Goodbye to the Cleveland Indians

In 2018, it was officially announced that the Indian’s logo, “Chief Wahoo” would be removed off of the players’ jerseys and hats and be discontinued being used on merchandise. On July 23rd, 2021 the Cleveland Indians officially announced that they would be changing their name to the Cleveland Guardians at the end of the 2021 season. Although many Clevelanders were in support of the organization’s decisions due to its racist connotations, others were upset with the end of the legacy of the Cleveland Indians. These different stakeholders have struck large controversy and debate on a national scale.

Debate about Chief Wahoo and the Indian’s name has been going on for years. The first notable protest against Chief Wahoo was in the 1995 World Series where the Cleveland Indians were competing against the Atlanta Braves. In both cities, people who were against the “racially insensitive” name and logo protested the games. This movement began to gain momentum. The American Indian Movement, an indigenous rights movement, began to draw more attention to Chief Wahoo, and protests grew in size throughout the years.

Although the movement against Chief Wahoo and the Indians began to grow, so did the opposition of Indian’s fans. Fans were upset with the protests of the American Indian Movement because they felt that they were being threatened — their childhood mascot was on the line. To these fans, Chief Wahoo meant nothing but a logo for Cleveland pride, having nothing to do with appropriation of Native American culture. Many Clevelanders had an attachment to Chief Wahoo; it served as a link between them and their nostalgia to childhood memories. They knew nothing else than Chief Wahoo as Cleveland’s logo for their MLB team, and they didn’t want it going away anytime soon.

On the contrary, Native Americans argue that Chief Wahoo encourages stereotypical comments on their cultural heritage. Chief Wahoo, a red-skinned, large nosed smiling logo, served as an icon to portray negative connotations to many Native Americans. James Fenelon, a Dokota academician, claims that chief wahoo symbolizes Native Americans to be, “wild but friendly savages.” (Reiner 2016). Supporters believe that Chief Wahoo emphasizes American Indians’ stereotypes and undermines their abilities.

Now that Chief Wahoo has been officially terminated and The Cleveland Indians are now the Cleveland Guardians, die-hard Clevelanders are very upset with the organization’s decisions. Social Media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram have flooded with vocal fans’ hate. Many claim that they do not support the team anymore. Now that the name is changed and Chief Wahoo is gone, the team no longer resonates with their childhood, and they have no obligation to support them. Other fans who are content with the organization’s decisions. They love that they have been renamed the “Guardians” referring to the Guardians of Traffic statues displayed on the Hope Memorial Bridge. Meanwhile, Native Americans are happy that the team no longer has an offensive logo and name that offend their heritage and culture.

Now that the Cleveland Guardians have been cleared of racial connotations, it will be interesting to see what other sports teams and organizations will face protests and hate because they are linked to race and ethnicity. Or maybe it won’t be linked to race and ethnicity at all, but some other offensive implication.

Citations:

Tayler, Jon. “Indians, MLB Should Get Rid of Chief Wahoo.” Sports Illustrated, Sports Illustrated, 26 Oct. 2016, https://www.si.com/mlb/2016/10/26/cleveland-indians-chief-wahoo-world-series.

Reiner, Justin. “Proud Traditions: Reflections of a Lifelong Washington Redskins Fan on the Harjo Decisions & the Use of Native Americans Names in Sports.” Willamette Sports L.G., Willamette Sports L.G, 6 Jan. 2016, http:/hdl.handle.net/10177/5569

Wednesday, Dustin Paré |. “With Chief Wahoo Gone, Sport Has One Less Racially Insensitive Mascot -.” Global Sport Matters, 27 Mar. 2019, https://globalsportmatters.com/culture/2019/03/27/with-chief-wahoo-gone-sport-has-one-less-racially-insensitive-mascot/#:~:text=Starting%20in%202019%2C%20Chief%20Wahoo,Progressive%20Field%20in%20Cleveland%2C%20Ohio.

Indianz. “The Conversation: Sorry but ‘Chief Wahoo’ Isn’t Going Anywhere Soon.” Indianz, Indianzhttps://Www.indianz.com/Z.png, 8 Feb. 2018, https://www.indianz.com/News/2018/02/08/the-conversation-sorry-but-chief-wahoo-i.asp.