According to Major League Baseball, the Cleveland Indians will not be wearing a stars-and-stripes special edition Chief Wahoo cap on the 4th of July. And thank God.
New Era Caps, responsible for the butt-ugly design, mistakenly assumed that all teams would be sporting their primary logos. Instead, the Tribe will don their block-C cap, on which the stars and stripes don’t look totally inappropriate (pictured right).
Here’s what Business Insider had to say about the Wahoo design:
Nevermind that the logo is already an ignorant caricature of a race of people and nevermind the short-sightedness of covering a Native American logo with stars and stripes. Many feel the logo just looks a little too much like a Blackface cartoon.
And how. Even if you’re not righteously opposed to Chief Wahoo — because of nostalgic attachment or, I don’t know, loyalty — this would’ve been awful. Just atrocious. I mean it looks like Wahoo’s covered in pimples or something.
And let’s not even broach the fundamental (and almost sadistic) ironies involved.
This article appears in Jun 5-11, 2013.
Didn’t they do this once before a few years ago but actually released the hat before they pulled it off the market for the same reason.
had to recheck the date of the story, thought this was old news
Love the hat, hate the stupid C, keep thinking it Chicago!! Bring on Wahoo and the cursive I back.
Does any one know how to get the chief Wahoo hat?? Or shirt?
The author of this article must go out and beat Native Americans, because mist I talk to think its cool to have an image of an Indian on sports teams, and point out you dint see any of the sadistic custard. Lol. Quit taking stuff so seriously!!
Actually you dolt, most of us don’t think its “cool” for us to be used as mascots. I do find it odd you had to turn that caricature black for people to take it off the rack though but keep the red up there. Pretty pathetic.
So New Era decides to make a patriotic 4th of july hat for the indians to wear, so they make the main color grey. Makes perfect sense, the color grey is featured prominently on our nation’s flag.
they didn’t turn the caricature black, they just followed the design and colors from the New Era cap so they would match. not being able to scroll up a couple clicks with the ‘ol mouse to see this for yourself is also pretty pathetic.
Like the Redskins in the NFL, I would hope that Indians’ management doesn’t cave in to this crap!! If any of these offended individuals were serious, they would have started protesting LONG ago. Protesters didn’t start showing up until Cleveland started winning in the early 90’s.
In fact, the logo/team name was a dedication to one of the league’s first Native American players: Chief Redland. I read this years ago, though I haven’t confirmed it.
They were named the Cleveland Spiders until they changed their name and mascot to honor the nation’s first Native American ball player. If you have a problem with my team’s name or mascot please kindly mind your own business. People now a days all are looking for something to be offended by, they think it gives them power over those doing the offended, that those doing the offending have to change or make it up to them. The truth is, we need to draw a line. Grow up children. The hat looks cool.
I know this is an old article, but doesn’t anyone have the cap for sale? I’d be willing to pay $100 for it.