Brave's To Wear New Batting Practice Hat

[mookie3127]

I personally like them. I've always been a fan of the logo.

http://sports.yahoo....38767--mlb.html

‘Screaming savage’ makes return on Braves’ batting practice caps for 2013

The Braves' new batting practice cap for 2013 (Uni Watch)

Paul Lukas of Uni Watch has an exclusive look at all 30 new batting practice caps for 2013. It's more or less a forgettable bunch, but there are admittedly a few gems — Mr. Met taking residence atop the Mets' new lids, a red maple leaf occupying Toronto's new look and an Arizona mish-mash of old and new that should be adopted as everyday in-game headwear.

The most newsworthy revelation in the whole crop, however, is that the Atlanta Braves' batting practice cap features the return of the "screaming savage" that served as part of the Atlanta's logo from 1967 to 1989. The mohawked image first made an appearance in 1954 during the Braves' Milwaukee days.

The re-emergence of the questionable logo is surprising given that the Cleveland Indians have been distancing themselves from Chief Wahoo in recent years. (This year's Indians BP cap features the increasingly familiar block 'C'.) Even the Braves have landed on the right side of sensitivity, replacing an offensive savage patch on the throwback jerseys the team introduced in 2012.

Here's what I wrote about that logo back in February:

It's a wonder that anyone ever thought the image was OK. The logo strips Native Americans of any humanity and turns them into a one-dimensional character devoid of any sympathy or tribute. It honestly might be the only defense that the few defenders of Cleveland's Chief Wahoo have left. ("Well, it's not as bad as what Atlanta used to have.")

It really is a wonder that the Braves are going with these caps. As far as I can tell, there was no real groundswell to bring this logo back, which is saying something in an age where fans of several teams hold a deep affinity for their old-school looks.

Also, will the sales numbers for these caps really make it worth the bad PR the team and league are going to take over this? Uni Watch assigned the cap its only "F" among the 30 teams while Getting Blanked says the Braves have "upped the racism."

Hopefully the new year will bring some common sense and we'll be spared the sight of Dan Uggla and Jason Heyward awkwardly wearing these caps around the cage next spring.

[ATLBrave]

Oh Jesus Christ. Because an Indian head just screams (no pun intended) racism. Get the **** over yourselves.

[dvt5045]

I don't like them

[MikeR]

I was so happy to see this. I hope they make this their regular season uniform caps.

[Falconsfan567]

[Nicolae]

Spectacular. The Screamin' Indian is possibly the best Braves logo. I am thrilled they are bringing it back and will pick up a cap. Hope every Braves fan does the same and sends a message that there is nothing racist about this logo and it shouldn't be relegated to the trash heap due to some whiny PC BS.

[Dharma Initiative]

A terrible article from USA Today:

When sports franchises go retro with uniform redesigns, it usually conjures idyllic versions of the past. The Atlanta Braves new batting practice caps are a surprising turn in the other direction.

Atlanta's new batting practice cap features the team's old "screaming savage" logo -- a Mohawked Native American with a feather in his head engaged in a tribal yell. The logo was part of the team's uniform from 1967 to 1989. The team got rid of mascot Chief Noc-A-Homa (wait for it ...) two years earlier.

CARLTON FISK: Pleads guilty to DUI

Paul Lukas of Uni Watch released photos of the new cap Thursday morning.

People are in a justifiable uproar at the return to the Mohawked caricature, as if they expected a more nuanced take on race relations from a franchise whose fans still do the tomahawk chop.

The return to the Native American logo is curious and unsettling. Franchises with Native American imagery have slowly retreated away from caricature over the years, even if they still have the team names and logos that are impossibly out of date. A return to a discarded logo is unexpected, to say the least.

If MLB was forced to abandon the design, it wouldn't be a surprise. The new cap received nearly-universal pans across the Internet.

Who knows, maybe the decision could have far-reaching effects. Could the public outcry possibly hasten reforms for other teams with Native American imagery?

The best thing the Redskins, Braves, Indians and other offensively-named teams have gone for them is convention. For centuries, people have been defending outmoded customs with the "that's the way it's always been" excuse. Getting teams to change their names or logo is difficult if there's no catalyst.

For years, the team names are easy to ignore. When people watch a baseball game and hear "Braves" or a football game and hear "Redskins," they think of Hank Aaron or John Riggins, not Geronimo or Sitting Bull. It's harder to reconcile the offensiveness when you see a Native American mascot on a hat or helmet. It's harder still when a team embraces a new version of the past.

One day, there's going to be a slow news cycle, the press will attach itself to the cause and the resulting public conversation will force a change to these things. In our too-PC culture, it's amazing that names and logos which are actually offensive haven't been changed already.

Maybe the shake-up started today.

[RHEC]

A terrible article from USA Today:

When sports franchises go retro with uniform redesigns, it usually conjures idyllic versions of the past. The Atlanta Braves new batting practice caps are a surprising turn in the other direction.

Atlanta's new batting practice cap features the team's old "screaming savage" logo -- a Mohawked Native American with a feather in his head engaged in a tribal yell. The logo was part of the team's uniform from 1967 to 1989. The team got rid of mascot Chief Noc-A-Homa (wait for it ...) two years earlier.

CARLTON FISK: Pleads guilty to DUI

Paul Lukas of Uni Watch released photos of the new cap Thursday morning.

People are in a justifiable uproar at the return to the Mohawked caricature, as if they expected a more nuanced take on race relations from a franchise whose fans still do the tomahawk chop.

The return to the Native American logo is curious and unsettling. Franchises with Native American imagery have slowly retreated away from caricature over the years, even if they still have the team names and logos that are impossibly out of date. A return to a discarded logo is unexpected, to say the least.

If MLB was forced to abandon the design, it wouldn't be a surprise. The new cap received nearly-universal pans across the Internet.

Who knows, maybe the decision could have far-reaching effects. Could the public outcry possibly hasten reforms for other teams with Native American imagery?

The best thing the Redskins, Braves, Indians and other offensively-named teams have gone for them is convention. For centuries, people have been defending outmoded customs with the "that's the way it's always been" excuse. Getting teams to change their names or logo is difficult if there's no catalyst.

For years, the team names are easy to ignore. When people watch a baseball game and hear "Braves" or a football game and hear "Redskins," they think of Hank Aaron or John Riggins, not Geronimo or Sitting Bull. It's harder to reconcile the offensiveness when you see a Native American mascot on a hat or helmet. It's harder still when a team embraces a new version of the past.

One day, there's going to be a slow news cycle, the press will attach itself to the cause and the resulting public conversation will force a change to these things. In our too-PC culture, it's amazing that names and logos which are actually offensive haven't been changed already.

Maybe the shake-up started today.

What a ******** article.

[Falconsfan567]

And Florida State doesn't do the Thomahawk Chop? Oh wait....

[mookie3127]

And Florida State doesn't do the Thomahawk Chop? Oh wait....

They do and the same people that call it, and this logo, racist are quickly put in check when the Seminole Tribe comes out and endorses the FSU program.

The Tribal Council's resolution reads, in part, that the "Seminole Tribe of Florida has an established relationship with Florida State University, which includes its permission to use the name, 'Seminole,' as well as various Seminole symbols and images, such as Chief Osceola, for educational purposes and the Seminole Tribe of Florida wishes to go on record that it has not opposed, and, in fact, supports the continued use of the name 'Seminole.'" The resolution also supports the use of the Seminole head logo, which is endorsed by the university.

http://www.fsu.edu/news/2005/06/17/seminole.support/

The tomahawk chop is a little different, but it's nice to see that some people (the Seminole Tribe) don't get butt hurt over things and, instead, work out an agreement.

But in regards to the Brave's logo, I've always been a fan of it and if this hat isn't pulled, I'll likely be hunting one down.

[ATLBrave]

I love that logo, just not on a hat.

[Falconsfan567]

I love that logo, just not on a hat.

I don't mind the logo. It just looks weird on the hat. But some of them are down right weird looking. The Mets have Mr. Met on theirs. The Rockies have the Rockie mountains on theirs. The A's have the elephant.

[Falconsfan567]

[Falconsfan567]

Here's something weird. The Cardinals are going to a blue BP cap even though they're going to be wearing red hats on the road this season instead of the blue.

[Falconsfan567]

[Falconsfan567]

[Dharma Initiative]

I'm not a big fan of the logo on a hat, but I do like the logo.

A's, Mets and Marlins still have the three ugliest hats

[Unknøwn]

It does look out of place on a hat

[youngbloodz]

I love that logo. But I can still see how someone could thank it's offensive. I will buy that hat when I find it

[Forever Julian]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/28/braves-screaming-indian-logo-bp-hat_n_2373487.html

Front page of the huffingtonpost.

Talk about a PR nightmare. No way they dont change it.

[Falconsfan567]

What an absolute joke! What is racist about a screaming Indian head? I've yet to hear anyone say why it's racist?

[youngbloodz]

What an absolute joke! What is racist about a screaming Indian head? I've yet to hear anyone say why it's racist?

don't know about racist. But it does play to the stereotype of Native Americans being vicious and savages. And isn't the logo called screaming savage anyway? I know I read that in the paper

[mookie3127]

Personally, the only thing offensive about the logo is all the media that's getting butt hurt over it.

[MikeR]

don't know about racist. But it does play to the stereotype of Native Americans being vicious and savages.

I don't see it. When I see this logo, I don't think of all Indians being vicious headhunters or anything of that nature. Maybe it's just me not thinking that everything has to have a racial undertone to it.

[youngbloodz]

I don't see it. When I see this logo, I don't think of all Indians being vicious headhunters or anything of that nature. Maybe it's just me not thinking that everything has to have a racial undertone to it.

Personally I don't think there is anything wrong with it. And my great grandmother was a full blood cherokee. But I can see how some people would take it that way.