A sampling of violent wordplay.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office canceled the trademark for the Washington Redskins Wednesday on the basis that it is "disparaging to Native Americans."
The term's origin is debated, but it became commonly used to describe the bloody scalps of Native Americans, which were sold for profit.
The football team, which was originally based in Boston and called the Braves, reportedly changed its name to Redskins in 1933 avoid confusion with the baseball team of the same name.
New York Times, 1940:
New York Times, 1943:
