PreaKhan,NicholasLaikhram SSR2

Period5 THHS

InterviewwithMikeRichman

Mike:Hi
Nick:MrRichman,ItsNick
Mike:HiHowareyoudoing?
Nick:Imdoingfine
Mike:Youcanjustcallmemike
Nick:IamgoingtogiveyouabitofbackgroundinfoonmyprojectforNationalHistoryDay.For
NationalHistorydaywehavetochooseatopicandseehowitrelatestothemerightsand
responsibilities.MypartnerandIchoseboththeintegrationandsegregationoftheNFLtosee
rightsandresponsibilitiesoftheteamowners,commissionersandplayersthemselves
Mike:ok
Nick:OurtopicismainlygoingtobefocusedontheWashingtonRedskinsAndGeorgePreston
Marshall
Mike:Ok,nowwhereisyourschool?
Nick:ItsinFlushingNYTownsendHarrisHighSchool
Mike:ok
Nick:IhavealistofquestionsIamgoingtoaskyou
Mike:Whydidyoupicktheredskins?
Nick:Wefounditoddthattheywerethefirstteamtosegregateandthelastteamtointegrate.If
youfindanyinformationthatisfalseoranyinfothatmaybeusefulcanyoupleaseletmeknow
Mike:sure
Nick:Whyweretheythelastteamtointegrate?
Mike:TheywereownedbyGeorgePrestonMarshallandherefusedformanyyearstointegrate
theplayers.TheprimarytheoryisthattheRedskinsformanyyearsweretheteamofthesouth
andtheyhavealargesouthernfanbaseandthiswasduringtheyears19401950sandthearea
atthetimewasverysegregated.Playingtostereotypesofsouthernersthatswhyhedidn'twant
tointegratehissquad
Nick:SothebackgroundofGeorgePrestonMarshallimpactedtheintegrationoftheteam?
Mike:Itwashisdecisiontonotintegratetheteam
Nick:Howdidthesegregationandtakingsolongtointegrateimpacttheteamplayingduring
thoseseasons?
Mike:Therecordspeaksforitself.PostWorldWar1971theyhad4winningyears.Backthen
therewerefewerteamsthantherearetodayTheClevelandbrownsalsointegratedduringthis
time,TheRamsintegratedandtheywerethefirstteamtodoitafterWorldWar2withKenny
Washington1946.TheteamswereintegratingbutMarshallwasnottheonlyonenotwantingto
signblackplayersitwasaveryslowprocess.Therewerealsoquotastobemet,youwould
havetohaveacertainamountofblackplayers.
Nick:WasGeorgeMarshalloneofthepeoplewhocreatedtheunofficialban?
Mike:Yes,yeshewasone.Theownersbandedtogether,itwasaleaguewidedecision.Itwas
atrendtointegratein1947theMLBwithJackierobinson
Nick:Sincetheredskinstooksolongtointegrateitsplayers,diditaffectotherteamsinthe
NFL?
Mike:YeahthereisaquoteirememberSamHufftellingmetheGiantshallofFamelinebacker,
hesaidtheywouldreallylookforwardtoplayingtheredskinsweekafterweekbecausethe
redskinsweresobadandIdon'tknowifthathasanythingtodowiththelackofintegration.
TherewasalsoafamoussportswriterfortheWashingtonPostwhocameupwiththelineJim
BrownintegratedtheRedskinsendzone3timesyesterday,ThatcameoutonaMondayandthe
previousdaytheBrownsbeattheRedskinsandJimBrownwasagreatClevelandBrowns
runningbackandhewasblack,soShirleyPovichmeantthatheintegratedtheendzoneby
runningintotheendzone.Shirleypovichwasveryagainstthedecisiontokeeptheredskins
rosterallwhite.InmybooktheredskinsencyclopediaIquotedplayerswhosaiditwastimeto
integrateby1961.Youshouldgetacopyofmybook.Itwillgiveyouaverygoodbackground.
Nick:Yeahwewillgetthat.HowdidtheplayersontheRedskinsreacttotakingsolongto
integrate?
Mike:Welltheplayerthatijustreferredto,hisnameisVincePromutoandinmybookIquoted
himsayingitwastimetointegrateandthatithadithadbeenwaytoolong.Promutosays,quote,
wewerenotpullingfromthebesttalent,andifyoudon'tpullfromthebesttalent,whichcould
bewhiteorblackyoucan'twinfootballgames.SotheybroughtinBobbyMitchellandthatat
leastbroughtthemtogettingintochampionshipposition.BobbyMitchellwasacquiredbythe
RedskinsinDecember,1961andinadditiontohimtherewere3otherblackplayerswhowere
signedaroundthesametimebytheRedskins.Thatwasthebeginningofthefranchises
integration.
Nick:Didanygroupstrytoconvincetheownerstointegrateitsplayers?
Mike:Thatidontknow
Nick:Doyouthinkotherteamownerslookeduptohimordownonhim?
Mike:Well,itsverytoughtosay,youstillhavetoremembertheeratimeofracialstrifeinthis
country.Definitelysomewhowereforwardthinkers,DanReevesoftheRams,whosignedthe
twoblackplayers.Youwouldhavetodoresearchtoanswerthatquestion.Doyouknowthe
Kennedyadministrationandtheirinvolvement?
Nick:Yeahmypartnerreadthebook
Mike:YeahitscalledSHowdownJFKandtheWashingtonRedskins.JFKwasenforcingthe
Redskinstointegratetheirroster,Kennedysaidthattheywouldhavetointegratetheirrosterif
theywanttoplayinthestadiumsincethestadiumwasonfederalgroundsTheRedskinswere
theabsoluteworstteamintheleaguein1961whenthisalloccured.
Nick:Didthegovernmentapproveofwhattheyweredoing?
Mike:TheJFkstorysumsupthat.Thefederalgovernmentdidnotapproveofit.Alsoconsider
thetimeperioditwasatimewhereweweretryingtoputanendsegregation.
Nick:Wasthereanymoneyinvolvement?
Mike:Ivenevercameacrossanythinglikethat,sorry
Nick:WaseffectonthesalariesofblacksontheRedskins?
Mike:Thatissomethingyouhavetoresearch
Nick:Thisismylastquestion.Whatwastheonemajorfactorthatcausedtheteamto
integrate?
Mike:Thetopfactorwouldbetheinterventionofthegovernment.ThatpushedtheRedskinsto
integrate.Allthesmallfactorsalsoplayedplayedabigrole
Nick:Doyouhaveanyinfoyouthinkwillhelpus?
Mike:Getacopyofmybook,goonmywebsiteredskinshistorian.com
Nick:Anyprimarysecondarysources?
Mike:GritIronGauntletsbyAndyPiosticwhichwillgiveyoufirsthandstoriesandtheplayeri
quotedbeforeVincePromuto.Hereishisnumber9546169803
Nick:Thankyousomuchforyourtimeandalloftheinformationyouhaveprovidedus.
Mike:Noproblem,emailofyouhaveanymorequestions
Nick:Okthankyousomuch.HappyHolidays