Opinion | Sports

Opinion: New movement takes 'Chief Wahoo' out of team's gear

Thursday, April 3, 2014

It wasn't easy but I de-chiefed my @Indians road jersey. Ready for Goodyear tomorrow pic.twitter.com/gcLJ0CQ5lx
— Dennis Brown (@DennisBrown) March 11, 2014

Columnist discusses new movement among some fans of the Cleveland baseball team to remove the offensive "Chief Wahoo" mascot from jerseys and caps:

The Cleveland Indians' home opener is Friday afternoon, and many fans will no doubt show up wearing Indians jerseys and caps. But at least some of those fans may be wearing Indians gear that they've modified in a very specific way: by removing the Chief Wahoo logo.
This is the "de-Chiefing" phenomenon, a form of silent protest by a small but growing number of Indians fans who love their team but are opposed to the Wahoo logo, which they view as an offensive caricature. They say they're not accusing pro-Wahoo fans of being racists or telling them what they should or shouldn't wear. They've simply made a decision not to wear the Chief themselves.
De-Chiefing has been taking place under the radar for at least a few years now, and it's not clear who started it. But the practice first began attracting public attention a few weeks ago, when an Indians fan named Dennis Brown was preparing to visit the team's spring training facility in Goodyear, Ariz., and tweeted a photo showing how he'd removed the Wahoo sleeve patch from his jersey, leaving a Wahoo-shaped scar on the sleeve.

Get the Story:
Paul Lukas: Hail To De-Chiefing (EPSN 4/2)