Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-11-05

McPeuk Wrong
On Teams Name
By MORRIS sIEGEL

ON SEPTEMBER Is, 1853 two days before the Red
skins were to begin taispin still in progress there
luncheon in their behalf. crowd Of 500 gathered at
the stater to acclaim their own 81 we-conditioned
athletes who had accounted for perfect record in five
exhibition games They lost 'em all
Bill McPeak the teams den mother, the principal
speaker With fine touch and nice tribute for each,
he did the job well McPeak, stranger to these
vocations sensed the mood Of his audience.
They were mainly survivors Of many years of frustra
ton and had not to hear tell them again
this was the year. even if it wasn't.
McPeak, an articulate man in front Of mike hit 'em
right where they wanted to be socked He sad according
to eye-wtnesses and newspaper accounts this the
year for championship.
ON THAT NOTE THE meeting was adjourned. The
wewishers were elated at what they thought they
had heard they longer at having to pay six
bucks for boiled chicken lunch regardless of how
optimistic the atmosphere might be.
That was September Is, Friday ironically. Well,
here is eight games and two days after the McPeak
ifesto and there still is sign McPeak is latter-day
NoSradamus. The Redskins have not yet begun their
title drive, and there is fear they will out Of games
before they are able to make their move.
McPeak never has denied saying he spoke Of cham
pionshp but the Redskins were not the team he had in
mind when that unfortunate slip Of the tongue took place
How could anyone who knows the Redskins as well as
McPeak predict title for that squad?
McPeak may be the worlds champion optimist, but
dumbbunny he is not He knew there were the Giants
Browns the Seelers the Cowboys and other who gen.
orally conceded to boast qualifications than
his mnions so who would he be fooing by saying the
Redskins would win the scrap?
BUT HE DID SAY IT he repeatedly has confessed.
However he did say Redskins. How could he?
1t was easy how the world could slip out Of his
larynx. He surrounded by wall Of 81 wel-condi-
toned burgundyclad athletes the band played Hail to
the Redskins" necessarily and 1t was after ALL an affair
given in honor of the Redskins
1t would have been impossible to be thinking Of any
other team at that time and that's what happened TO Bill
He seized by case of Redskin-itiS.
The team he really thought would go all the way, OF
course, the Lanham Nd, Boys Club Mighty Mites"
Here his optimism based on past accomplishments
This gang Of swashbucklers went through tough 1862
schedule unbeaten and united and the Prince Georges
County title. 300
There were no serious personnel changes from last
year and McPeak had good line on these 70-pound ma
rauders from other coaches This the club the Lam
ham Mighty Mites" McPeak meant to say would win the
championship, not the Redskins.
IN INTRODUCING THE Redskins that regrettable
September 49, McPeak spoke he had collection of
greats Every neman was another Sam Huff, the ends
were Don Illusions the quarerbacks better than Sammy
Baugh and Jim Brown never saw the day he could cope
with the infantrymen at McPeak's disposal.
All the time of course, he had the Lanham troops In
mind but somehow he said all about the Redskins Well
Ianham hasn't disappointed bulletin from Bob LAW
renee an assistant COACH brings up to date on the
little Lanhams They're than the tigers McPeak said
the Redskins WERE
The mighty Mites" have won all five league games
this year and again unscored on but tnats not
all In three of their five successes they haven't yielded
as much as first down. Saturday. the day before the
Redskins scalped by the Cowboys Lannam crueo W
a go win over College Park
Mcpeak had to be thinking about the Mighty Mites"
when he said all those nice things about the Redskins
Nobody could be that far off base