Evening star., 1938-09-26
DOUBT Of TEAMS
POWER D|SPELLED
FIaherty's Genius Seen in
hewIy.Deve|oped Spirit
of District Pros.
BY BILL DISMER. Jr.

0'~ - ~ WV
BY BILL DISMER, Jr.
Chalk up another miracle for pro
footballs No. wizard-Ray raherty.
Get out the record book Of all-time
coaching geniuses and inscribe the
name Of the magical Irishman In
indelible ink. And continue to bless
the day when George Marshall pulled
one Of his smartest tricks Of 4 life
time full Of successful neeotiations-
the day he persuaded the New York
Giants to part with Flaherty 40 that
he might coach Marshall's Redskins.
For few coaches ever deserved the
rank Of genius more than Ray F1ah-
erty merits 1t today baskins, a. he
is, in the glory Of = melodramatic
S7-l3 victory over the Cleveland
Rams just one week after critics had
legitimate reasons for doubling II the
National Football League champions
could repeat.
Contrast the current outlook with
that Of last Monday. Today, the
Redskins are the undsputed leaders
OF the Eastern division. Tied, to be
sure, in one Of their three games,
but still the only team of five Sec
tional rivals undefeated after three
weeks of campaigning.
Flaherty Made Reds See Red.
Remember last Monday, q blue
Monday, when some began to wonder
II the Redskins shouldn't be called
"Deadskins"? And all because the
day before Brooklyn team, rated
only a long shot. would have beaten
the Indians except for . field goal
in the last few seconds of play which
let the champions on with 4 tie in
stead of 4 loss.
In between those two games-yes-
terdays and yesterday 4 week aso-a
lot Of things happened or, we should
say. F1aherty caused lot Of things
to happen. He shamed every Red
skin. He made them feel humiliAted.
diseraces to professional football. II
the whole truth were told. there would
be related dozens Of instances in which
player and coach nearly came to blows
over words used to make men fight.
Possibly only the realization that
F1aherty was .oeakfng the truth pre-
vented some from losing their tempers
as he spoke straight from the shoul-
der. Flaherty's daily TRADES had
one objective: To arouse his players
to such a fury that they would 70
on the field yesterday 30 mad that
they could whip any team in the
world.
Winning without Stars.
You know now that the objective
was gained But even Flaherty
couldn't visualize how greatly his aims
would be exceeded. Nor with what
confidence he would today be casing
into the future.
For the one incapable fact that
overshadows everything else. the
brightest phase of 4 rosy prospect for
the Redskins red-hot following il
that apparently their favorites can
win without the three who were In
dispensable last year-Baush, Battles
and Smith.
Gone are the scofYers who asked
what the Redskins were going to do
without Battles. Conspicuous by their
absence today were recent questions
Of how the Redskins were going to
win without slingin' Sam or Quarter
back Smith. Three-quarters Of what
has been called the greatest back
field Of all time are out Of their
teams lineup. Yet that team has
won two games, tied another and TO-
day Is rolling-playing the kind Of
ball which, If maintained, will bring
Washington the play-of1 game for the
National League championship on
the second Sunday in December.
Farkas Again Spark Plug.
They say Baugh could have played
yesterday; that he definitely will
start the Giant game here 4 week
from next Sunday. They're not 30 sure
about Smith although, despite omi-
nous signs, Redskin omcials declare
he'll be back within three weeks.
With . bow to the unmatchAble
passing of the Singer and the keen
strategy Of the General" it begins
to look ~ If the Redskins could win
the 1888 Eastern championship with
out the services Of either. It would
be easier, naturally. to have both
back in the lineup. But If the In
dians continue to play the kind of
ball they played yesterday they won't
be stopped-Baugh and Smith or no
Baugh and Smith.
Auspiciously (or should We credit
Mr.. Flaherty with developing re-
placements for those considered unre-
placeable?) the Redskins have come up
with as timely substitutes in Andy
Farkas and Bill Hartman as ever
answered opportunity's knock. Farkas
continues to be the teams spark
plug. as witness the meager 30 score
when he entered the game near the
end Of the first quarter and the
$40 score when he kft in the third.
The 21-point difference is al directly
due to the Detroit demon who ac-
counted for three touchdowns in his
leas than two periods Of play.
Injuries Few and Slight.
Hartman looked even better yester-
day than he did q week ago when he
passed the Redskins to two touch
downs. II the city's third largest foot
ball crowd Of 24,3S9 paying customers
never had seen Baugh, it's possible
they would be claiming Hartman -
the honey Of al pa2sers today.