Chief Wahoo will not go on Baseball Hall of Fame plaques anymore
The Cleveland Indians aren’t the only organization getting rid of Chief Wahoo moving forward. The National Baseball Hall of Fame will no longer use the logo on Hall of Fame plaques.
The Hall revealed that news in a press release regarding Jim Thome’s upcoming induction in July. Thome, who spent 13 seasons in Cleveland, will enter the Hall of Fame with the “Block C” logo on his cap.
Well done, @baseballhall pic.twitter.com/o6WVkPjhjR
— Ryan Fagan (@ryanfagan) March 21, 2018
That was actually a request from Thome. He told reporters he was hoping his Hall of Fame plaque would feature the “Block C” logo back in February.
The Hall of Fame agreed … and not just for Thome. Moving forward, the Hall will not use Chief Wahoo on any new plaques. If Francisco Lindor one day gets into Cooperstown, Chief Wahoo won’t even be an option.
For fans who just need their Chief Wahoo fix, the logo will still be featured at the Hall of Fame. Chief Wahoo will still appear on Early Wynn’s Hall of Fame plaque. The Hall of Fame isn’t erasing history, it’s just moving on.
In January, the commissioner’s office announced Chief Wahoo was “no longer appropriate.” The Indians will be allowed to wear Chief Wahoo on its uniforms in 2018, but that’s it. The team will cease using the logo in 2019.
For those upset about the decision, preventing Chief Wahoo from appearing on future plaques probably won’t have a big impact. Other than Manny Ramirez — and maybe Omar Vizquel — there aren’t many Hall of Fame eligible players from the Indians during the Chief Wahoo era.
The team has used the “Block C” as its primary logo since 2014. Any current Hall of Fame player on the club is far more familiar with that symbol.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
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