|t=3}}. He resigned after the [[1968 Washington Redskins season|1968 season]], with the team hiring former Green Bay Packers head coach [[Vince Lombardi]] for the same role.

====Integration controversy====
[[File:Keep-redskins-white.png|thumb|left|1961 placard denouncing Marshall's integration of black players]]
During most of this unsuccessful period, Marshall continually refused to integrate the team, despite pressure from the [[U.S. government]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lecture: Lynn Povich and George Solomon |url=http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/bullpen/lynn_povich_and_george_solomon/lecture/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080623223042/http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/bullpen/lynn_povich_and_george_solomon/lecture/ |archive-date=June 23, 2008 |access-date=April 5, 2008 |work=[[New York University]]}}</ref> Two months into the [[Kennedy administration]] on March 24, 1961, [[United States Secretary of the Interior|Secretary of the Interior]] [[Stewart Udall]] warned Marshall to hire black players or face federal retribution.<ref name="udall" /> For the first time in history, the federal government had attempted to desegregate a professional sports team.<ref name="integrate">{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Thomas G. |title=Civil Rights on the Gridiron |url=https://www.espn.com/page2/wash/s/2002/0305/1346021.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080403130913/http://espn.go.com/page2/wash/s/2002/0305/1346021.html |archive-date=April 3, 2008 |access-date=April 5, 2008 |publisher=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> The Redskins were under the threat of [[civil rights]] legal action by the Kennedy administration, which would have prevented a segregated team from playing at the new federally-owned [[D.C. Stadium]], managed by the [[U.S. Department of the Interior]].<ref>{{Cite journal |date=November 7, 2013 |title=That Time Nazis Marched to "Keep Redskins White" |url=https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/11/nazis-desegregating-washington-nfl-football-team/ |url-status=dead |journal=Mother Jones |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727064049/https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/11/nazis-desegregating-washington-nfl-football-team/ |archive-date=July 27, 2019 |access-date=July 27, 2019}}</ref> The Redskins' previous venue, [[Griffith Stadium]], was owned by the Griffith family, owners of the [[1960 Washington Senators season|Washington Senators]], who moved and became the [[Minnesota Twins]] in [[1961 Minnesota Twins season|1961]].

In [[1962 Washington Redskins season|1962]], Washington became the final professional American football franchise to integrate. First, the Redskins selected running back [[Ernie Davis]] of [[1961 Syracuse Orangemen football team|Syracuse]] with the [[List of first overall NFL draft picks|first overall pick]] in the [[1962 NFL draft]]; Davis was the first black player to win the [[Heisman Trophy]] and the first to be the top selection in an NFL draft.<ref name="udall">{{Cite news |date=December 4, 1961 |title=Washington Picks 1st Negro on Team |pages=4 |work=Petaluma Argus-Courier |agency=AP |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65545937/ |url-status=live |access-date=December 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210101230303/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65545937/ernie-davis-washington-redskins/ |archive-date=January 1, 2021}} {{open access}}</ref><ref name="trade to Browns" /> Washington also took [[Fullback (American football)|fullback]] [[Ron Hatcher]] of [[1961 Michigan State Spartans football team|Michigan State]] in the [[1962 NFL draft#Round eight|eighth round]], who became the first black player to sign a contract with the team.<ref name=integrate/><ref>{{Cite web |date=December 10, 1961 |title=Redskins sign up first Negro |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fnRQAAAAIBAJ&pg=3137%2C7388401 |website=Milwaukee Sentinel |page=7, sports |agency=Associated Press}}{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

In December 1961, Marshall announced he had traded the rights to Davis to the [[1962 Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]], who wanted Davis to join the league's leading rusher, [[Jim Brown]], in their backfield.<ref name="trade to Browns">{{Cite news |date=December 23, 1961 |title=Ernie Davis Joins Cleveland Browns |page=9 |work=[[Syracuse Post-Standard]] |location=Syracuse, New York |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65545308/ |url-status=live |access-date=December 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210101230306/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65545308/ernie-davis-joins-cleveland-browns-post/ |archive-date=January 1, 2021}} {{open access}}</ref> Davis was traded for veteran running back [[Bobby Mitchell]], who became a [[wide receiver]] in Washington, D.C., and 1962 first-round draft choice [[Leroy Jackson]] of [[Western Illinois Leathernecks football|Western Illinois]].<ref name="integrate" /><ref>{{Cite magazine |date=August 10, 1962 |title=August 1962 Scoreboard |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,873711,00.html |url-status=dead |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219065054/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,873711,00.html |archive-date=February 19, 2011 |access-date=April 6, 2008}}</ref> The move was made under unfortunate circumstances – as it turned out that Davis had [[leukemia]], and died without ever playing a down in professional football.<ref name="integrate" /> The Redskins ended the [[1962 Washington Redskins season|1962 season]] with their best record in five years: {{Win-loss record|w=5|l=7|t=2}}. Mitchell led the league with 11 touchdowns, and caught 72 passes and was selected to the [[1963 Pro Bowl|Pro Bowl]]. In time, Mitchell would be joined by other black players like receiver [[Charley Taylor]], running back [[Larry Brown (running back)|Larry Brown]], [[defensive back]] [[Brig Owens]], and guard [[John Nisby]].<ref name="integrate" />