Evening star., 1946-01-21
Skins Former Coach
Denies Marshall Rift
Cost Job Here
BY LEWIS, F. ATCHIsoN.

By LEWIS r. ATCHISON.
Dud De Groot, former Redskin
coach, hit the road today for the
FIRST time in the role of emissary OF
the All-American Football Confer
ence. His first stop was New York
and a conference with Commits
sioner Jimmy Crowley and after
that he planned to strike out for
the hills in search of talent for the
Los Angeles Club. De Groot's sign
Ing as coach of that team was an
nounced yesterday.
The good doctor departed in a
pleasant mood. His parting shot at
the Redskins and George Marshall
was not double charge of verbal
TINT, but bouquet of orchids. He
said they expected to remain good
friends and that he would see Mar
shall whenever possible.
De Groot will use the T formation
in his new berth and he credited
the experience he gained with that
formation while with the Redskins
for the Los Angeles offer. He said
he was grateful to Marshall for CIV
ing him the opportunity of breaking
into professional football and that
he had benefited from the arduous
schooling of the Tribes chieftain.
Leaves on Friendly Terms.
Il feel sure the Los Angeles off,
clals would not have selected me
out of all the coaches available if
I hadn't been well versed in the
T." he said.
De Groot said he appreciated the
help of Clark Shaughnessy, who OUT
lined the formation for the Red
skins at the start of the 1914 season
and who advised him during his two
years at the helm.
De Groot reiterated that he left
the Redskins on friendly terms, that
he had no quarrel with Marshall or
any member of the organization.
Moreover, he emphasized that he
was not running away from the job,
but merely stepping out of a sit
uation he disliked into better posi-
ton. He said he made no attempt
to hold up" Marshall for financial
settlement of his contract, which
still had three years to run.
The new Los Angeles mentor said
he wished Turk" Edwards, his sue
ceSSor, the best of luck in the job
and pointed out that he had urged
him to take the head coaching po-
sition when it was open after the
l943 season. Edwards, however,
preferred to sit out until he had
more experience and was one of
De Groot's staunchest supporters for
the position. De Groot predicted
Turk would be successful coach.
No Quarrels With Marshall.
De Groot said his decision to leave
the Redskins was not the climax of
series of petty arguments with the
front office over such incidents as
the choice of shoes in the cham
pionship playoff, or tactics in the
second Philadelphia game. He said
Marshall naturally was disappointed
in the outcome of both games. but
that their differences could not be
construed as quarrels of the magni-
tude some observers. have made them
out to be.
With his new club De Groot will
not be hamstrung by salary restric-
tions, he said. He conferred with
Ben Lindheimer, principal stock
holder in the l.. A. team, at Chicago
over the week end and the latter's
first act was to deposit substantial
sum in the bank for expenses in
rounding up players. Lindheimer is
one of Chicago's largest realty oper-
ators and told De Groot his only
ambition in football was to put the
finest team available on the field
Los Angeles has a good start in
Angelo Bertelli, one time Notre
Dame passing ace who probably will
be the key man of the teams Of
fense. The team also has another
standout back signed from the Ma
tional League, but De Groot said he
was not at liberty to disclose his
identity at this time.
Rejected College Offers.
De Groot leaves Washington with
the satisfaction of compiling the
best two-year record of any Red
skin coach. including Ray Flaherty,
who will be one of his rivals in the
new circuit. Next year will be his
21st season as coach and his sixth
berth. The coach said he had re-
ceived several offers from colleges,
as we'll as professional teams, and
did not seek the Los Angeles posi-
ton. He accepted it, he said, after
carefully weighing all offers.
J While De Groot will be travelling
most of the time, he said his family
l probably will remain in Washing
ton until June, when his daughter
graduates from high school. In
California he will be closer to his
aged parents to personally look
after their welfare, and will be al
home among the sportswriters