Cleveland Indians to ditch ‘Chief Wahoo’ logo in 2019

The Cleveland Indians will remove the controversial “Chief Wahoo” logo from their uniforms and camps for the 2019 season.

According to ESPN on Monday, the Indians will continue wearing the Wahoo logo on its uniform sleeves and caps in 2018, and the club will still sell merchandise featuring the mascot in Northeast Ohio.

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said the team made it clear to him there are “fans who have a longstanding attachment to the logo and its place in the history of the team.”

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 acknowledgement that remove it from the on-field uniform by the start of the 2019 season is the right course." -Rob Manfred

National criticism and scrutiny about the “Indians’ allegiance to Chief Wahoo” grew in 2016, according to ESPN. That’s when the Indians made the World Series and Manfred expressed his desire to have the team eradicate the symbol.

According to Cleveland.com, Indians owner Paul Dolan said this is the hardest decision they've had to make during their entire ownership.  His family bought the franchise after the 1999 season.