Did I do the right thing?

F_B is spot on in reference to the group or collective singular.

 

That hed was fine.

At my first gig, I had a story about some baseball owner who was very concerned about the amount of tobacco the players were chewing. My hed? "Giving a spit." Man, was that a mistake.

 

For us, it's funny.
For the home reader, kids would pick it up and ask parents for an explanation.
If you weren't 100% sure, you made the right call.

 

My kid came home in the second grade and told me what "the bird" was because they learned it in school.

Kids know.

The head was funny and good to go. If your editor had your back, then he could take any heat.