When criticism of the use of Native American imagery and names for sports teams escalated in recent years, Washington Redskins fans could always point to the Cleveland Indians and shrug, ‘“At least we don’t have Chief Wahoo.”
That argument lost a little potency Monday when the Indians announced the franchise, under pressure from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, is removing the buck-toothed caricature of a Native American from team uniforms beginning in 2019.
The Redskins have faced much of the same criticism as the Indians, and with Cleveland moving to further downplay Chief Wahoo, pressure on Washington owner Dan Snyder to change the team name, which some contend is racist, is likely to intensify.