1 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: Five dates. They're often bunched together, sitting higher with a 2 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: different shine than the other seasons. This franchise has played 3 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:20,439 Speaker 1: football the NFL Championships. It may be debated which was 4 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 1: the most unlikely. 5 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 2: Heavy ball made number thirty three wild against. 6 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 1: The world, which was the most perfect back. 7 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,200 Speaker 3: Clutchdown. Red States Park regimes. 8 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 4: Are the world. 9 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:48,919 Speaker 1: Champion six, but only one can be called the first. 10 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: This is hay Tails Stories from Washington football history the 11 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 1: nineteen thirty seven NFL Championship. It's nineteen thirty seven. Tensions 12 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 1: that would lead to World War two are heating up. 13 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:27,199 Speaker 1: A new exciting food product called Kraft Macaroni and Cheese 14 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 1: has hit the shelves, and pro football is finding its 15 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: footing in American culture. 16 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 3: I'm Chris Willis. They had archivist of NFL. 17 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:40,560 Speaker 1: Films, The NFL of nineteen thirty seven, Willis explains, would 18 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: probably be hard for football fans to recognize today. 19 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 5: So at this time in the mid thirties, the NFL 20 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 5: was sort of all its way becoming what you would 21 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 5: think is a successful business model. They weren't the juggernaut 22 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 5: as you see today with being the number one sport 23 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:01,559 Speaker 5: in the States. And maybe you know or in sports 24 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 5: in the world in the nineteen thirties, they were just 25 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 5: coming off the depression. The whole country and sports and 26 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 5: the NFL were going through an adjustment. 27 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 3: So what the stock. 28 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 5: Market craft really did was focused the NFL on they 29 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 5: had to be in the big cities to operate. 30 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:19,360 Speaker 3: They had to be like Major League Baseball. 31 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 5: So they eliminated a lot of the small towns, you know, 32 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 5: like Canton and Dayton and Rochester, all of those little ones, 33 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 5: and sort of focused on the big cities. In Green Bay, 34 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 5: because they were community owned, was the only small team 35 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 5: to survive. So you had the two teams in Chicago, 36 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,360 Speaker 5: New York at this point maybe nineteen thirty five, thirty six, 37 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 5: you had Boston, you had Cleveland and Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. 38 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 3: So it became. 39 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 5: More of like a one team league to really like 40 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 5: an eight to twelve team sort of league. 41 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 1: That's what's going on off the field. As for on 42 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: the field, it. 43 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 5: Was pretty much single wing players going pretty much both ways. 44 00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 3: So you didn't have to have full rosters. The rosters 45 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 3: were about sixteen players, so most of the players. 46 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 5: Hey that once they were on the field, they didn't 47 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 5: come out. 48 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 3: It was real physical. 49 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 5: Still, it was still predominantly a run game at the time, 50 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 5: and then the rules were starting to. 51 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:14,840 Speaker 3: Separate from the college game. 52 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 5: The college game is much more popular in the twenties 53 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 5: and into the thirties, and they dictated. 54 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:22,520 Speaker 3: How the game was played based on the rules. 55 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 5: So that was a good sort of breakaway where they 56 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 5: sort of wanted to make it more fan friendly. The 57 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 5: passing game was, you know, you could throw from anywhere 58 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 5: behind line of scrimmage. You know, the rosters and some 59 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 5: of the better players now were coming into the league 60 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 5: because they knew they would get paid, especially after the 61 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 5: stock market crashed, and so that's where. 62 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 3: The NFL was sort of moving. 63 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 5: They were moving sort of in a positive direction, a 64 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 5: physiness we can sort of achieve similar to what Major 65 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 5: League baseball, which was the most popular. 66 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 3: Sport at the time. 67 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 1: In nineteen thirty seven, there are ten teams in the 68 00:03:56,280 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 1: NFL and one has just moved from Boston to Washington. 69 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 6: D C. 70 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 5: Boston was just a pro town. They cared about Boston 71 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 5: college football. They didn't care about pro football at the time. 72 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 5: So Marshall was definitely frustrated. You know, the crowds were three, four, five, 73 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 5: six thousand, at this time in the NFL in the 74 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 5: mid thirties, they were past that. Chicago was getting twenty thousand, 75 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:24,279 Speaker 5: New York was getting twenty twenty five thousand, So Marshall 76 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 5: just got fed up. He was building a good team. 77 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,640 Speaker 5: In nineteen thirty six, they had a team with Cliff 78 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 5: Battles that half back, and they actually won the Eastern Division. 79 00:04:33,560 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 5: Was playing the Packers in the championship game, but Marshall 80 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:39,680 Speaker 5: got so mad at the city he moved the game 81 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 5: actually to New York because they would get a bigger crowd. 82 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 5: They would try to get a little bit more money 83 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 5: from the champions game so they could split it with 84 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:48,479 Speaker 5: the players. They did lose the game, Don Hudson and 85 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 5: the Packers won. By this time, Marshall was like, yeah, 86 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:51,720 Speaker 5: I'm done. 87 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:53,920 Speaker 7: He packed up and they moved to d C. 88 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: Washington football historian Mike Richmond, his. 89 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:00,160 Speaker 7: Wife actually influenced it a part. She wanted him to 90 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 7: come to DC and it They packed it up and moved 91 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:03,599 Speaker 7: to the nation's capital. 92 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 3: That's when the Washington Redskins were born. 93 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:09,479 Speaker 1: This Washington team is strong, having made it to the 94 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:13,679 Speaker 1: NFL Championship the year prior. The coach is a tough 95 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: and fiery former player named Ray Flaherty. 96 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 8: A grim business is this professional football, and the hard 97 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 8: taskmaster is Ray Flaherty, the Redskins coach on fair Lawn Field, 98 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:28,920 Speaker 8: where George P. Marshall's hirelings practice four hours each day 99 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:34,159 Speaker 8: for sixty minutes of football each week. Flarity tolerates no trifling. 100 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 8: So it's woe to the bruiser who doesn't throw a 101 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 8: proper block into the defensive end, or the lineman who 102 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 8: waits a split second before starting his charge that costs 103 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 8: the offender a fine that maybe a dollar, two bucks, 104 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 8: or even five dollars. 105 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: On the roster are stars like Cliff Battles, Big. 106 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 8: Blonde Cliff Battles. The most deceptive thing in. 107 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: Moleskins, Wayne Milner. 108 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 8: Then came the prettiest play off the afternoon. Milner raced 109 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 8: inside for a Phil. 110 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 1: Shock pass and Turk Edwards. 111 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:09,720 Speaker 8: A towering figure wearing the number seventeen of Turk Edwards. 112 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:14,800 Speaker 1: In the nineteen thirty seven NFL draft, Washington has a 113 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:18,159 Speaker 1: chance to add some new weapons. The most potent of 114 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:23,039 Speaker 1: those comes with the sixth overall pick. His name is 115 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:23,719 Speaker 1: Sam Baw. 116 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 2: One passing thread is slinging Sami Baul, who made history 117 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 2: at Texas Christian University. This is the grip with vingers 118 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 2: spread wide that gives the maximum control in passing. Samy 119 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:36,919 Speaker 2: spots the receiver as he draws the ball back behind 120 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 2: his ear and metric fly every time he throws a football, 121 00:06:39,920 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 2: completes the pass games a yard scords a touchdown ball. 122 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:45,239 Speaker 5: That's the world reckoning. 123 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 8: Coach Flaherty confesses that you could have knocked him over 124 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 8: with a bird seat when he realized that the Redskins 125 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 8: had one ball on the Professional League's draft list, it 126 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 8: was my turn to pick, with ball not yet drafted. 127 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 8: I thought I was dreaming, the league president said clarity, 128 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:09,720 Speaker 8: who is the Redskins choice? Well, by God, I think 129 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 8: I bellowed ball so loud that it must have been 130 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 8: hurt downtown and we had him. 131 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 4: He had a sterling career with at TCUs. He's this 132 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 4: skinny kid, probably waged one hundred and seventy when he 133 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 4: got to the Redskins. 134 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 1: Joe Holly longtime journalist who has written for The Houston 135 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 1: Chronicle and The Washington Post. He is the author of 136 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: Sling and Sam, The Life and Times of the greatest 137 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 1: quarterback to ever play the game became. 138 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 4: An All American TCU played in the Cotton Bowl, and 139 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:42,200 Speaker 4: the Redskins were aware of him and signed him. And 140 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:45,119 Speaker 4: yet he at that point he still wasn't sure whether 141 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 4: he wanted to play football because he was a good 142 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:51,240 Speaker 4: baseball player and back then, as you probably know, football 143 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 4: players didn't make that much money and most of them 144 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 4: had to work somewhere else during the offseason, and he 145 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:00,559 Speaker 4: was thinking maybe the Saint Louis Cardinals, who had offered 146 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 4: him a contract, would be a better bet for him, 147 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 4: not only because he'd probably pay him better. Baseball was 148 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 4: more popular than football in those days, but he would 149 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 4: probably have a longer career because you didn't get hurt 150 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:14,920 Speaker 4: in baseball the way you do in football. 151 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: The decision is hard, but he chooses the NFL, and 152 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 1: his play is boggling to the mind. 153 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 7: At that point, bos still, you know, added a flare 154 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 7: that the game had not seen with his ability to pass. 155 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 4: It's not an exaggeration to say that Samy Baugh was 156 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:36,840 Speaker 4: the Babe Ruth of professional football. In the same way 157 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:39,600 Speaker 4: that Babe Ruth changed the way the game was played, 158 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 4: Sam was the same way and the ball looked, you know, 159 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:45,719 Speaker 4: it was more round so it was hard to get 160 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 4: a hold of the ball and throw a football the way 161 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:51,719 Speaker 4: Patrick Mahomes does or Tom Brady, and he could get 162 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 4: his hands around the ball. As we said, he was 163 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:55,679 Speaker 4: also a baseball player, so he's got a good arm, 164 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 4: and he wasn't afraid to throw the ball, and that 165 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:01,719 Speaker 4: opened up the game and changed it for it. 166 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: Ba's killer arm battles sensational rushing Turk, Edward's imposing presence, 167 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: Riley Smith's production all over the field, the Burgundy and 168 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 1: Gold get the results it needs throughout the regular season. 169 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 8: Smith's sixty yard run decides in thriller Invaders held on 170 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 8: goal line Baw important factor. Cliff battles thrills with long 171 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:31,040 Speaker 8: runs Baw. Edwards Milner also played brilliantly in the rain. 172 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 8: Possibly the pressure was just too great for the Indians, who, 173 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 8: although they outplayed the last place club in every offensive department, 174 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 8: failed to Washington beats Eagles get revenge. Redskins back boots 175 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 8: ball from twenty seven yard line in closing minutes, Brooklyn 176 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:52,560 Speaker 8: line falls apart in final half. Baugh and Irwin score 177 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 8: first last five minutes of play sees wild scramble for victory. 178 00:09:56,400 --> 00:10:00,440 Speaker 8: Cliff Battle's hero of second half rally, thirty thousand crowd 179 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 8: to see Redskins neat Ackers. Washington finds its football. 180 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:07,719 Speaker 1: Team the Burgundy, and goal goes seven to three. They 181 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:10,440 Speaker 1: then traveled to New York for the Eastern Conference Final 182 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:12,559 Speaker 1: and trample the Giants. 183 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:16,960 Speaker 8: Again and again. Washington's Redskins swept down the field this afternoon, 184 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 8: driving New York's Giants before them in a wild, dazzling 185 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:25,839 Speaker 8: and relentless scoring spree. By the startling and near incredible 186 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 8: score of forty nine to fourteen, the Washington team smeared 187 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 8: New York's hopes of victory, left their foes dazed and bewildered, 188 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 8: and sent the eight thousand Washingtonians among the fifty eight thousand, 189 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:41,840 Speaker 8: two hundred and eighty five in the stands joyously stampeding 190 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 8: onto the field. 191 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 1: At the finish, Washington books its ticket to Chicago to 192 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,959 Speaker 1: face the Bears for the nineteen thirty seven NFL Championship. 193 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:51,560 Speaker 3: For Chicago, it was a big deal. 194 00:10:51,679 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 5: The Bears were well written about. House made sure that 195 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 5: was the case. He had a great team. He wanted 196 00:10:58,200 --> 00:10:58,679 Speaker 5: fans to. 197 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 3: Come out for the city and for the teams. 198 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 5: This was something that was sort of the top news 199 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:07,080 Speaker 5: in the sports section because the NFL was like trying 200 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 5: to build the brand, and the championship game was their 201 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:12,560 Speaker 5: world series. So by thirty seven this was one of 202 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 5: the key dates on the sports map. 203 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 7: It was in the worst of conditions. Wrigley Field was 204 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 7: covered with ice, snow, and as Sammy Baugh told me 205 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 7: in an interview in the early two thousands, there was 206 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:29,959 Speaker 7: like little pebbles on the field. Everybody got sliced up 207 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:31,560 Speaker 7: in one way or another that game. 208 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:34,959 Speaker 1: Arthur Daily of the New York Times wrote that quote, 209 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: the Gridiron was like a skating rink. The players actually 210 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 1: end up wearing sneakers to improve traction on the ice. 211 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:45,079 Speaker 4: Behears it tried to get it in shape with Hay 212 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 4: And for a team like Chicago that runs over you, 213 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 4: it's not nearly the disadvantage it is for a team 214 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 4: that relies on passing routes and guys trying to get open. 215 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: These teams certainly had different qualities to them, and the 216 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 1: storylines heading into this championship game were intriguing. 217 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:07,880 Speaker 5: Today, you would have a really good time with the 218 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 5: ex's and oh shows to say, Hey, what's going to 219 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 5: be the most important aspect of this game. First, I 220 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:15,960 Speaker 5: think you had Sammy's passing a Billy. You had to 221 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:18,200 Speaker 5: be aware of that he was throwing to Wayne Milner. 222 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:20,280 Speaker 5: It was an all pro in you know, Charlie Malone 223 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 5: was also an All Pro times. But then you also 224 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 5: had Cliff Brattles in the running game, so you had 225 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 5: to be aware of maybe the best overall runner in 226 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 5: the league in nineteen thirty seven. 227 00:12:29,679 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 3: In Cliff Battle. 228 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:34,320 Speaker 5: So but then the other thing is the Washington defense 229 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:35,320 Speaker 5: against the Bears. 230 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 3: So Bears were a juggernaut. 231 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:40,040 Speaker 5: They were up there with Washington in the Western Division, 232 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 5: and they also had Broncoln and Gersky probably the most 233 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 5: physical player in the league. They had a reputation who 234 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 5: was also at that time in nineteen thirty that was 235 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 5: the World wrestling heavyweight champion, So he's going back and 236 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 5: forth between wrestling and playing football. 237 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 3: You had to stop new Gersky. 238 00:12:55,559 --> 00:12:59,439 Speaker 4: They were the Monsters of the Midway and their coach, 239 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 4: George Pallas, his approach to the game was, for example, 240 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:05,560 Speaker 4: when he's when he's going to play someone like Sammy Ball, 241 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:08,160 Speaker 4: mock him out of the game. Heard it, get rid 242 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:08,360 Speaker 4: of it. 243 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 1: The Monsters of the Midway versus the brand new team 244 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:12,959 Speaker 1: from Washington d C. 245 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:18,280 Speaker 4: The very first play of the game, when Washington has 246 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 4: the ball and they were backed up, I think they 247 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:22,719 Speaker 4: were on their one yard line and he lines up 248 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:27,080 Speaker 4: in pontformation first down and back. Then that's not unusual, 249 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:30,079 Speaker 4: you know, you play for a position. So Sammy lines 250 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:32,439 Speaker 4: up to ponds, but he doesn't. 251 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 3: He throws a. 252 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 4: Pass that ends up a forty three yard completion. And 253 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:39,559 Speaker 4: then the play was sort of symbolic. 254 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:40,560 Speaker 3: It was it was. 255 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:44,400 Speaker 4: A message to the Bears, but they were going to 256 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:47,320 Speaker 4: play their game. They weren't intimidated, and Sammy was. 257 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 3: Someone who recorded. 258 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 8: Ball. Faked a pass and ran left tackle for three yards. 259 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:01,240 Speaker 8: Battles board center for two and a first down on 260 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:04,720 Speaker 8: the Bears ten. Battles ran right tackle for three yards. 261 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:08,559 Speaker 8: Baw aimed to pass it Battles and Nanders knocked it down. 262 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:11,680 Speaker 8: Baw handed the ball to Battles on a reverse, and 263 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 8: Battles dashed around the weak side of the line for 264 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 8: a touchdown, diving over the goal untouched. Riley Smith sent 265 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:22,000 Speaker 8: a placement through the posts for the extra point score. 266 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 8: Redskins seven, Bears nothing. Seven minutes of the first quarter remained. 267 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: Washington throws the first punch, but Chicago would come roaring back. 268 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 8: Masterson passed Demanski, who made a shoe string catch in 269 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:37,640 Speaker 8: Boss territory, slipped on the Redskins forty, regained and ran 270 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:41,720 Speaker 8: to the Redskins nineteen before Ball brought him down. Nagirsky 271 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:45,120 Speaker 8: swept around left end for nine yards before Battles bumped 272 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 8: him down. Nanders shot through a huge hole at right 273 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:49,680 Speaker 8: guard for ten yards and a. 274 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 1: Touchdown seven to seven. The game is heating up Temper's 275 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:56,800 Speaker 1: player and players are hungry to win at all costs. 276 00:14:56,920 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 4: There was up where the fearsome Brocco Gercy comes. He's 277 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 4: running through the middle of the line and the only 278 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 4: one between him and go line is a safety man, 279 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 4: Skinny Sammy Ball. No one has touched Bronco as he 280 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:17,800 Speaker 4: gets up ahead of Steam and Sammy has to somehow 281 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 4: try to tackle him, and somehow he kind of finally 282 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 4: brings him down. Its torture. And after the game, Sammy 283 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:30,520 Speaker 4: and Bronco were talking and Sammy says, hey, Brock, did you. 284 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 9: Realize nobody nobody touched you before you got to me? 285 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 9: And Bronco said, yeah, that was the plan for me 286 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:42,240 Speaker 9: to run over you and knock you out of the game. 287 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 9: So that's what the quarterback, the most valuable player on 288 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 9: the team, had to deal with everything. 289 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 1: The icy conditions don't help the brutality of the game. 290 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 1: The Burgundy and Gold struggle to respond after the Bears 291 00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 1: tie it. 292 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 8: Instead, Wilson intercepted balls past the battles. 293 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:05,880 Speaker 1: Chicago goes ahead. What's more, Bow gets his knee banged 294 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 1: up and has to leave the game. 295 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 8: At the end of the half. The game belonged to 296 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 8: the Bears by a score of fourteen to seven, with 297 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:18,120 Speaker 8: the Redskins seemingly en route as Nigirsky and Manders and 298 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 8: Nolting and Masterson poured through the Washington line and bullied 299 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 8: their way into the lead. 300 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 1: Halftime a break from the cold, a chance to regroup, 301 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:34,720 Speaker 1: a rousing speech from coach Ray Flaherty, thirty more minutes 302 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 1: of football to play. The third quarter starts on a 303 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 1: high note for Washington as Ba returns and the quarterback 304 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 1: plays like a man possessed. 305 00:16:43,280 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 7: Faull was sensational that game, as passing was seventeen to 306 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 7: thirty four three o fifty two yards, three touchdowns, and 307 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 7: two of his touchdown receptions were by Wayne Milner. The 308 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:57,600 Speaker 7: great Redskins receiver, and Milner was known as quote the 309 00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 7: money player when he was in college and note to day, 310 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 7: he cut two touchdown passes in a nineteen thirty five 311 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:05,760 Speaker 7: win over Ohio State, which was one of the so 312 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 7: called games of the century. So he came through in 313 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 7: the thirty seven championship game as well. He cut two 314 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:16,440 Speaker 7: touchdowns from ball that day, two long wins, a fifty 315 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:19,200 Speaker 7: five yarder and a seventy seven yarder, and both of 316 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:23,760 Speaker 7: them he outraced the defenders after catching the pass from Ball. 317 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:27,679 Speaker 7: One of those receptions was on the screen pass that 318 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:30,359 Speaker 7: was invented by the Redskins, and it was on bail 319 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 7: that day. 320 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:35,119 Speaker 1: In the third quarter, Milner scores Ben Manski for Chicago. 321 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:39,919 Speaker 1: Then Milner. It's twenty one to twenty one, the clocks 322 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 1: ticking down on the period, Washington has. 323 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:45,919 Speaker 8: The ball from a spread formation. Erwin charged center for 324 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:49,000 Speaker 8: nine yards. Erwin slammed through center for six and a 325 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 8: first down on the Redskins thirty six. 326 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 1: The offense is marching down the field. 327 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:56,639 Speaker 8: Ball passed them alone for eleven yards. Milner took a 328 00:17:56,640 --> 00:17:58,640 Speaker 8: pass from Ball for seven yards. 329 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:02,880 Speaker 1: Chunk by chunk. Chicago can't contain the unit, and then. 330 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 8: Ball faked a short past them alone, then wound up 331 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:08,600 Speaker 8: again and fired a longwinded Justice, who took the ball 332 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:12,040 Speaker 8: on the Bear's eleven yard line and galloped to a touchdown. 333 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:16,120 Speaker 1: Sambaw to ed Justice for thirty five yards. Washington goes 334 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: up twenty eight to twenty one. All this action in 335 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:22,880 Speaker 1: the third quarter. Francis Stan of The Evening Star calls 336 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:26,560 Speaker 1: it quote probably the best fifteen minutes of play in history. 337 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 1: The Bear's panic in the fourth quarter. Instead of relying 338 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:32,280 Speaker 1: on the run game that had made them so successful 339 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 1: all season, they try to pivot to passing more and fail. 340 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:39,440 Speaker 1: Their final passing attempt is picked off by Washington's Riley 341 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 1: Smith that seals. 342 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 4: It the Redskins win. There were three thousand Washington fans 343 00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:49,120 Speaker 4: who had gotten on a train in Union Station and 344 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 4: travel west to Chicago. You know, they were excitic. They 345 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 4: too had survived the cold, probably with a bit of 346 00:18:56,520 --> 00:18:58,880 Speaker 4: liquid refreshment to keep them going. 347 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 1: The celebrations were a little different back then. For example, 348 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:06,119 Speaker 1: there wasn't a victory parade with the team, and the 349 00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:07,200 Speaker 1: immediate days. 350 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:11,240 Speaker 8: Following Washington will have no chance to acclaim until next ball. 351 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 8: The Redskins team that today won the National Professional League Championship. 352 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:19,879 Speaker 8: The entire squad of Redskins will disband here tomorrow to 353 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 8: meet again on the Pacific Coast within two weeks, where 354 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:24,959 Speaker 8: they will play several exhibition. 355 00:19:24,480 --> 00:19:28,160 Speaker 1: Games, and as was tradition, then the NFL Championship winner 356 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 1: qualified to play a pick team of college all stars 357 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:37,200 Speaker 1: the following summer, a pros versus amateurs showdown. Washington would 358 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:40,199 Speaker 1: lose that one thirteen to seven. But as for the 359 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:44,880 Speaker 1: NFL Championship in Chicago, the discomforts of that freezing win 360 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:49,159 Speaker 1: continued to staying after the final whistle. There were plenty 361 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:53,200 Speaker 1: of injuries to nurse. Plus the harsh game day environment 362 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: actually affected Washington's earnings. 363 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 5: When the championship game is over, the players actually get 364 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:02,639 Speaker 5: part of the the gate, so that was because the 365 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:06,000 Speaker 5: gate was a little bit low. The Washington players, yes, 366 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 5: got two hundred and twenty five dollars for their winning effort, 367 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 5: which actually was I think like thirty forty dollars. 368 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:14,480 Speaker 3: Less than what the package got in nineteen thirty six. 369 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:16,479 Speaker 5: You would think there would be more, but because they 370 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:19,360 Speaker 5: had more fans in New York for that game, they 371 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:21,560 Speaker 5: only got two twenty five, and then. 372 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:25,360 Speaker 3: I think the Bears were, you know, was like one twenty. 373 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 5: Seven or something like one hundred and twenty five bucks 374 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:30,560 Speaker 5: or something for losing. So it wasn't as big a 375 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 5: money maker because of the fans and the attendance. But 376 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 5: I guess two hundred and twenty five extra dollars is 377 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:37,720 Speaker 5: two hundred and twenty five extra dollars. 378 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:41,720 Speaker 1: Despite the ice skating ring field and Chicago's determination to 379 00:20:42,119 --> 00:20:46,640 Speaker 1: literally run their opponent into the ground, Washington's passing game 380 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 1: took center stage in the win. Slingin Sammy bas showed 381 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 1: just how powerful throwing the pigskin could be, and the 382 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:56,400 Speaker 1: game never looked back. 383 00:20:56,520 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 5: I think Sammy's performance and that's what makes Sammy a 384 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:02,359 Speaker 5: a charter member of the Pro Fotball Hall of Fame. 385 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:05,000 Speaker 5: This is before he threw for over three hundred yards 386 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:09,000 Speaker 5: three touchdown, and it proved to the league, especially George 387 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:12,080 Speaker 5: Hollis on that sidelines that day. This is where the 388 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 5: game's moved LEMI Ball, where we gets paid number thirty 389 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,720 Speaker 5: three wild again we learn. 390 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 8: Later Sammy's advice to the boys who would become good 391 00:21:22,119 --> 00:21:25,240 Speaker 8: passers is simple, just keep throwing the ball, he says, 392 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:26,640 Speaker 8: that's what I did. 393 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:30,720 Speaker 1: For the Burgundian Golds and the Nation's Capital. Nineteen thirty 394 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:34,399 Speaker 1: seven is the year so many of the memories, the loyalty, 395 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:39,400 Speaker 1: the passion, the singular pursuit of success can be traced 396 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:40,159 Speaker 1: back to It was. 397 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:43,840 Speaker 7: The first championship for a pro sports team in DC 398 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:47,719 Speaker 7: since the nineteen twenty four Washington Senators won the World Series. 399 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:51,920 Speaker 7: The fact that this was their first year in the 400 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:56,160 Speaker 7: Nation's Capital, it's one of the reasons that people say 401 00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:59,159 Speaker 7: the interest in the team was passed down from generation 402 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:02,640 Speaker 7: to generation because they had that dominance through that era. 403 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:07,960 Speaker 8: Chicago, December twelve, Managing Editor, Washington Post, Washington, d C. 404 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 8: Dear sir, we would be deeply grateful if, through the 405 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 8: columns of the Washington Post, you would express our gratitude 406 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:18,679 Speaker 8: for the season long support given to our team by 407 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:22,159 Speaker 8: the Washington public. We are especially pleased that we have 408 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 8: won the national Professional Championship for Washington, and please believe 409 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 8: us that the moral support rendered us by the people 410 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 8: of Washington was a huge factor in our successful season. 411 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:39,920 Speaker 8: Most sincerely, yours, signed, Ray, George Marsh Slinging, Sammy. 412 00:22:39,560 --> 00:22:47,280 Speaker 6: Bar Bernie Pinker, Justin, Jim Barber, Charliecliff, battle Less Olson, 413 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:57,879 Speaker 6: Max Crowd, George Smith, Jim Carter, Smith, Wayne Melon, Henry Crowd, 414 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:02,880 Speaker 6: Eddie Cony, Hailed, Jade Donovan, Barney Chritzy. 415 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:10,200 Speaker 1: This episode of Haile Tales was narrated, produce, and research 416 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 1: by me Hannah Liechtenstein, senior copywriter for the Washington Commanders. 417 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:18,639 Speaker 1: It was produced and edited by Jason Johnson, additional editing 418 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:22,720 Speaker 1: by Nick Leanos. Executive producers are Ryan Yoakum and Kevin Klein. 419 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:27,239 Speaker 1: Additional voiceover help comes from Bram Weinstein. Graphics designed by 420 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:30,200 Speaker 1: Zach Osborne and Matt Cashman. Thank you to our guests 421 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 1: for their contributions, and thank you for listening