by David Fleitz

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dlfleitz@wcnet.org

Cleveland's new alternate home cap.

From the Internet: Chief Wahoo made out of Legos.  Some people have too much time on their hands.

Last week, the Cleveland Indians made a small, but symbolic, change to their home uniform.

They introduced an "alternate" home uniform, which, for the first time in 15 years, does not have Chief Wahoo on the cap.  They moved Wahoo to the front of the uniform shirt (replacing the script "Indians") and put a large script letter I on the cap.  

It's only an alternate home uniform, used for only some of their 81 home games.  However, for those of us who feel uneasy with the grinning visage of Chief Wahoo, it represents a tentative step in the right direction.  

As you may recall, I advocated precisely this design almost three years ago.  In May of 1999, I suggested that the team use the script I from the "Indians" on the front of the uniform and put it on the hat.  Somehow, I don't think that the team is going to pay me for my brainstorm any time soon, but I still like the new hat infinitely better than the old one.

The team also put the script I on the chest of the official batting-practice shirt, removing the Chief from that article of apparel entirely.  Is it possible that the team is, at the very least, trying to phase out the Chief Wahoo logo bit by bit?

In the meantime, the Chief Wahoo controversy continues, though it simmered down over the winter.  The team insists that the Chief is merely a character, devoid of any evil meaning; in a 1995 press release, the club stated that "The Cleveland Indians organization is very aware of the sensitivities involved in this issue. We have gone to great lengths to respect those sensitivities. In no way do we intend to demean any group, especially one as proud as Native Americans."  At the same time, certain organizations (including my own church, the United Methodists) continue to call for the abolishment of the character as racist and insensitive.

I'll wait and see how people react to the new cap.  If it proves popular, perhaps the club will use it for all of their home games, not merely some of them.  I, for one, would be happy to wear the new headgear; I like the Indians, but I have never bought one of their hats because I feel uncomfortable with Chief Wahoo.  Maybe we'll find out how many other people feel the same way.