Origin of word "redskin"

[Sam Clements]

Sorry if someone already posted this.

While driving to work Wednesday morning, I caught the NPR segment with Frank Deford talking about sports teams names and American Indians.

The thing that Deford said which set off my BS detector was that the origin of the word "redskin" was NOT in relation to the color of the Native American's skin, but rather the scalp that he sometimes took from a victim, (with blood dripping?). 

I hope my link to the interview will work    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4665930

The OED cites it from 1699, but it isn't clear in that cite to me.  And the next cite there is from 1823, so leaves a big gap.

Anyone done work on this one?

Sam Clements