George Preston Marshall

George Preston Marshall
refer to caption
Marshall in 1937
Personal information
Born:(1896-10-11)October 11, 1896
Grafton, West Virginia, U.S.
Died:August 9, 1969(1969-08-09) (aged 72)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Career information
College:Randolph-Macon College
Career history
As an executive:
Career highlights and awards

George Preston Marshall (October 11, 1896 – August 9, 1969) was an American professional football executive who founded the National Football League (NFL)'s Washington Redskins. He founded the team as the Boston Braves in 1932. The following season, he relocated the club from Braves Field to Fenway Park and renamed them as the Redskins. Prior to the start of the 1937 NFL season, Marshall relocated the team to Washington, D.C.

Marshall was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame with its inaugural class of 1963. He was a supporter of racial segregation and was the last NFL owner to integrate African Americans onto a roster, only doing so in 1962 amid pressure from the federal government who threatened to block the use of D.C. Stadium.[1] Marshall owned the team and was its president until his death from health issues in 1969.[2]

  1. ^ Smith, Thomas G. (March 5, 2002). "Civil Rights on the Gridiron". ESPN Page 2. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  2. ^ "Grid figure Marshall dies at 72". Reading Eagle. Associated Press. August 10, 1969.