Atlanta Braves Morning Chop: Artwork on Display

Column Calls For Return Of Racist Braves Mascot, Is Promptly Deleted

PATRICK REDFORD / DEADSPIN.COM

Bill Shanks’ column in the Macon Telegraph on why the Atlanta Braves should bring back their old mascot Chief Noc-A-Homa—a caricature of an Native American chief with a name that appears to be a baseball pun mashed together with what someone thought sounded like an “Indian name”—begins thusly:

"We live in a politically correct world these days, with people sensitive about anything and everything."

You can probably guess where it goes from there. Here’s my favorite quote:

"Twenty-five years ago when the Atlanta Braves became the team everyone loved, it was easy for Native Americans to complain about the things with the nickname that upset them. That’s a shame."

Ed. note:  since this is an Internet world we live in, Shanks’ column can still be found… check out Deadspin at the link above for another link to a tweet that preserved it.  His title?  “Atlanta Braves should bring back Homa and the teepee”.  Yeah, that went over well in a world where liberal-leaning voices run the newspaper editorial boards.

My position?  I’ve never taken the tack that mascots were intended to offend anyone.  The one I’ll cite that probably crosses the line is that of the Washington Redskins, for that’s a stand-alone derogatory term.  But ‘Braves’ isn’t that.  Nor is ‘Indians’ (it was geographically inaccurate, but is nonetheless historically consistent).  Likewise, ‘Seminoles’ or ‘Navajos’ refer to nations of peoples… just as ‘Americans’ or ‘Canadians’.  Heck, should the Chrysler Corporation rename the Jeep Cherokee?

Next: Should the Braves be Looking for more Pitching?

Seems to me that people looking to be offended are people trying to be noticed.  Most of them should probably try and find self-worth is something a bit more productive.