# Cleveland Indians remove Chief Wahoo logo by 2019 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 29, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754 "2018-01-29T19:06:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/1 "2018-01-29T19:06:05Z")
Goodbye and good riddance. I’m sure the decision has a lot to do with the 2019 All Star game but I am glad that something is being done about it before we have to hear the rest of the country bash our dumb racist logo. Again. I’m a lifelong Indians fan and have no love lost for Wahoo. I stopped buying any Wahoo-adorned stuff about 10 years ago. I absolutely do not understand the mentality of “I will not support the team if they get rid of the logo.” I cheer for Indians Baseball not the logo. You’ll note that Wahoo didn’t become the team logo until 1947. The name might have been in “honor” of our Native American player (who was kind of a shitty person and a shitty player, and the “honor” came 2 years after his death when someone dug up the idea and submitted it to a sportswriter) but the Chief logo was just a caricature drawn based on jokey racism of the time. > **[Indians to stop using Wahoo logo starting in '19](https://www.mlb.com/guardians/news/indians-to-stop-using-chief-wahoo-logo-c265489544)** > > CLEVELAND -- A point of contention for some and beloved by others, the Chief Wahoo logo will be removed from Cleveland's uniforms beginning with the 2019 season.On Monday, Major League Baseball announced that the Indians will discontinue the use of... ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/2 "2018-01-29T19:07:03Z")
This is good news. Long overdue. I don’t care that they’re named the Indians, but that logo was completely insulting. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/3 "2018-01-29T19:12:58Z")
Just saw this pop up on the AP; I agree that it is a positive step forward. ---
**Author:** ![howye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@howye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/howye)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/4 "2018-01-29T19:13:30Z")
And the reaction on twitter and such is exactly the cringe inducing crap you would expect. Anyhoot, this should put the focus on the NFL and their much more racist team name. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/5 "2018-01-29T19:33:39Z")
Good quote from an [article on mlb.com](https://www.mlb.com/news/decision-on-indians-logo-about-big-picture/c-265498702): “But the inconvenient reality of sharing a planet with other human beings is that you don’t get to decide what is or what is not offensive to people. And if you divorce yourself even momentarily from the laundry you’ve grown up rooting for, it’s really not difficult to understand why Native American groups would be offended by this exaggerated, unflattering, cartoon portrayal of their people.” ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/6 "2018-01-29T19:42:19Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Goodbye and good riddance. That sums it up perfectly. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/7 "2018-01-29T19:59:35Z")
A step in the right direction. The name still has to go, as do the names of the Washington NFL franchise and the Atlanta baseball club. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/8 "2018-01-29T20:00:24Z")
Indians fan since my youth and this does not upset me one little bit. Way overdue. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/9 "2018-01-29T20:29:41Z")
> [@howye](#): > > And the reaction on twitter and such is exactly the cringe inducing crap you would expect. Anyhoot, this should put the focus on the NFL and their much more racist team name. Sorry, but the Chief Wahoo logo wins that embarrassing competition, hands down. Sure, rename the Redskins too (not that pro football should even exist anymore, but since it does, go ahead and rename the Redskins), but that caricature of Native Americans is horribly insulting. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/10 "2018-01-29T20:39:56Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Sorry, but the Chief Wahoo logo wins that embarrassing competition, hands down. > > Sure, rename the Redskins too (not that pro football should even exist anymore, but since it does, go ahead and rename the Redskins), but that caricature of Native Americans is horribly insulting. Oh, there are plenty of “wins” to go around. Cleveland’s got the worst logo. Washington’s got the worst name. And Atlanta has the worst excuse for fans based on the chant-and-chop that any decent human being ought to be embarrassed to be seen imitating. ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/11 "2018-01-29T20:49:56Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > A step in the right direction. The name still has to go, as do the names of the Washington NFL franchise and the Atlanta baseball club. A smaller step than it might seem. The team is going to continue to sell Chief Wahoo swag at the stadium and in local retail outlets; they just won’t put him on TV or on [mlb.com](http://mlb.com) anymore. If it isn’t the least they could do, it’s damn close. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/12 "2018-01-29T20:55:58Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > And Atlanta has the worst excuse for fans based on the chant-and-chop that any decent human being ought to be embarrassed to be seen imitating. Nah; FSU’s tomahawk chop (and chant) rules. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/13 "2018-01-29T21:12:52Z")
Why the hell will it take that long? Do they have to pay Chief Wahoo a severance package? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/14 "2018-01-29T21:16:05Z")
> [@Enginerd](#): > > A smaller step than it might seem. The team is going to continue to sell Chief Wahoo swag at the stadium and in local retail outlets; they just won’t put him on TV or on [mlb.com](http://mlb.com) anymore. If it isn’t the least they could do, it’s damn close. My understanding is that part of the reason for this is for the Indians to be able to maintain ownership of the logo. If they were to cease using it entirely, the trademark would eventually lapse, and it’d become legal for anyone to sell Chief Wahoo gear, anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/15 "2018-01-29T21:42:21Z")
Yes, from ESPN: “The team must maintain a retail presence so that MLB and the Indians can keep ownership of the trademark.” To which I guess some might say, “so what, let it become public.” ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/16 "2018-01-29T21:44:30Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > Yes, from ESPN: > “The team must maintain a retail presence so that MLB and the Indians can keep ownership of the trademark.” > > To which I guess some might say, “so what, let it become public.” See the post above yours. That, in my view, would be a worse scenario. Because then anyone can (and will) sell crap with that logo. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/17 "2018-01-29T21:50:56Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > See the post above yours. That, in my view, would be a worse scenario. Because then anyone can (and will) sell crap with that logo. Random people selling stuff with a racist logo seems preferable to an MLB team doing it. But, that’s just my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/18 "2018-01-29T21:53:08Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > See the post above yours. That, in my view, would be a worse scenario. Because then anyone can (and will) sell crap with that logo. This, exactly, and I should have expanded on it in my post. If the Indians keep Chief Wahoo under trademark, they (and only they) will be selling gear with the logo, and only in northeastern Ohio. If Chief Wahoo were allowed to lapse out of trademark status, you would very likely see _more_ gear with Chief Wahoo on it than you would be otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/19 "2018-01-29T21:57:07Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Random people selling stuff with a racist logo seems preferable to an MLB team doing it. > > But, that’s just my opinion. I take your point, but I’m not sure I agree. I don’t know what the bare minimum is that Cleveland would be required to sell in order to maintain control over the trademark, but if it can be brought down to, say, a single store where merchandise with the logo can be purchased, and the store happens to be frequently out of stock of said merchandise, I’d prefer that to seeing the logo on every street corner. Again, though, I get that we’d rather not have the team sanctioning any sale of such merchandise. Especially a team I root for. I honestly don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754/20 "2018-01-29T22:01:09Z")
As was mentioned already, this is a positive thing. On a side note, I am reminded of that Onion story about how the Washington Redskins had finally agreed to change the name of the team. The new name: The D.C. Redskins. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cleveland-indians-remove-chief-wahoo-logo-by-2019/807754.md?page=2)