Chicago Bears received Jim Spavital and John Adams / Tree…
Chicago Bears received Jim Spavital and John Adams / Tree Adams in the 1950-06-02 exchange, while Washington Redskins received Walt Stickel. Chicago sent Walt Stickel and received Jim Spavital plus John “Tree” Adams. Turning one outgoing player into two roster pieces gave the Bears more ways to extract value and created the stronger overall return.
Chicago Bears Received
- player Jim Spavital
- player John Adams / Tree Adams
Washington Commanders Received
- player Walt Stickel
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1950-06-02, Chicago Bears received Jim Spavital and John Adams / Tree Adams, while Washington Redskins received Walt Stickel. The documented transaction and downstream asset history are sufficiently clear to judge the deal on what each side actually realized. This was not a franchise-altering blockbuster, but the eventual player and draft outcomes still create a meaningful basis for comparing the two returns.
Chicago Bears Return
Chicago sent Walt Stickel and received Jim Spavital plus John “Tree” Adams. Turning one outgoing player into two roster pieces gave the Bears more ways to extract value and created the stronger overall return. The B grade reflects both the usefulness of the return and its duration. In a deal of this size, even modest production or retained draft flexibility matters, but it has to be weighed against what the other club ultimately extracted from the same exchange.
Washington Redskins Return
Washington acquired Walt Stickel but surrendered two players to do it. The one-for-two structure left less margin for the move to succeed, and the realized return did not justify the heavier package compared with Chicago’s side. The D+ grade captures that side of the value equation. The important point is not simply what was promised on the trade date, but what the player or pick became after the transaction was completed and the asset chain played out.
Value in Hindsight
The package shape is the central point: Chicago consolidated one outgoing player into two incoming pieces, while Washington paid the larger player cost. With no later evidence overturning that balance, the Bears retain a clear advantage. The result is therefore best viewed through realized value rather than headline value at the moment of the trade. The grades stay proportional to the modest scale of the transaction while still recognizing the side that came away with the better outcome.
Final Verdict
Chicago Bears Win. Chicago Bears receives a B, and Washington Redskins receives a D+. The winning side produced the better realized return from the documented package, while the losing side still gets credit for any useful value it received rather than being treated as though the transaction produced nothing.