Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 7, 1969; Page D1

In Washington's greatest transfer of power since Jan. 20, Edward Bennett Williams yesterday yielded up the Redskins to the keeping of Vincent Lombardi. Then, in a switch from the popular forward-together theme, the new Chief Executive at 1101 Connecticut Ave. quickly made clear that he alone would call all the shots, as was his custom in Green Bay.

The ceremony took place in the Sheraton-Carlton's Chandelier Room behind a thicket of microphones and in front of the massed media that filled the 120 seats. It was as if club president Williams himself were awed by the presence of the Great Man. In tones that approached a hush, and in the manner of a mannerly little fellow, the 6-foot-2 Williams made the introduction of Lombardi.

"I want to announce that Vincent Lombardi will be the executive vice president and coach of the Redskins," said Williams in the metered words memory told him he was supposed to say. "This is the proudest moment of my life," he added. He didn't look proud. Mostly he looked relieved.

Lombardi speedily disposed of the amenities. Yes, he was happy to be with the Redskins. Of course he was a little sad to leave Green Bay, where the people had been so nice. Really, he doesn't walk on water, despite what people have said. It was nice to be greeted by so many people in Washington, a city he had always liked.

At the first question he didn't like, the big smile vanished and the authoritarian tendencies of Lombardi surfaced quickly. No, he wouldn't talk about the terms of his contract with the Redskins. "That's a personal matter." The massed media knew then that it had been told, just as Green Bay's Packers knew they had been told when Lombardi spoke.

There was an attempt to prod him about his assistants, and His Eminence was having no part of it. There would be an announcement about that later, he said with no need for adding "end of subject." Would he compare the personnel of the Redskins with that of Green Bay when he took over the Packers? He wouldn't.

On the platform, Williams was showing his pleasure at these passages, and beginning to smile again, after the doubt and the harassment of the past fortnight. If it wasn't actually the proudest moment of his life, it was a relief from any fear of being caught with a hand in Green Bay's cookie jar.

It was as if Williams enjoyed being relegated to the mere team presidency by this new take-charge personality. Seemingly, he had ceded to Lombardi all authority except that remnant he retained for himself, the power to buy up Lombardi's contract, even as he will do with Otto Graham's. Only once did Williams interrupt Lombardi. "I've just asked Vince if I could have my same season tickets," said Williams as if abject.

But now Williams was not looking abject, only pleased at the new coach he had brought to the team, the high excitement he had brought to the city, and the success of his coach-grabbing coup. He appeared unruffled when Lombardi seemingly put him in his place a bit later with an answer to another question.

Lombardi had been asked, would he let Mr. Williams meet with the players? "No, that won't be necessary," Lombardi said. He could have been talking not only to the audience but to Williams himself, in case the club president had any notion that access to the players would be as easy under Lombardi as it was under Graham. Williams' closed-door player talks with the athletes, with coaches excluded, were a mark of his presidency.

His new man threw something Williams' way a bit later. Lombardi said that Ray McDonald, the flop at fullback who had been Williams' personal No. 1 draft choice two years ago, would have been his own No. 1 choice. This fetched from Williams a grateful look at Lombardi. And so did his new coach's hint that he may yet make a first line pro out of Gary Beban, for whom Williams dealt away this year's Redskin spot in the first round of the draft. Lombardi was already beginning to ear the $110,00 a year Williams will pay him.

Some of the questions weren't very bright and others asked him to go over old ground and pretty soon he said, "We could go on here for a longtime, but unless you have something…" His voice trailed off to a mumble, but his intent was clear as he walked away from the mikes. The media was learning that Vincent Lombardi would decide when time was up.