I can understand Emily Thuroczy's strong feelings about the title "Redskins" {"Change the Name," letters, Aug. 12}, but she should get her facts right. George Preston Marshall named the team himself four years before the 'Skins moved to D.C. In 1933 the team, then known as the Boston Braves, moved cross-town to Fenway Park, and Mr. Marshall picked a new team name that had the same meaning as "Brave" but looked similar to "Red Sox." Thus the "Red Skins" or "Redskins" were born. (The original baseball Braves were named after James Gaffney, a Tammany Hall "Brave.") Mr. Marshall kept the name when he moved the 'Skins here in 1937.

Most football fans would agree that education in Native American history and culture would better fight prejudice than changing a team's name. The lyrics of the team's fight song have been rendered less offensive, and the team has had a Native American do the honors of singing the national anthem. The 'Skins don't have a dancing Chief Noc-a-homa like the Atlanta Braves, and their logo looks more appropriate than Chief Wahoo of the Cleveland Indians.

To Washingtonians, "Redskins" doesn't mean "Indians." It means one of the better teams in the National Football League -- one with a proud history that goes back more than half a century. EDWARD J. CUNNINGHAM Silver Spring