On this Redskins throwback for October 8, Boston Redskins star Cliff Battles made NFL history with a record-shattering rushing performance. For the first time ever, an NFL player rushed for 200-plus yards.
The 1933 game against the New York Giants delivered high drama. Battles dominated on the ground. However, the Redskins still had to fight for a close 21-20 victory at Fenway Park. The Giants made it close late with an 80-yard touchdown run from Harry Newman to pull within one point. Still, the Redskins held on for the win.
Key Game Moments
- Cliff Battles rushed for 215 yards on just 16 carries.
- He scored one rushing touchdown and averaged 13.4 yards per carry.
- The Redskins piled up 432 total yards as a team.
- Jim Musick also had 98 yards on 18 carries for the Redskins.
- Rabbit Weller had a 50-yard touchdown run.
A Milestone in League History
Battles had already won the NFL rushing title as a rookie in 1932. Yet this performance set a new league standard. In addition, it happened in the franchise’s very first season using the Redskins name.
This game represents one of the earliest legendary performances in franchise history. Cliff Battles’ record day helped put the Redskins on the map in the early NFL and secured his legacy as a Hall of Famer.
He won all-league honors five times in six seasons.
Full Profile For Cliff Battles
1933 Season
The Redskins climbed to 2-1-1 with the win, but finished the season at 5-5-2. They were third in the NFL East division and did not make the playoffs.
The Giants fell to 2-2, but would ultimately only lose one more regular season game and win the NFL East division, with an 11-3 record. They lost 23-21 to the Chicago Bears in the Championship game.
Notes:
The NFL Eastern Division was formed in 1933 and evolved through names like the American Conference (1950–1952) and Eastern Conference (1953–1969) before splitting into sub-divisions like the Century and Capitol divisions late in the 1960s.
The transition of the name was as follows:
- 1933–1949: Eastern Division (Created alongside the Western Division to establish a post-season Championship Game).
- 1950–1952: American Conference (Temporarily renamed after absorbing teams from the All-America Football Conference).
- 1953–1969: Eastern Conference (Renamed back to a geographic title to mirror Major League Baseball’s alignment).
- 1970–Present: NFC East (Officially became a “Division” designated by a single letter rather than the suffix -ern, following the landmark AFL–NFL merger).