Minnesotans applaud Cleveland Indians' logo change

(KMSP) - In an historic move in Major League Baseball Monday, the Cleveland Indians dropped their Chief Wahoo logo. 

It's a move many Native American groups have pressured sports teams of all kinds to make.
    
When Cleveland travels to Minnesota’s Target Field this season, the mascot will still be on their uniforms because it won't be removed until 2019.

And many Twins fans say it's about time.

“I think they can find another logo—they can keep the name, but they can find another logo,” said Julie Quesada in St. Paul.

The Indians had been trying to shift away from the Native American caricature for some time; their uniforms had featured just a "C" or the team's name across the front.

Monday, the organization's website officially scrubbed any association with Chief Wahoo.

But Teresa Nelson, legal director for Minnesota's ACLU, said removing the logo is not going far enough.

“Changing the mascot is only part of the problem; Native Americans are people, they’re not mascots, they’re not sport teams,” she said.

Protests here in the Twin Cities and nationwide have called on other teams like the Washington Redskins to re-name their organizations.

In fact, during the 1992 Super Bowl in Minnesota, there was an uproar over the Redskins mascot.

Sports fans say most teams should respect their communities wishes and come up with another team and logo like Cleveland did.

“If the local native tribe of Cleveland agreed with it and gave their support and that’s what they wanted, then I’m glad the Indians honored that and MLB honored that for them,” said Kendrick Williams.

Changing Native American leaning mascots began in the late ‘80s here in Minnesota.
Most teams and school districts have complied, and a few actually work with local tribes to make sure nothing is offensive.