If you walk around downtown Cleveland today, you’ll see plenty of blue, red, and white. But things look different than they did a decade ago. The "C" is everywhere. The "Guardians" script is plastered on the stadium. Yet, if you ask a lifelong fan about the name of the Cleveland Indians mascot, you’re going to get two very different answers depending on how old they are or how closely they followed the team’s branding shifts.
For the better part of a century, the face of the franchise wasn't a fuzzy creature or a costumed performer. It was a caricature. Chief Wahoo was the name of the Cleveland Indians mascot that defined the team's visual identity from the late 1940s until his official retirement from the uniforms in 2018. He wasn't a "mascot" in the sense of a person in a suit—at least not primarily—but he was the symbol that sparked a national firestorm over cultural sensitivity in sports.
Then there’s Slider. He’s the actual, physical mascot who still runs around Progressive Field today. He’s a large, fuchsia, shaggy creature who looks like he belongs on Sesame Street.
The story isn't just about a name. It’s about a messy, often heated transition from a 1915 team name to a modern identity. It’s about how a city grappled with its history while trying to keep a fan base from revolting.
The Origin of Chief Wahoo: More Than Just a Logo
Most people assume Chief Wahoo was always there. He wasn't. The Cleveland team had several names before settling on "Indians" in 1915—they were the Forest Citys, the Spiders (which many fans actually wanted to return to), and even the Naps. When they became the Indians, the story frequently cited was that it honored Louis Sockalexis. He was the first Native American to play in the Major Leagues, a member of the Penobscot tribe who played for the Cleveland Spiders in the 1890s.
Critics, including many historians and Native American advocacy groups like the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), have long argued that this "tribute" was more of a convenient myth used to justify the name.
In 1947, Bill Veeck, the legendary and eccentric owner of the Indians, decided the team needed a visual boost. He hired the J.F. Novak Company to design a logo. A young artist named Walter Goldbach, who was only 17 at the time, was the one who actually drew the first iteration of Chief Wahoo. Goldbach has said in interviews over the years that he was simply told to create something that would "convey a spirit of joy and enthusiasm."
He created a figure with a massive nose, a feather stuck in a headband, and a broad, toothy grin.
By the early 1950s, the logo was refined into the version most people recognize today: the bright red face, the triangular eyes, and that unmistakable, somewhat mischievous smile. This was the name of the Cleveland Indians mascot on every cap and sleeve during the team's legendary 1954 season and through the lean years of the 70s and 80s.
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The Physical Mascot: Who is Slider?
While Wahoo lived on the jerseys, the team eventually realized they needed a live entertainer for the kids. In 1990, they introduced Slider.
If you're looking for a specific, living creature as the mascot, Slider is your guy. He was born on July 29, 1990. He is a "Mascot Hall of Fame" inductee (yes, that’s a real thing). Unlike Wahoo, Slider was intentionally designed to be non-human and non-controversial. He's a big, goofy, purple-pink puffball with a yellow nose and shaggy fur.
Slider was a hit. He famously tumbled over the outfield wall during the 1995 American League Championship Series, tearing his knee ligaments in a moment that became part of Cleveland sports lore. He’s the one who does the backflips, shoots the hot dog cannons, and visits hospitals.
Why the confusion exists
- Wahoo was the symbolic mascot (the logo).
- Slider is the physical mascot (the performer).
The two co-existed for nearly 30 years. Fans would wear a Chief Wahoo hat while high-fiving Slider. It was a strange dichotomy—a team using a caricature that many found offensive while simultaneously employing a harmless, colorful monster to entertain children.
The Controversy That Changed Everything
You can't talk about the name of the Cleveland Indians mascot without talking about the protests. Every Opening Day for decades, a group of protesters gathered outside the stadium. They weren't there to boo the players. They were there to demand the removal of Chief Wahoo.
The argument was straightforward: Wahoo was a racial stereotype. He reduced a diverse group of people to a cartoonish, "savage," or "silly" image. For many Native Americans, seeing their likeness used as a sports gimmick was deeply painful.
The team's front office, led by owners Larry and Paul Dolan, resisted for a long time. They pointed to polls showing that many fans—including some Native Americans—didn't mind the logo or even loved it as a symbol of their childhood and their city's grit. But the pressure mounted. National media began to weigh in. The MLB Commissioner, Rob Manfred, eventually made it clear that the logo was no longer appropriate for a global brand.
In 2018, the team announced that Chief Wahoo would be removed from the on-field uniforms starting in 2019. He didn't vanish entirely—you can still find the logo on merchandise sold at the stadium "Pro Shop" to maintain the trademark—but his time as the face of the team was over.
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From Indians to Guardians: The Final Shift
The removal of Wahoo was the domino that led to the death of the "Indians" name itself. In 2021, the team announced they would become the Cleveland Guardians.
The name was inspired by the "Guardians of Traffic," the massive Art Deco statues that stand on the Hope Memorial Bridge right outside the ballpark. It was a move toward something uniquely Cleveland. It moved the "mascot" conversation away from ethnicity and toward local architecture and history.
The transition wasn't smooth. A local roller derby team was already called the Cleveland Guardians. They sued. The team eventually settled the trademark dispute, and the new era began.
Interestingly, Slider survived the transition. He didn't have to change his name or his look. He just swapped his "Indians" jersey for a "Guardians" one. He remains the official mascot of the team, proving that a giant pile of pink fur is much easier to market in the 21st century than a 1940s caricature.
What People Often Get Wrong
There's a lot of misinformation about this topic. You'll hear people say Wahoo was "banned" by the government. Not true. It was a business decision made by the team in coordination with Major League Baseball.
Others claim that the Louis Sockalexis story was a complete fabrication created by the team's PR department in the 90s. That's also not quite right. While the "honor" aspect was certainly played up later to defend the name, newspaper clippings from 1915 show that fans and writers at the time did mention Sockalexis when the name was chosen, though often in a way that wouldn't be considered "honoring" by today's standards.
The Cultural Impact Today
Cleveland is still a divided city on this. If you go to a game at Progressive Field, you’ll see thousands of fans in the new Guardians gear. But you’ll also see plenty of vintage Wahoo hats. For many, Wahoo isn't about race; it's about their dad taking them to a game in 1995 or the thrill of the 2016 World Series run.
But the reality of the name of the Cleveland Indians mascot is that it has evolved. The "Chief" is a part of the history books, relegated to "legacy" status. Slider is the present. The Guardians are the future.
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If you’re looking for the name of the mascot to settle a trivia bet, the answer depends on the year.
- Pre-1990: Chief Wahoo (Logo only).
- 1990–2018: Chief Wahoo (Logo) and Slider (Live mascot).
- 2019–2021: Slider (Chief Wahoo removed from uniforms).
- 2022–Present: Slider (Official mascot of the Cleveland Guardians).
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Collectors
If you're a sports memorabilia collector or a fan trying to navigate this transition, here's the deal.
Understand the Trademark
The Cleveland Guardians still own the trademark for Chief Wahoo. They do this specifically so that other companies can't manufacture "Wahoo" gear and profit off it. This is why you still see Wahoo gear in the official team shop but not on the players. If they stop selling it entirely, they risk losing the legal right to the image.
Respect the Venue
The stadium has changed significantly. References to the old mascot name have been largely scrubbed from the physical infrastructure. If you're visiting Progressive Field, don't expect to see Wahoo on the scoreboard or in the programs.
Embrace the New Identity
If you want to support the current team, the "Guardians" branding is what helps the franchise grow. The "Diamond C" logo and the "Guardians of Traffic" motifs are the new standard.
The evolution of the Cleveland mascot is a case study in how sports teams navigate the gap between tradition and modern social standards. It was never just about a drawing; it was about who the team represented and how a city wanted to be seen by the rest of the world. Whether you miss the old logo or celebrate its departure, the name of the mascot—Slider—is now the undisputed king of the Cleveland dugout.
Next Steps for Research
If you want to dive deeper into the history of Louis Sockalexis and his actual impact on Cleveland baseball, look for the biography Louis Sockalexis: Native American Baseball Pioneer by David L. Fleitz. It provides a much more factual, grounded look at the man behind the myth. For those interested in the visual history of the team, the Western Reserve Historical Society in Cleveland holds an extensive collection of original team uniforms and marketing materials that show the evolution of the logo from the early 20th century to the present.