By Canadian Press

Indigenous activist pleased to hear Cleveland plans to drop Indians team name

Dec 15, 2020 | 10:18 AM

Indigenous activist Douglas Cardinal is applauding the Cleveland Indians for deciding to change their name.

Cardinal filed human rights complaints in 2016 in an attempt to stop the team from using the Chief Wahoo logo during a playoff series in Toronto.

The figure was a cartoonish image of a grinning man with a scarlet face and single feather in his headdress.

Proceedings were resolved in 2018 and the team dropped the logo from its caps and jerseys for its last road series against the Blue Jays that year, a change that became permanent the next season. 

Speaking from his Ottawa home, Cardinal says he thinks Cleveland’s decision will have a “ripple effect” on other pro clubs with similar team names.

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Cleveland’s Major League Baseball team will continue to be called the Indians until a new name is chosen, a process that’s expected to take at least a year. 

Washington’s NFL team and Edmonton’s CFL team dropped their names earlier this year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 15, 2020. 

With files from The Associated Press. Follow @GregoryStrongCP on Twitter.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press