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The Untold Story Of That Classic ‘Hogs Night Out’ Redskins Poster
By Jamie Mottram | December 18, 2012
Here to collect his Redskins-Ravens Predictions prize in the form of a guest post is Phil Reed, who has a wonderful and unique old Redskins story to tell. Note: Doc Walker himself confirmed portions of what follows.
On a late afternoon in May, I watched the dust kick up from the line of trucks and sport utilities ahead of us as they traveled slowly down a dirt road. I was in the backseat of my father’s car, anxious to help out on his project that started with a whimsical idea and would end with national notoriety.
A few weeks earlier, my dad, Walter, approached Rick “Doc” Walker with an idea to immortalize the Super Bowl-winning Washington Redskins offensive line in a poster. In exchange for an introduction to George Starke, who would later agree to corral the “Hogs” together for the photo shoot and provide promotional support, my dad gave Doc Walker a personal golf lesson.
On that day in May, after their morning practice, eight world champions met on a hog farm in Leesburg, Virginia. They dressed in top hats, tails and white gloves and arranged themselves behind a 700-pound, award-winning hog named “Worthy.”
As the crew was assembling the table and arranging the lobster, champagne glasses and candelabra, I noticed that some of the Hogs were missing their bow ties. I scrambled back to the car to search under seats and in the mess of boxes in the trunk. I found the ties in a bag that had fallen on the ground and ran back to the shoot, only to find the crew was done for the day. “Worthy” was done eating her feed and wouldn’t be sticking around for an attempt at another shot.
With that, the “Hogs Night Out” poster was born.
Ralph Gittesson, a buyer for Peoples Drug (a predecessor to today’s CVS) bought 50,000 from Starke on first sight and would later put in additional orders. Some days later, I stayed up late with my dad as the posters came off the printing press. I then helped roll and stuff them into tubes. As a 13-year-old at the time, I was thrilled to help (and to get to stay up into the wee hours).
A commemorative edition was made, with a black matte frame that was autographed by the Hogs and still hangs in an area sports bar. A video of the photo shoot aired on local stations and then was picked up by Monday Night Football, along with commentary from Howard Cosell. The poster was also featured in LIFE and Sports Illustrated magazines as a “Picture of the Year.”
Later ideas for follow-up posters never made it to press, but our “Darrell Green races a Ferrari” idea was one that I wish had been published after having the rookie over for the initial test shots in our apartment parking lot. The “Hogs Night Out” poster, and the brief fame for it that followed, spawned copycats: “‘Machine Gun’ Jim Kelly,” the Chicago Bears’ “Black and Blues Brothers” and many others. However, none were as commercially successful or could claim to be as original as the 1983 Super Bowl champion “Hogs Night Out” poster from SuperHogs, Inc. and my Dad’s “Kenneth C. (for my brother) Phillip’s (me) Productions.”
(Pictured: My son, Nathan, 9, in front of the “Hogs Night Out” poster at a friend’s house.)
Topics: Collectors, Guest Posts, Redskins | 18 Comments »
December 19th, 2012 at 12:02 AM
Be proud, young Phillip… your father is a Nation’s Capital hero… Your royal contribution cemented an iconic moment of Redskins legacy. I feel proud to read the same website as you do ;)
December 19th, 2012 at 8:30 AM
Fantastic post and story Phil.
December 19th, 2012 at 8:40 AM
This is terrific. Also: Peoples Drug!
December 19th, 2012 at 9:02 AM
There was a time when I vowed to never call the new CVS anything but Peoples.
Great post though. Love that poster.
December 19th, 2012 at 9:11 AM
Who’s got a link to the old TheaterVision ads?
December 19th, 2012 at 9:34 AM
Great read…thanks for sharing. Totally forgot about Peoples and my early, strong distaste for CVS as well. Classic.
December 19th, 2012 at 9:37 AM
Great story. I think I remember reading bits and pieces about the tie/wardrobe problems on the Bog.
December 19th, 2012 at 10:15 AM
Being affiliated with the creation of that poster in any way, shape, or form is a supreme badge of honor, in my book. Outstanding!
December 19th, 2012 at 10:52 AM
Way to go, Phil. The best excuse for skipping school that I can ever remember. -Ken
December 19th, 2012 at 1:32 PM
Great story, Phil.
I rooted for the Redskins after the Baltimore Colts left town and the Redskins were my closest NFL team. I have seen this picture and now I know the rest of the story.
December 19th, 2012 at 5:11 PM
No Way Phil! Ken had told me this story so many times and I never believed him until now. There was a copy of it in the old Maggies Pizza on Wisconsin Ave NW and everytime we went in there, he would say, “Thats my dad”.
December 19th, 2012 at 8:40 PM
There have been a lot of guest posts, but this is absolutely the best.
Thanks for sharing this Phil — JP
January 1st, 2013 at 11:57 AM
George Stark gave me an autographed poster in 1982.
interested parties can contact me.
May 17th, 2013 at 8:39 AM
Where can I get the hogs night out poster? I have looked everywhere.
May 20th, 2013 at 3:20 PM
I have a Hogs Night Out poster in great shape. Willing to sell. mercury00@aol.com
May 24th, 2013 at 2:19 AM
Does anyone know where I can get a hogs night out poster?
May 24th, 2013 at 10:12 PM
I would love to get the details, I am very interested!
June 15th, 2013 at 7:43 PM
Does anyone know where I can get a Redskins grill & a Redskins concrete bench? Both are discontinued.