Three Indians fans at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Wednesday night reminded everyone that the Washington Redskins aren't the only professional sports team still holding onto outdated, offensive iconography. This trio of Cleveland fans was spotted during TBS' broadcast of the AL Wild Card Game between the Indians and Tampa Bay Rays sporting redface makeup in order to look like the franchise's controversial mascot, Chief Wahoo.
Not surprisingly, the appearance of this group on televisions across the country on Wednesday night sparked plenty of commentary and disgust on social media.
The Chief Wahoo mascot has been the focus of annual protests in Cleveland. Once again, the Cleveland American Indian Movement was on hand at the club's home opener to call for change in April 2013.
"Since 1973, we have repeatedly objected to the degrading, racist depictions of Native people by Cleveland Baseball by demonstrating at every Opening Day," Cleveland AIM stated in April, via the Indian Country Today Media Network. "We continue to insist that Cleveland Baseball abolish it use of the clearly bigoted, racist, and shameful 'Indians' team name and the despicable 'Chief Wahoo' logo."
Sounding downright Synderesque earlier this season, Indians president Mark Shapiro told Tony Rizzo on WKNR in Cleveland that "Chief Wahoo’s not going anywhere."
While it wouldn't seem like the franchise possibly could have been promoting such a look at the AL Wild Card Game with its #RockYourRed campaign, the team's official Twitter account did think this fellow had it right.
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