Chief Wahoo
From BR Bullpen
Chief Wahoo is the mascot of the Cleveland Indians. He is represented as a cartoonish grinning Native American with a single-feather headdress. His image has graced the team's logo and uniform over the years, even being used on the team's caps some seasons.
Chief Wahoo was originally designed by artist Walter Goldbach in 1947, at the urging of owner Bill Veeck, who was looking to add to the sadly-lacking profile of his newly-acquired franchise. At the time, Goldbach was a 17-year old student employed by the J.F. Novak Company, a Cleveland, OH sign-maker. The logo was updated in 1951 and has been unchanged since.
Beginning in the early 1990s, Chief Wahoo became a highly controversial figure, as many Native Americans protested the use of what they saw as a demeaning stereotype to promote the team. These protests culminated when the Indians reached the World Series in 1995 and 1997, providing the team with a level of national media exposure it had not enjoyed since the 1950s. As a result, the figure has become much less visible in recent years, but the Indians have not given in to demands to either officially retire it or change the team's name. Spokespersons for the team and Mike Veeck, Bill's son, have explained that the mascot was designed to promote joy and laughter and that no disrespect was ever intended. The figure remains very popular among supporters of the team.
[edit] Further Reading
- Gary Twardzik: "Walter Goldbach: The Accidental Marketing Genius", in Brad Sullivan, ed.: Batting Four Thousand: Baseball in the Western Reserve, SABR, Cleveland, OH, 2008, p. 96.
