In response to increased pressure from the Major League Baseball Association, the Cleveland Indians announced Monday that the team will remove its Chief Wahoo logo, a caricature of a Native American chief, from team uniforms and hats by 2019.
"Major League Baseball is committed to building a culture of diversity and inclusion throughout the game," MLB Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. said in a statement. "Over the past year, we encouraged dialogue with the Indians organization about the Club’s use of the Chief Wahoo logo."
Critics have alleged the logo is racist and portrays Native Americans in a derogatory fashion, according to the New York Times. The Indians' logo has received increased scrutiny and criticism after the team made it to the 2016 World Series and garnered extensive media attention. Although the Indians ultimately lost to the Chicago Cubs in Game four, the controversy over the logo did not dissipate.
We’ve announced changes to our uniform for 2019. https://t.co/oVvWkSXjsZ pic.twitter.com/E7pGY59v9o
— Cleveland Indians (@Indians) January 29, 2018
During the postseason, a Canadian architect filed a human rights complaint against the team, protesting the use of the team name and logo for a scheduled game between the Indians and the Toronto Blue Jays in Ontario, CNC News reported. The complaint was eventually thrown out of court.
"During our constructive conversations, Paul Dolan made clear that there are fans who have a longstanding attachment to the logo and its place in the history of the team," Manfred said of the Indians' part-owner and chairman. "Nonetheless, the club ultimately agreed with my position that the logo is no longer appropriate for on-field use in Major League Baseball, and I appreciate Mr. Dolan’s acknowledgement that removing it from the on-field uniform by the start of the 2019 season is the right course."
"We have consistently maintained that we are cognizant and sensitive to both sides of the discussion," said Dolan, who has served has the Indians' president since 2004 and chairman since 2011.
"While we recognize many of our fans have a longstanding attachment to Chief Wahoo, I'm ultimately in agreement with Commissioner Manfred's desire to remove the logo from our uniforms in 2019," he added.
Chief Wahoo has been used in various incarnations by the Indians as their mascot since 1947.