Spring Training 2013: Braves Reject "Controversial" Batting-Practice Cap In Favor Of More Traditional Hat
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Braves cap with "screaming Indian" logo
- photo by cbssports.com/mlb
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The batting-practice caps that the Braves will wear during Spring Training will not include the Indian head logo that stirred debate when a potential version of the hat was leaked in late December.
When Braves pitchers and catchers staged their first workout at ESPN's Wide World of Sports complex on Tuesday morning, they were wearing new Spring Training hats that are solid navy blue with a red script "A" on the front.
Debate surrounding the hat began six weeks ago when Uni Watch leaked the Spring Training batting-practice hats that each Major League club would use this year. The design for the Braves showed the front being adorned with the "screaming Indian head" that has been deemed by some as offensive to Native Americans.
While the "screaming Indian" logo was one of five proposed designs, the Braves said a decision on the design had not been made before the potential hats were leaked.
"I like the selection we made this year," Braves president John Schuerholz said. "We had a variety of choices that we looked at, some more thoroughly than others. But at the end, we liked this one. The fact that one person somewhere offered his personal opinion about one of our options, that was important to him.
"When we made our decisions, we tried to contemplate. We tried to be creative. We tried to carry on the theme of our organization, and we think this script A does that. It is part of the continuum of the uniform look we have. We've never had one that looks like this during Spring Training."
The Braves will wear the hats during Spring Training and while taking batting practice during the regular season.
---- Source: MLB.com