Indians’ first baseman Carlos Santana hit a homer in the 10th inning to help lead Cleveland to a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates but it’s what he was wearing underneath his jersey that became the focus in Tuesday night’s win.
Santana was spotted wearing an undershirt with the “Chief Wahoo” logo, a symbol previously banned in 2018 after the organization and MLB said it was “no longer appropriate,” during the game.
“Major League Baseball is committed to building a culture of diversity and inclusion throughout the game,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement at the time.
“Over the past year, we encouraged dialogue with the Indians organization about the club’s use of the Chief Wahoo logo. During our constructive conversations, [Indians owner] Paul Dolan made clear that there are fans who have a long-standing attachment to the logo and its place in the history of the team.”
He continued: “Nonetheless, the club ultimately agreed with my position that the logo is no longer appropriate for on-field use in Major League Baseball, and I appreciate Mr. Dolan’s acknowledgment that removing it from the on-field uniform by the start of the 2019 season is the right course.”
It’s unclear if Santana’s look Tuesday night was an honest mistake but he did end up wearing the undershirt alone in a post-game presser.
The Indians dropped the symbol over mounting pressure by the Native American community but they are now looking to change their name as well.
The conversation of racial and social injustices in the sports community was reignited this year following the death of George Floyd. Teams like the Washington Redskins, which for years has been under criticism for its name and logo, formally changed its name to The Washington Football team, issuing a completely new look for the franchise.
