The Cleveland Indians are giving fans a preview of their new-look uniforms this week in Toronto by dropping the Chief Wahoo image from their hats and uniforms.
A team spokesman declined comment on why the team made a change for its final series at Rogers Centre this season, only saying that an MLB.com website story on the development was factual.
B次元官网网址淎cknowledging increased sensitivity to the Chief Wahoo image in Canada, the Indians B次元官网网址� opted not to feature it during this series,B次元官网网址� the story said.
The caricature of a First Nations man was the subject of controversy during the 2016 MLB playoffs in Toronto. Indigenous activist Douglas Cardinal filed a human rights complaint federally and provincially against the Indians, MLB and Rogers Communications B次元官网网址� the owner of the Blue Jays B次元官网网址� trying to stop Cleveland from using the logo during the 2016 American League Championship Series.
B次元官网网址淲e were very pleased to see that the team decided not to use the logo at the game in Toronto,B次元官网网址� Lenczner Slaght lawyer Monique Jilesen, who has represented Cardinal, said in an email to The Canadian Press.
Jilesen said the parties have resolved the human rights proceedings and the court application.
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The logo is something that has long bothered Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro, who spent more than two decades as an Indians executive.
B次元官网网址淚 never said it when I was in Cleveland, but I struggled with Chief Wahoo from the day I got there in 1992 to the day I left,B次元官网网址� Shapiro said Friday. B次元官网网址淚 was happy to see it consistently get diminished.
B次元官网网址淚 will shed no tears when itB次元官网网址檚 gone completely.B次元官网网址�
The Indians announced plans last January to remove the logo from their uniforms completely beginning in 2019.
Chief Wahoo will return to the IndiansB次元官网网址� uniforms on Monday at Tampa Bay and will remain for the rest of the season before being retired from on-field use.
Shapiro, who joined the Blue Jays in 2015 after 24 seasons with the Indians, played a lead role in establishing a block B次元官网网址淐B次元官网网址� as ClevelandB次元官网网址檚 logo. It replaced the cartoonish image of a big-toothed First Nations man with a scarlet face and single feather in his headdress.
Shapiro touched on the logo issue during an afternoon media availability.
B次元官网网址淚t doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean that much because IB次元官网网址檓 focused on the Blue Jays,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 guess thereB次元官网网址檚 like a small part of me that kind of says, B次元官网网址楪ood. ItB次元官网网址檚 about time.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
MLB said the decision to scrap the logo came from the leagueB次元官网网址檚 commitment to B次元官网网址渂uilding a culture of diversity and inclusion throughout the game.B次元官网网址�
Longtime Blue Jays radio announcer Jerry Howarth, who retired in the off-season, made a point of not saying ClevelandB次元官网网址檚 nickname after a First Nations fan wrote to him explaining how hurtful the name and logo were to Indigenous people.
The Indians-Blue Jays series continues through Sunday.
The Canadian Press
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