Since the Washington Redskins name came up in the news for this month. I thought of a brief history that connects WSU to this namesake. The Braves were named the Boston Redskins after the coach Wicarhpi Isnala aka William "Lone Star" Dietz as a tribute to his work. (1)
Why is he connected to WSU? He coached the once called Washington State Warriors of Washington State College. He campaigned for WSC football in the streets of Pullman (2), and got our team to their first Rose Bowl in 1916 and win. (4) The end of his tenure at WSC was when the United States joined the Great War in 1917. (3) (4)
You can find a supporter's website at http://www.lonestardietz.com/index.htm.
1 http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002961.html
2 http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/article/william-lone-star-dietz-posthumously-inducted-into-football-hall-of-fame-128617
3 http://www.nationalcenter.org/DeclarationofWWI.html
4 http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/sep/27/lone_stars_legend/?sports