Atlanta Braves tomahawk chop and name controversy

[5] She had played the "tomahawk song" during most at-bats for a few seasons, but it finally caught on with Braves fans when the team started winning.

[6][7] The usage of foam tomahawks led to criticism from Native American groups that it was "demeaning" to them and calls for them to be banned.

[14] During the series, St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher and Cherokee Nation member Ryan Helsley was asked about the chop and chant.

Helsley said he found the fans' chanting and arm motions insulting and that the chop depicts natives "in this kind of caveman-type people way who aren't intellectual".

[14] During the off-season, the Braves met with the National Congress of American Indians to start discussing a path forward.

[15] For eighteen months after the 2019 NLDS incident, the president and CEO of the Braves, Derek Schiller, refused to disclose a position on the chop.

[16] Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred opined during the 2021 World Series, "It's important to understand we have thirty markets around the country.

[19] Richard Sneed, the Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, also stated that he personally is not offended by the name Braves or the tomahawk chop but calls the chant "hokey", adding, "I told them, man, that's like 1940s, 1950s spaghetti western stuff."

[24] After two months of controversy, the Braves replaced the cap with a different design that didn't feature the old Native American mascot.

[25] In July 2020, after the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians announced they were reevaluating their Native American mascots, attention turned to the Atlanta Braves team name.

[28] The statement said the EBCI believed "that candid, thoughtful conversations are crucial to educating leaders and bringing about positive change".