Readers Point to Race as Reason for Cowboys Fans in Commanders Land

[NorthDalal]

I think much of the Carolinas was Commanders territory until they established the Panthers. Most West Virginians I know are Steelers fans, except for the Eastern Panhandle where they are Skins fans.

This is a very mixed up thread filled with 1/2 true stories of racism that pull snippets of the truth and expands them into modern times. Here's the actual story:

The Washington Commanders prior to 1960 were the South's team--the entire south( for the 12 team NFL). They built a radio network second to none and it stretched from Virginia to Texas, they were bidding to become the dominant radio voice of the NFL in the South before there was network TV games.

George Preston Marshall was their owner, he was a segregationist who also believed his business interests favored keeping the Commanders lily-white.

When the AFL was announced--in the wake of the NFL hitting the national TV stage w/ the Colts-Giants televised championship in 1958 the league decided to grant an expansion franchise to Dallas and Minn. but one franchise stood in the way of approval for Dallas-that was Marshall and the Commanders, seeking to protect their Solid South radio network.

The Cowboys hired Tex Schramm in 1959 and was busy building an organization but the Commanders blocked the franchise. The Cowboys bought the right's to the Commanders beloved fight song from Marshall's now divorced ex-wife.

Coupled with heavy pressure from the league who saw Lamar Hunt put an AFL franchise in Dallas ahead of the Cowboys. Marshall traded the song rights and relented to strong league pressure, giving his vote allowing the Cowboys to obtain the franchise. The Commander all-south radio network was dead.Commander roster was well integrated by 1970.

George Preston Marshall was a racist, trading the rights to 1961 Heisman trophy winner Ernie Davis to Cleveland so he would not have to draft a black player with the # 1 pick.

Every Cowboy fan should know this story.

P.S. Dallas is popular in Washington because they are the second most popular team in almost evey market in America.The Cowboys didn't get good til 1966 but heartbreaking playoff losses in 66, 67, 68, and 69 and Super Bowl loss in 1970 made them America's favorite underdog.

 

[links18]

This is a very mixed up thread filled with 1/2 true stories of racism that pull snippets of the truth and expands them into modern times. Here's the actual story:

The Washington Commanders prior to 1960 were the South's team--the entire south( for the 12 team NFL). They built a radio network second to none and it stretched from Virginia to Texas, they were bidding to become the dominant radio voice of the NFL in the South before there was network TV games.

George Preston Marshall was their owner, he was a segregationist who also believed his business interests favored keeping the Commanders lily-white.

When the AFL was announced--in the wake of the NFL hitting the national TV stage w/ the Colts-Giants televised championship in 1958 the league decided to grant an expansion franchise to Dallas and Minn. but one franchise stood in the way of approval for Dallas-that was Marshall and the Commanders, seeking to protect their Solid South radio network.

The Cowboys hired Tex Schramm in 1959 and was busy building an organization but the Commanders blocked the franchise. The Cowboys bought the right's to the Commanders beloved fight song from Marshall's now divorced ex-wife.

Coupled with heavy pressure from the league who saw Lamar Hunt put an AFL franchise in Dallas ahead of the Cowboys. Marshall traded the song rights and relented to strong league pressure, giving his vote allowing the Cowboys to obtain the franchise. The Commander all-south radio network was dead.Commander roster was well integrated by 1970.

George Preston Marshall was a racist, trading the rights to 1961 Heisman trophy winner Ernie Davis to Cleveland so he would not have to draft a black player with the # 1 pick.

Every Cowboy fan should know this story.

P.S. Dallas is popular in Washington because they are the second most popular team in almost evey market in America.The Cowboys didn't get good til 1966 but heartbreaking playoff losses in 66, 67, 68, and 69 and Super Bowl loss in 1970 made them America's favorite underdog.

Nice History piece!

 

[AmishCowboy]

Where are all our Commander residents posters on this matter?.

 

[popcorn]

Initially the Skins racist ways were probably a big reason. But that was a long time ago. I think a huge population in the D.C AREA are Govrt workers with Military backgrounds. Their (parents) careers have landed them here, so as they reach adult age they have no real connection or compassion to the DC area. Back in the 70"s the Cowboys were on T.V. in the D.C area as much as the skins and were a better team. Hence the following.
For Me I grew up in VA. Near the Appalachians, as far as I was concerned. There was little difference in 200 miles and 1600 miles. Now my career has kept me in the D.C. area and it's too much fun hating the Skins and once you bleed Blue you bleed it for Life. Go Cowboys and please get the stupid bickering locker room crap straightened out.

 

[jday]

it's African-American

Do we ever hear black men refer to white people as Caucasion-American, Anglo-Saxon, Irish-American, etc? No! I'm white, they're black. I'm not going to waste my breath on those extra syllables to sound PC. Some of my best friends are black, so don't assume there is an agenda behind my opinion on this. Besides, assuming they are African-American because of the color of their skin might be offensive. Not all black people originate from Africa.

It is my belief that skin color is a result of evolution. Those whose ancestory resided in areas close to the equator, over time became dark. You may notice that black people don't tend to get sun burns. Those whose ancestors lived in areas further from the sun became lighter over time. I would imagine the original humans were somewhere in between. Anywho, that's my rant on this. Have a nice day!

 

[stiletto]

When I was about 4 I started liking the Dallas Cowboys after. I didn't know what racism was....I just knew it was my duty as a Cowboys fan to despise the Commanders. It got easier to do as I got older. Has NOTHING to do with race.

 

[jackrussell]

Those three would be considered the Deep South not the Upper South. I'm thinking the Upper South would be Virginia, North and South Carolina and a portion of West Virginia - those regions closer to Maryland/Washington, D.C.

The article mentions Upper South. But I should have been clearer in my post.

Ahhh..they were too busy bootleggin' and left turnin' to wurry 'bout foooteballin'.

 

[random Cs]

Where are all our Commander residents posters on this matter?.

Reading and keeping our comments to ourselves. I was not aware you wanted us to chime in and mess up next episode of Days of our Cowboys that I've been reading on this board for the last month. I heard Terrell Owens didn't invite Tony Romo to his birthday party. :

Back to the issue, George Preston Marshall played a pivotal role in professional football and was also a stubbornly racist man. Being born in the 1800's I am sure he was not alone. As George said, "We'll start signing Negroes when the Harlem Globetrotters start signing whites."

Note, that with that stubbornness came a man who was not afraid of innovation and ruffling some feathers making changes to the game for the better. Unfortunately integration was one of the issues he would not budge on, unlike other owners like George Halas.

Maybe the fact that the Cowboys were one of the first teams to integrate was a reason for so many Cowboy fans in the area; who knows where you Cowboy fans come from. Like the cockroach, you're everywhere, impossible to kill. When the Armageddon comes there will be one of you walking around in a radioactive suit with a blue star on it telling the surviving mutants about Tom Landry.

I suspect, as it is today, there were lots of Cowboy fans in the area because they were the Commanders rival. (fight song, expansion rights, etc.) The racism probably added something to it, but if it was main cause then most people would have been Cleveland fans cheering for Jim Brown.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

none of those reasons are why I am a cowboy fan

how old are you, that may explain why it doesn't mean much to you. while none of these reasons are why i'm a cowboy's fan, I've heard this reason before from older cowboy fans

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Reading and keeping our comments to ourselves. I was not aware you wanted us to chime in and mess up next episode of Days of our Cowboys that I've been reading on this board for the last month. I heard Terrell Owens didn't invite Tony Romo to his birthday party. :

Back to the issue, George Preston Marshall played a pivotal role in professional football and was also a stubbornly racist man. Being born in the 1800's I am sure he was not alone. As George said, "We'll start signing Negroes when the Harlem Globetrotters start signing whites."

Note, that with that stubbornness came a man who was not afraid of innovation and ruffling some feathers making changes to the game for the better. Unfortunately integration was one of the issues he would not budge on, unlike other owners like George Halas.

Maybe the fact that the Cowboys were one of the first teams to integrate was a reason for so many Cowboy fans in the area; who knows where you Cowboy fans come from. Like the cockroach, you're everywhere, impossible to kill. When the Armageddon comes there will be one of you walking around in a radioactive suit with a blue star on it telling the surviving mutants about Tom Landry.

I suspect, as it is today, there were lots of Cowboy fans in the area because they were the Commanders rival. (fight song, expansion rights, etc.) The racism probably added something to it, but if it was main cause then most people would have been Cleveland fans cheering for Jim Brown.

 

[AmishCowboy]

Reading and keeping our comments to ourselves. I was not aware you wanted us to chime in and mess up next episode of Days of our Cowboys that I've been reading on this board for the last month. I heard Terrell Owens didn't invite Tony Romo to his birthday party. :

Back to the issue, George Preston Marshall played a pivotal role in professional football and was also a stubbornly racist man. Being born in the 1800's I am sure he was not alone. As George said, "We'll start signing Negroes when the Harlem Globetrotters start signing whites."

Note, that with that stubbornness came a man who was not afraid of innovation and ruffling some feathers making changes to the game for the better. Unfortunately integration was one of the issues he would not budge on, unlike other owners like George Halas.

Maybe the fact that the Cowboys were one of the first teams to integrate was a reason for so many Cowboy fans in the area; who knows where you Cowboy fans come from. Like the cockroach, you're everywhere, impossible to kill. When the Armageddon comes there will be one of you walking around in a radioactive suit with a blue star on it telling the surviving mutants about Tom Landry.

I suspect, as it is today, there were lots of Cowboy fans in the area because they were the Commanders rival. (fight song, expansion rights, etc.) The racism probably added something to it, but if it was main cause then most people would have been Cleveland fans cheering for Jim Brown.

At least one of you guys are still around! and Welcome to "The Days of Our Lives"..

 

[IndianaCowboyFan]

Reading and keeping our comments to ourselves. I was not aware you wanted us to chime in and mess up next episode of Days of our Cowboys that I've been reading on this board for the last month. I heard Terrell Owens didn't invite Tony Romo to his birthday party. :

Back to the issue, George Preston Marshall played a pivotal role in professional football and was also a stubbornly racist man. Being born in the 1800's I am sure he was not alone. As George said, "We'll start signing Negroes when the Harlem Globetrotters start signing whites."

Note, that with that stubbornness came a man who was not afraid of innovation and ruffling some feathers making changes to the game for the better. Unfortunately integration was one of the issues he would not budge on, unlike other owners like George Halas.

Maybe the fact that the Cowboys were one of the first teams to integrate was a reason for so many Cowboy fans in the area; who knows where you Cowboy fans come from. Like the cockroach, you're everywhere, impossible to kill. When the Armageddon comes there will be one of you walking around in a radioactive suit with a blue star on it telling the surviving mutants about Tom Landry.

I suspect, as it is today, there were lots of Cowboy fans in the area because they were the Commanders rival. (fight song, expansion rights, etc.) The racism probably added something to it, but if it was main cause then most people would have been Cleveland fans cheering for Jim Brown.

Nice to know that there is still scum around.