Cleveland Indians fans are reacting the team's decision to remove its controversial logo from their uniforms starting in 2019.
Versions of Chief Wahoo have been the team's logo for about 70 years. The caricature has also been the subject of protests and lawsuits. Still, many fans have a sentimental attachment to it.
"They had something that was recognizable and everyone everywhere kind of recognizes that logo," says Greg Vlosich, o-owner of G V Art & Design in Lakewood. A few years ago, in response to growing calls for a new logo, the company started selling T-shirts with the message "Keep the Chief" on them.
"I'm not one that's like gonna go crazy about the fact that they're getting rid of it, but at the same time we wish it stayed a part of Cleveland history," Vlosich says.
Others say that history should be left in the past. In a statement, the National Congress of American Indians says logos like "Wahoo" reduce Native people to a "single outdated stereotype" and said the logo's removal will be a "big step in the right direction."
