Former Indians GM and current Blue Jays President & CEO Mark Shapiro yesterday said that he was "personally bothered" by his former team's Chief Wahoo logo during his 24 years with the organization, according to the CP. However, Shapiro said that the people of Cleveland "thought differently," so he "worked on building up the ... franchise’s other logo, a simple C." Shapiro said the logo was never an issue during his time, "no matter how many native American tribes we talked to." He said, "I distanced myself from the fact that it personally bothered me. But we as an organization with strong support from ownership came up with the 'Block C' that you're wearing on your credentials right now. We built equity in the 'Block C.' We gave that alternative for people and I think that we established that as an important logo and now the primary logo for the Cleveland Indians." Shapiro added over 90% of the people in Cleveland are "deeply passionate about Chief Wahoo and want him to be part of their team." The Indians "officially demoted their Chief Wahoo logo to secondary status this season" (CP, 10/13). USA TODAY's Nancy Armour writes under the header, "No Place For Native American Nicknames Or Mascots." Armour: "It’s time -- long past time, actually -- that it stops. ... They’re all offensive, relics of our past that should be sources of embarrassment rather than pride." While there are "some Native Americans who have said they don’t have a problem with the logos or the nicknames," as long as there are "even a few who do, who find them hurtful and demeaning, the topic should not be up for discussion" (USA TODAY, 10/14). Meanwhile, the GLOBE & MAIL's Tu Thanh Ha takes a look at the history of controversial team names.
