Cleveland Indians baseball team to drop 'offensive' logo
After years of complaints, a cartoon image depicting a Native American known as Chief Wahoo is to be replaced. The mascot has been labeled racist but fans say it is iconic.
The grinning, red-faced caricature of a Native American chief is to be dropped from the uniforms of the Cleveland Indians from next year, the US baseball team confirmed on Monday. The cartoonish image of a big-toothed American Indian, "Chief Wahoo” complete with single feather in his headdress, has long been criticized as racist by Native American organizations. Discussions have taken place over the past year between community groups, the club, and Major League Baseball — the sport's US governing body to remove the logo, despite resistance from fans. Indians owner explains "We have consistently maintained that we are cognizant and sensitive to both sides of the discussion," said Cleveland Indians owner Paul Dolan. "While we recognize many of our fans have a longstanding attachment to Chief Wahoo, I'm ultimately in agreement with (MLB) Commissioner Manfred's desire to remove the logo from our uniforms in 2019." Read more: US President Donald Trump claims he's 'not a racist' after controversial remark The change will take place in time for the 2019 season and will lead to the logo being removed from the team's jersey sleeves and caps. The Chief Wahoo logo has been used in one form or another since 1947, but has been slowly phased out over the past few years in favor of the letter "C." The Indians are the latest sports team to change their logo or name following criticism from Native American groups, following in the footsteps of several US colleges. But one high-profile National Football League (NFL) team, the Washington Redskins, have repeatedly ignored calls to do so. 'Respect' a long time coming The change was welcomed by Native American groups including Oneida Indian Nation, who had campaigned for many years for the logo to be retired. "The Cleveland baseball team has rightly recognized that Native Americans do not deserve to be denigrated as cartoon mascots, and the team's move is a reflection of a grassroots movement that has pressed sports franchises to respect Native people," Oneida Nation representative Ray Halbritter said in a statement. "I'm elated," Philip Yenyo, executive director of the American Indian Movement of Ohio, said of the decision. "But at the same time, I think it should be this year. I don't understand why they're drawing this out. It doesn't make any sense to me, unless they want to continue to make what's basically blood money," referring to the club's merchandising revenue. Yenyo and others have demanded that the team go further and drop "Indians" from its name. Read more: Donald Trump revives 'Pocahontas' jab during event honoring Native Americans Fans at a loss But some Indians' fans hit out at the move, with one declaring on Twitter that the chief had been created out of honor, not racism. "It's a big disappointment," said Indians' supporter Jeremiah Baker, who was interviewed at a sporting goods store in a suburb of Cleveland. "Chief Wahoo has been so iconic for so many years, and I understand that some people may be offended, but it's a blow to native Clevelanders." Another fan, Marko Farion, said: "This PC thing has gone too far," using an abbreviation for political correctness. Within a few minutes of the announcement, the hashtag #SavetheChief began to circulate on social media. mm/aw (AFP, AP, Reuters)
Cleveland Indians
Cleveland_Indians Cleveland_Tigers_(NFL) 2016_Cleveland_Indians_season Cleveland_Indians_(NFL_1931) 1997_Cleveland_Indians_season 2013_Cleveland_Indians_season 1954_Cleveland_Indians_season 1995_Cleveland_Indians_season Cleveland_Bulldogs 2018_Cleveland_Indians_season 2007_Cleveland_Indians_season 1996_Cleveland_Indians_season 1948_Cleveland_Indians_season 1921_Cleveland_Indians_(NFL)_season 2017_Cleveland_Indians_season 1923_Cleveland_Indians_(NFL)_season
Native American
Race_and_ethnicity_in_the_United_States_Census Native_Americans_in_the_United_States Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas Indigenous_languages_of_the_Americas Know_Nothing Indigenous_music_of_North_America Mythologies_of_the_indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas First_Nations Visual_arts_by_indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas North_American_Indians Indigenous_peoples_in_Brazil Native_American_cuisine Indigenous_peoples_of_Mexico Indigenous_peoples_of_California Native_American_(album) Native_American_religion
Chief Wahoo
Chief_Wahoo
Native American
Race_and_ethnicity_in_the_United_States_Census Native_Americans_in_the_United_States Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas Indigenous_languages_of_the_Americas Know_Nothing Indigenous_music_of_North_America Mythologies_of_the_indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas First_Nations Visual_arts_by_indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas North_American_Indians Indigenous_peoples_in_Brazil Native_American_cuisine Indigenous_peoples_of_Mexico Indigenous_peoples_of_California Native_American_(album) Native_American_religion
Cleveland Indians
Cleveland_Indians Cleveland_Tigers_(NFL) 2016_Cleveland_Indians_season Cleveland_Indians_(NFL_1931) 1997_Cleveland_Indians_season 2013_Cleveland_Indians_season 1954_Cleveland_Indians_season 1995_Cleveland_Indians_season Cleveland_Bulldogs 2018_Cleveland_Indians_season 2007_Cleveland_Indians_season 1996_Cleveland_Indians_season 1948_Cleveland_Indians_season 1921_Cleveland_Indians_(NFL)_season 2017_Cleveland_Indians_season 1923_Cleveland_Indians_(NFL)_season
US
United_States Billboard_200 Billboard_Hot_100 Recording_Industry_Association_of_America United_States_dollar Nielsen_SoundScan Billboard_charts Hot_Country_Songs Unincorporated_territories_of_the_United_States Billboard_(magazine) Dance_Club_Songs Federal_government_of_the_United_States American_English RIAA_Certification .us Us_(Peter_Gabriel_album)
Monday
American Indian
Native_Americans_in_the_United_States Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas Race_and_ethnicity_in_the_United_States_Census Indigenous_languages_of_the_Americas American_Indian_Movement Indigenous_peoples_in_Brazil Mythologies_of_the_indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas Native_American_religion National_Museum_of_the_American_Indian Indian_Americans Native_Americans_in_popular_culture Woodcraft_Indians Native_American_name_controversy Choctaw Indigenous_peoples_of_Mexico Indigenous_music_of_North_America
Chief Wahoo
Chief_Wahoo
Native American
Race_and_ethnicity_in_the_United_States_Census Native_Americans_in_the_United_States Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas Indigenous_languages_of_the_Americas Know_Nothing Indigenous_music_of_North_America Mythologies_of_the_indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas First_Nations Visual_arts_by_indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas North_American_Indians Indigenous_peoples_in_Brazil Native_American_cuisine Indigenous_peoples_of_Mexico Indigenous_peoples_of_California Native_American_(album) Native_American_religion
Major League Baseball
Major_League_Baseball 2009_Major_League_Baseball_season 2010_Major_League_Baseball_season 2011_Major_League_Baseball_season Fox_Major_League_Baseball Major_League_Baseball_on_NBC 2007_Major_League_Baseball_season ESPN_Major_League_Baseball 2012_Major_League_Baseball_season Major_League_Baseball_on_CBS 2008_Major_League_Baseball_season Major_League_Baseball_on_ABC Major_League_Baseball_on_TBS Baseball_(Intellivision_video_game) Major_League_Baseball_Rookie_of_the_Year_Award 2014_Major_League_Baseball_season
US
United_States Billboard_200 Billboard_Hot_100 Recording_Industry_Association_of_America United_States_dollar Nielsen_SoundScan Billboard_charts Hot_Country_Songs Unincorporated_territories_of_the_United_States Billboard_(magazine) Dance_Club_Songs Federal_government_of_the_United_States American_English RIAA_Certification .us Us_(Peter_Gabriel_album)
Indians
Cleveland_Indians Native_Americans_in_the_United_States Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas Indian_people India India_national_cricket_team Malaysian_Indians 2009_Cleveland_Indians_season 2007_Cleveland_Indians_season Non-resident_Indian_and_person_of_Indian_origin Indians_(play) Indian_Americans 2006_Cleveland_Indians_season Indian_South_Africans 2001_Cleveland_Indians_season Demographics_of_India
Cleveland Indians
Cleveland_Indians Cleveland_Tigers_(NFL) 2016_Cleveland_Indians_season Cleveland_Indians_(NFL_1931) 1997_Cleveland_Indians_season 2013_Cleveland_Indians_season 1954_Cleveland_Indians_season 1995_Cleveland_Indians_season Cleveland_Bulldogs 2018_Cleveland_Indians_season 2007_Cleveland_Indians_season 1996_Cleveland_Indians_season 1948_Cleveland_Indians_season 1921_Cleveland_Indians_(NFL)_season 2017_Cleveland_Indians_season 1923_Cleveland_Indians_(NFL)_season
owner
Paul Dolan
Paul_Dolan_(soccer) Paul_Dolan_(baseball) Paul_Dolan_(athlete) Paul_Dolan_(academic)
Chief Wahoo
Chief_Wahoo
MLB
Major_League_Baseball Linebacker American_football_positions Middle_linebacker Volkswagen_Group_MLB_platform Major_League_Baseball_on_ESPN_Radio Major_League_Baseball_on_NBC Braves_TBS_Baseball Fox_Major_League_Baseball ESPN_Major_League_Baseball Major_League_Baseball_on_CBS Major_League_Baseball_postseason 2017_Major_League_Baseball_season 2016_Major_League_Baseball_season MLB.com 2015_Major_League_Baseball_season
Commissioner
Manfred
Manfred Manfred,_King_of_Sicily Manfred,_Duke_of_Athens Manfred_Symphony Manfred_(Schumann) Manfred_of_Gallura Manfred_V,_Marquess_of_Saluzzo Manfred_Winkelhock Count_Manfred_von_Clary-Aldringen Manfred_of_Pécs Manfred_I_of_Turin Manfred_(disambiguation) Manfred,_North_Dakota Manfred_Rommel Manfred_Gurlitt Manfred_Deckert
2019
US
United_States Billboard_200 Billboard_Hot_100 Recording_Industry_Association_of_America United_States_dollar Nielsen_SoundScan Billboard_charts Hot_Country_Songs Unincorporated_territories_of_the_United_States Billboard_(magazine) Dance_Club_Songs Federal_government_of_the_United_States American_English RIAA_Certification .us Us_(Peter_Gabriel_album)
President
Donald Trump
Donald_Trump Donald_Trump_presidential_campaign,_2016 Donald_Trump_(song) Presidency_of_Donald_Trump Donald_Trump_(Last_Week_Tonight) Racial_views_of_Donald_Trump Saturday_Night_Live_parodies_of_Donald_Trump Inauguration_of_Donald_Trump List_of_federal_judges_appointed_by_Donald_Trump Donald_Trump_in_popular_culture Efforts_to_impeach_Donald_Trump
2019
Chief Wahoo
Chief_Wahoo
1947
C.
Indians
Cleveland_Indians Native_Americans_in_the_United_States Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas Indian_people India India_national_cricket_team Malaysian_Indians 2009_Cleveland_Indians_season 2007_Cleveland_Indians_season Non-resident_Indian_and_person_of_Indian_origin Indians_(play) Indian_Americans 2006_Cleveland_Indians_season Indian_South_Africans 2001_Cleveland_Indians_season Demographics_of_India
Native American
Race_and_ethnicity_in_the_United_States_Census Native_Americans_in_the_United_States Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas Indigenous_languages_of_the_Americas Know_Nothing Indigenous_music_of_North_America Mythologies_of_the_indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas First_Nations Visual_arts_by_indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas North_American_Indians Indigenous_peoples_in_Brazil Native_American_cuisine Indigenous_peoples_of_Mexico Indigenous_peoples_of_California Native_American_(album) Native_American_religion
US
United_States Billboard_200 Billboard_Hot_100 Recording_Industry_Association_of_America United_States_dollar Nielsen_SoundScan Billboard_charts Hot_Country_Songs Unincorporated_territories_of_the_United_States Billboard_(magazine) Dance_Club_Songs Federal_government_of_the_United_States American_English RIAA_Certification .us Us_(Peter_Gabriel_album)
National Football League
National_Football_League National_Football_League_(Ireland) National_Football_League_(India) 2007_NFL_season National_Football_League_(South_Africa) Singapore_National_Football_League National_Football_League_(Fiji) 2008_NFL_season Russian_Football_National_League Australian_National_Football_Council National_Football_League_(1902) NFL_on_NBC 2011_NFL_season Fox_NFL NFL_on_CBS 2010_NFL_season
NFL
National_Football_League National_Football_League_(Ireland) 2009_NFL_season NFL_on_CBS 2010_NFL_season Fox_NFL NFL_on_NBC National_Football_League_(South_Africa) Singapore_National_Football_League Australian_National_Football_Council National_Football_League_(India) List_of_National_Football_League_records_(team) 2012_NFL_season 2011_NFL_season Northern_Football_League_(Australia) National_Speech_and_Debate_Association
Washington Redskins
Washington_Redskins 2017_Washington_Redskins_season 2016_Washington_Redskins_season 2015_Washington_Redskins_season 2014_Washington_Redskins_season 2012_Washington_Redskins_season 2013_Washington_Redskins_season 2018_Washington_Redskins_season 2011_Washington_Redskins_season 2009_Washington_Redskins_season 2007_Washington_Redskins_season 1982_Washington_Redskins_season 2008_Washington_Redskins_season 2010_Washington_Redskins_season 1972_Washington_Redskins_season 1983_Washington_Redskins_season
Native American
Race_and_ethnicity_in_the_United_States_Census Native_Americans_in_the_United_States Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas Indigenous_languages_of_the_Americas Know_Nothing Indigenous_music_of_North_America Mythologies_of_the_indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas First_Nations Visual_arts_by_indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas North_American_Indians Indigenous_peoples_in_Brazil Native_American_cuisine Indigenous_peoples_of_Mexico Indigenous_peoples_of_California Native_American_(album) Native_American_religion
Oneida Indian Nation
Oneida_Indian_Nation
Cleveland
Cleveland Cleveland_Cavaliers Cleveland_Rockers Cleveland,_England Grover_Cleveland Cleveland,_Tennessee Cleveland_Indians Cleveland,_Queensland Cleveland_County,_Oklahoma 2015–16_Cleveland_Cavaliers_season 2017–18_Cleveland_Cavaliers_season Cleveland_Browns 2016–17_Cleveland_Cavaliers_season Cleveland_Brown Cleveland,_Mississippi Cleveland_railway_station
Native Americans
Native_Americans_in_the_United_States Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas Race_and_ethnicity_in_the_United_States_Census First_Nations North_American_Indians Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Pacific_Northwest_Coast Indigenous_peoples_of_California Indigenous_peoples_in_Canada Indigenous_peoples_of_Mexico Indigenous_peoples_of_South_America History_of_the_Native_Americans_in_Baltimore Native_Americans_in_the_American_Civil_War Lenape Alcohol_and_Native_Americans Skræling Indigenous_peoples_in_Brazil
Native
Native_plant Indigenous_(ecology) Native_Americans_in_the_United_States Native_Indonesians Indigenous_peoples Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas Native_(album) Native_(computing) Endemism Native_(band) First_language Alaska_Natives First_Nations Indigenous_peoples_in_Canada Native_metal List_of_California_native_plants
Oneida Nation
Oneida_people Oneida_Nation_of_Wisconsin Oneida_Indian_Nation
representative
Ray Halbritter
Arthur_Raymond_Halbritter
Philip Yenyo
American Indian Movement
American_Indian_Movement
Ohio
Ohio Ohio_River List_of_United_States_Senators_from_Ohio Ohio_Bobcats_men's_basketball List_of_United_States_Representatives_from_Ohio Ohio_Bobcats_football Miss_Ohio Ohio_University Miss_Ohio_USA Ohio_Bobcats Ohio_County,_West_Virginia Ohio_(Crosby,_Stills,_Nash_&_Young_song) National_Register_of_Historic_Places_listings_in_Ohio_County,_West_Virginia Ohio_County,_Kentucky Ohio,_New_York Miss_Ohio_Teen_USA
Yenyo
Indians
Cleveland_Indians Native_Americans_in_the_United_States Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas Indian_people India India_national_cricket_team Malaysian_Indians 2009_Cleveland_Indians_season 2007_Cleveland_Indians_season Non-resident_Indian_and_person_of_Indian_origin Indians_(play) Indian_Americans 2006_Cleveland_Indians_season Indian_South_Africans 2001_Cleveland_Indians_season Demographics_of_India
Donald Trump
Donald_Trump Donald_Trump_presidential_campaign,_2016 Donald_Trump_(song) Presidency_of_Donald_Trump Donald_Trump_(Last_Week_Tonight) Racial_views_of_Donald_Trump Saturday_Night_Live_parodies_of_Donald_Trump Inauguration_of_Donald_Trump List_of_federal_judges_appointed_by_Donald_Trump Donald_Trump_in_popular_culture Efforts_to_impeach_Donald_Trump
Pocahontas
Native Americans Fans
Indians
Cleveland_Indians Native_Americans_in_the_United_States Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas Indian_people India India_national_cricket_team Malaysian_Indians 2009_Cleveland_Indians_season 2007_Cleveland_Indians_season Non-resident_Indian_and_person_of_Indian_origin Indians_(play) Indian_Americans 2006_Cleveland_Indians_season Indian_South_Africans 2001_Cleveland_Indians_season Demographics_of_India
Twitter
Twitter Twitter_usage Use_of_Twitter_by_public_figures Censorship_of_Twitter Twitter_diplomacy
Indians
Cleveland_Indians Native_Americans_in_the_United_States Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Americas Indian_people India India_national_cricket_team Malaysian_Indians 2009_Cleveland_Indians_season 2007_Cleveland_Indians_season Non-resident_Indian_and_person_of_Indian_origin Indians_(play) Indian_Americans 2006_Cleveland_Indians_season Indian_South_Africans 2001_Cleveland_Indians_season Demographics_of_India
supporter
Jeremiah Baker
Cleveland
Cleveland Cleveland_Cavaliers Cleveland_Rockers Cleveland,_England Grover_Cleveland Cleveland,_Tennessee Cleveland_Indians Cleveland,_Queensland Cleveland_County,_Oklahoma 2015–16_Cleveland_Cavaliers_season 2017–18_Cleveland_Cavaliers_season Cleveland_Browns 2016–17_Cleveland_Cavaliers_season Cleveland_Brown Cleveland,_Mississippi Cleveland_railway_station
Chief Wahoo
Chief_Wahoo
Clevelanders
fan
Marko Farion
PC
#SavetheChief
mm/aw (AFP, AP, Reuters)
Oneida Indian Nation
Oneida_Indian_Nation
meta::todo topic::none type::entity type::organization
Native Americans
Native_Americans_in_the_United_States
topic::none type::entity type::ethnicity
Cleveland Indians
Cleveland_Indians
iptc::15000000 slot::keyword sport::20000849 topic::sport type::entity type::organization type::sport_team
Chief Wahoo
Chief_Wahoo
gender::male meta::todo slot::keyword topic::none type::entity type::person
#SavetheChief
slot::keyword topic::none type::none type::other type::skip
Philip Yenyo
Philip_Yenyo
gender::male meta::todo topic::none type::entity type::person
Major League Baseball
Major_League_Baseball
iptc::15000000 sport::20000849 topic::sport type::entity type::organization type::sport_org
National Football League
National_Football_League
iptc::15000000 sport::20000823 sport_event::20001115 topic::sport type::competition type::entity type::event type::sport_competition
US
United_States
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe0 type::location
Monday
topic::none type::time type::value
owner
topic::none type::role type::value
Paul Dolan
Paul_Dolan_(baseball)
gender::male iptc::15000000 topic::sport type::entity type::person type::sport_head
Commissioner
topic::none type::role type::value
Manfred
Rob_Manfred
gender::male iptc::15000000 topic::sport type::entity type::person type::sport_head
2019
topic::none type::time type::value
President
topic::none type::role type::value
Donald Trump
Donald_Trump
gender::male iptc::11000000 topic::politics type::entity type::head_of_state type::person type::politician
1947
topic::none type::time type::value
C.
meta::todo
Washington Redskins
Washington_Redskins
iptc::15000000 sport::20000823 topic::sport type::entity type::organization type::sport_team
representative
topic::none type::role type::value
Ray Halbritter
Arthur_Raymond_Halbritter
gender::male meta::todo topic::none type::entity type::person
American Indian Movement
American_Indian_Movement
meta::todo topic::none type::entity type::organization
Ohio
Ohio
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe1 type::location
Pocahontas
meta::todo
Native Americans Fans
meta::todo
Twitter
Twitter
topic::media type::entity type::media type::organization
supporter
topic::none type::role type::value
Jeremiah Baker
slot::interviewee
Cleveland
Cleveland
topic::none type::entity type::gpe type::gpe2 type::location
Clevelanders
topic::none type::gpe2-x type::other
fan
topic::none type::role type::value
Marko Farion
slot::interviewee
PC
meta::todo
mm/aw (AFP, AP, Reuters)
topic::none type::footer type::other