Jim Thome Wants Block-C Indians Hat on Hall of Fame Plaque, Not Chief Wahoo
New Hall of Fame inductee Jim Thome would rather not feature the Indians’ Chief Wahoo logo on his plaque in Cooperstown.
“I know my decision would be to wear the ‘C’ because I think it’s the right thing to do,” Thome told reporters Friday. “I think I need to have a conversation with the Hall of Fame because of all the history and everything involved. I just think that’s the right thing to do.”
The Indians announced earlier this week that this season will be their last wearing the Native American caricature. They have quietly decreased the visibility of the offensive logo over the past several years, choosing to wear the block-C caps and batting helmets more often.
Thome played 13 of his 22 MLB seasons with the Indians. During his first 12 years in Cleveland from 1991 to 2002, the Wahoo logo was the norm. But when Thome came back at the end of the 2011 season, the team began mixing in the “C” logo.
Thome said the final decision on what logo to feature on the plaque will be made after a discussion with his wife and Cooperstown officials.
