1937 Washington Redskins season

Last updated

1937 Washington Redskins season
Owner George Preston Marshall
General manager Jack Espey
Head coach Ray Flaherty
Home field Griffith Stadium
Results
Record8–3
Division place1st NFL Eastern
Playoff finishWon NFL Championship
(at Bears) 28–21

The 1937 Washington Redskins season was the franchise's 6th season in the National Football League (NFL) and their first in Washington, D.C. The Boston Redskins moved to Washington after their runner-up 1936 season and became the Washington Redskins . In 1937 they repeated as Eastern Division champions and played the NFL championship game on the road against the Chicago Bears at Wrigley Field. The Redskins won the championship game, 28–21.

Contents

The Boston Redskins had won the Eastern Division title the previous season, but had poor attendance, prompting the owner George Preston Marshall to move south to his hometown. [1] The Redskins selected quarterback Sammy Baugh from TCU in the first round of the 1937 NFL draft, on December 12, 1936, while still in Boston. Rookie Baugh led the league in passing in 1937 with a then-record 81 pass completions, and halfback Cliff Battles led the NFL in rushing with 874 yards.

The Redskins were the first team to win a major championship since relocation in their first year and the last until the 1995-96 Colorado Avalanche won their first championship since moving from Quebec.

Draft

1937 Washington Redskins draft
RoundPickPlayerPositionCollegeNotes
16 Sammy Baugh  *   Quarterback TCU
216 Nello Falaschi  *  Center Santa Clara
326 Maurice Elder   Back Kansas State
436 Dick Bassi  *  Guard Santa Clara
546 Chuck Bond   Tackle Washington
656 Jimmie Cain   Back Washington
766Rotta Holland  Guard Kansas State
876 Joel Eaves   End Auburn
986 Bill Docherty   Tackle Temple
1096 Mac Cara   End NC State
      Made roster        Pro Football Hall of Fame     *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Preseason

In the 1937 NFL draft, the Redskins selected Sammy Baugh with the sixth overall pick. Baugh went on to play sixteen years with the Redskins, retiring after the 1952 season; he was named to the NFL 1940s All-Decade Team and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. On September 6, 1937, the Redskins played their first Washington-area game following their move from Boston. Washington beat an American Legion All-Star team by a score of 50–0 in front of 1,000 at McCurdy Field in Frederick, Maryland. [2]

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendanceRecap
1 Bye
2Bye
3September 16 New York Giants W 13–31–0 Griffith Stadium 25,000 Recap
4September 24 Chicago Cardinals L 14–211–1Griffith Stadium22,367 Recap
5October 3 Brooklyn Dodgers W 11–72–1Griffith Stadium16,000 Recap
6October 10 Philadelphia Eagles L 0–142–2Griffith Stadium  7,320 Recap
7October 17 Pittsburgh Pirates W 34–203–2Griffith Stadium12,835 Recap
8October 24at Philadelphia EaglesW 10–74–2 Philadelphia Municipal Stadium 13,167 Recap
9October 31at Brooklyn DodgersW 21–05–2 Ebbets Field 22,500 Recap
10Bye
11November 14at Pittsburgh PiratesL 13–215–3 Forbes Field 12,242 Recap
12November 21at Cleveland Rams W 16–76–3 Cleveland Stadium   3,500 Recap
13November 28 Green Bay Packers W 14–67–3Griffith Stadium30,000 Recap
14December 5at New York GiantsW 49–148–3 Polo Grounds 58,285 Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Playoffs

RoundDateOpponentResultVenueAttendanceGame
recap
Championship December 12at Chicago Bears W 28–21 Wrigley Field 15,878 Recap

Standings

NFL Eastern Division
WLTPCTDIVPFPASTK
Washington Redskins 830.7276–2195120W3
New York Giants 632.6675–2–1128109L1
Pittsburgh Pirates 470.3644–4122145L1
Brooklyn Dodgers 371.3002–5–182174T1
Philadelphia Eagles 281.2002–686177L1

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Postseason

NFL Championship Game

Team Photo

WA Redskins 1938 small.jpg

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References

  1. The First Fifty Years: A Celebration of the National Football League in its Fiftieth Season, Simon and Schuster, Inc., Copyright 1969, ASIN: B0018NJUO0
  2. "1937 Washington Redskins (NFL)". The Pro Football Archives. Retrieved December 22, 2010.