“This is my life.” The goal of the Redskins collector is to sell their $6 million collection.

Samu Qureshi’s life’s work is all about him as he sits in the center of his 4,100-square-foot “museum” in Bethesda, with many helmets, jerseys, and artifacts lining the walls in specially designed and tastefully chosen exhibits.

The self-described Washington football superfan, who has accumulated what he says is at least $6 million worth of memorabilia over 42 years, is prepared to part with his treasure, but with certain restrictions.

In order for the franchise to establish a museum commemorating the organization’s legendary past—the good, the terrible, and the ugly—he first and foremost wants to sell everything to the team he loves.

Along with the sentimental (seats from Griffith Stadium, RFK Stadium, and Northwest Stadium), the rare (a one-of-a-kind ball autographed by the 1937 Redskins squad that won the NFL title), and the ridiculous (Hall of Famer John Riggins’ jockstrap) are all included in the collection.

The collection is now housed in an unremarkable office building instead of a basement. It has drawn well-known athletes.

Legends of Washington football, such as Mark Rypien, Pat Fischer, LaVar Arrington, and Chris Cooley, signed the guest book with heartfelt congratulations.

Even people who haven’t seen the entire exhibit have had fleeting encounters with the artifacts. When Super Bowl winner Doug Williams clutched his old shoulder pads that had ended up in Mr. Qureshi’s collection, it brought back memories of his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

When Mr. Qureshi brought back a wooden duck that the two-time Super Bowl winner had carved, former Redskins defensive lineman Dave Butz was enthralled.

The museum owned by Mr. Qureshi is 99% finished. Although he believes he is at last ready for the final touches, he discovers that the integration display’s lights are broken and that the storage area outside the coaches exhibit needs more alterations.

“It’s an ongoing process,” he stated.

Although operating this museum can be expensive, Mr. Qureshi took a moment during his interview with The Washington Times to reapply tape to preserve objects on the temporary pallet walls.

He clarified that his collection is more than simply a man cave by saying, “It’s not stuff I bought in the team store that was made in China last year.” “This is my life.”

There have been sacrifices in that existence. Although she is a minimalist, Mr. Qureshi’s wife supports his collection and the two have written articles about it together. The reverse is true for Mr. Qureshi.

He smiled and declared, “If there is such a thing, I’m a maximalist.”

Just over 25% of his collection is housed in the 250 pallets he used to build the temporary museum. He admits that cataloging everything—including binders of old letters, thousands of trade cards, and hundreds of game-worn jerseys—has proven impossible.

The D.C. native stated, “I’ve been collecting my entire life, and I’m almost 61 years old.” “Now, it’s all a little too much for me.”

If you construct it…

After decades of suffering under Dan Snyder, Mr. Qureshi, like the majority of Washington football fans, saw hope in the ownership group that bought the club last year.

Additionally, the collector saw a chance to donate his collection for preservation.

The new ownership group’s top limited partner, Mitchell Rales, is a passionate collector. From 2019 to October of this year, he served as president of the National Gallery of Art. In 2006, he and his spouse founded Glenstone, a private art museum.

Mr. Rales stated that he now aspires to provide the Commanders with his talent for curating.

In May, he stated on the “The Art of Investing” podcast, “I have this vision where every third- or fourth-grader within 100 miles should come to a Hall of Fame that we’re going to build that will become part of our stadium complex or part of our new practice facilities.” “Hopefully, we create lifelong fans.”

Mr. Qureshi responded right away to Mr. Rales’ idea.

“Bingo, buddy, I got it,” I said. “I have everything except the busts and the statues,” he declared. The collector decided against building a museum in a separate structure.

He stated that in order to get it started, he could create a GoFundMe page, but substantial funding would be required for a professionally constructed museum.

The money to do so would be available to Mr. Rales and Josh Harris, the Commanders’ wealthy owners and principal owner.

In order to invite one of the Commanders’ owners for a tour that may result in a purchase, Mr. Qureshi relocated his collection to an office.

“The potential is enormous. “People love the history, but there are a lot of unhappy fans,” Mr. Qureshi stated. They have a strong attachment to that wonderful past, its teams, and its players. A museum is a fantastic way to reunite longtime supporters, introduce them to the team’s past, and draw in new supporters.

A contentious past

A professional historian is not what Mr. Qureshi is. Although he has written books and articles on the topic and is interested in it, his profession is real estate.

The design of his private museum, which usually includes a customized tour, is the result of much consideration. From the Boston Braves in the 1930s to the contentious renamings of the 2020s, it guides visitors decade by decade.

The disputes are not something Mr. Qureshi avoids. The Commanders, who were once called the Redskins, were one of the final NFL clubs to embrace and completely integrate Black players.

The Black players who contributed to the team’s integration in the 1960s are highlighted in the temporary museum, which devotes a substantial portion to those depressing years.

“What’s in a name,” another display, addresses the American Indian disputes that dogged the team for many years.

George Preston Marshall, the team’s creator, changed the Boston Braves’ name to the Boston Redskins in 1933 after just one season. Even after the team relocated to the nation’s capital in 1937, the nickname persisted for 87 years.

On the sidelines, coach William “Lone Star” Dietz occasionally wore headdresses and pretended to be an American Indian. According to contemporary historians, the coach fabricated his ancestry in order to evade military duty.

Although American Indian players were recruited by Dietz and Marshall, the “Redskins” heritage is still debatable.

According to the National Congress of American Indians, the moniker is hurtful, degrading, and humiliating. According to the Native American Guardians Association, it might positively maintain American Indians in the forefront of the culture.

Although he is not advocating for its reinstatement, Mr. Qureshi will not think twice about wearing the previous team name on a shirt.

“Calling someone by the color of their skin is not cool,” he stated.

He finds nothing wrong with the way Washington’s football team has depicted American Indians throughout the years. According to Mr. Qureshi, the team’s most well-known logo—a lifelike image of a tribal chief—is not a parody. That is supported by his collection. In game day programs, official team media choose to use images or elegant drawings of American Indians instead of stereotypically racist portrayals.

The same rules were not followed by opponents. The collection includes a 1960 Philadelphia Eagles program featuring a shirtless “redskin” with cartoonishly crimson skin and an alarmingly huge nose.

According to Mr. Qureshi, “we were the only team with a logo that was in no way stereotypical or disparaging.” It’s not the yelling Indian of the Atlanta Braves or Chief Wahoo of the Cleveland Indians. I believe it was always really courteous.

Walter “Blackie” Wetzel of the Blackfeet Tribe created the iconic Redskins emblem. In 2020, the brand dropped the design in response to racist protests during the “Black Lives Matter” campaign.

The Wetzel family received additional prominence this year when Republican Senator Steve Daines of Montana declared that he would not back legislation for the construction of a new NFL stadium in the District of Columbia until the Commanders recognized Wetzel’s achievements.

“The logo isn’t disparaging or disrespectful. It’s a respectable and accurate portrayal,” Mr. Daines wrote on X this month. “It honors and celebrates Native American history.”

Even if it is contentious, Mr. Daines and Mr. Qureshi have the same objective: conserving history for future generations.

According to Mr. Qureshi, “I genuinely believe that it’s a horrible thing that we’re erasing Native American culture and that people, kids today, are not exposed to it.”

History’s shepherd

According to Mr. Qureshi, he has contributed over $2 million to his personal collection. That doesn’t include the many hours spent searching eBay for new items, assembling displays, and locating autographs.

Mr. Qureshi maintains he is not concerned about the money, despite the fact that the value of numerous items has increased. He has received substantial money offers.

He received a $20,000 bid from another private collector for a bloodstained jersey Sean Taylor wore against the New Orleans Saints in 2006.

An signed Wheaties box featuring San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice, Redskins quarterback Sammy Baugh, Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus, and Bears running back Walter Payton was attempted to be purchased by Hall of Fame coach Don Shula.

Every time, Mr. Qureshi rejected them.

He remarked, “I feel a responsibility as a shepherd of this collection, but I could just sell.”

The ardent Washington supporter fears that his time is running out. When they anticipate playing in a new domed stadium in 2030, the Commanders may decide not to establish a team museum at that time. By then, Mr. Qureshi is unsure if his collection would still be there.

He stated, “Unless the team indicates they are not interested, I don’t want to break up the collection.” “But I can’t wait indefinitely.”

• The email address of Liam Griffin is lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.

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