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Chicago's storied hockey tradition dates back to 1926, when the first Chicago Blackhawks game was played. The team logo has evolved over the years, but it hasn't changed so much that fans wouldn't be able to recognize the original. It is a classic design that may just be the best in the NHL.
The Blackhawks got their name from a World War I machine gun battalion, which had in turn gotten its name from an Indian chief. Why was this battalion so worthy of having a hockey team named after it? The commander, Major Fredrick McLaughlin, was the team's first owner. Before the team was purchased by McLaughlin and moved to Chicago, the team had been named the Portland Rose Buds. Thankfully, that team name and logo did not remain for long.
Considering the original source of the Blackhawks team name, it is little wonder that the logo was that of a Native American. The logo, a profile of a Native American man with feathers in his hair, was designed by Fredrick McLaughlin's wife, Irene Castle . She also designed the uniforms for the team, which have changed little over the years.
Interestingly, the team has actually had two names; the one that we recognize now, Blackhawks, has only been the team name since 1986. From 1926 until 1986, the team was actually the Black Hawks. Once it was corrected, the team name officially became one word.
There are very few sports teams in the country that still have representations of Native Americans as their mascots. This is true for high school, college, and professional teams. Teams like the Cleveland Indians, Washington Redskins, and the University of Illinois Fighting Illini have all been heavily criticized for their mascots depicting Native Americans. The Chicago Blackhawks have seen a small amount of criticism, but have largely been left out of the controversy. The few times that journalists have lashed out at the Blackhawks organization, they have been defended fiercely by the hockey community, as Canadian sportswriter Damien Cox found out last year .
The iconic logo for the Chicago team has undergone some changes over the years, but the changes have been minimal. What started out as a black and white logo has evolved into a color profile of a Native American. Some of the facial features of the logo have been softened, there is more of a smile on the face now, and the nose is far less exaggerated. The second incarnation of the Blackhawks logo featured red skin on the face. That version lasted only two years, from 1935 until 1937.
A secondary logo exists for the team as well. In addition to the profile of the Native American, another logo is emblazoned on the jerseys of the Chicago team members. A letter "C" with two tomahawks crossing each other is the other way to spot a Blackhawk.
Perhaps the logo has been able to escape the controversy that other teams have faced simply because the design is so iconic, or maybe it is seen to pay homage to the history of Native Americans in Illinois. Whether you agree with the Native American imagery or not, the Chicago Blackhawks logo has a lot of history behind it and an army of fans ready to defend it.
The Blackhawks got their name from a World War I machine gun battalion, which had in turn gotten its name from an Indian chief. Why was this battalion so worthy of having a hockey team named after it? The commander, Major Fredrick McLaughlin, was the team's first owner. Before the team was purchased by McLaughlin and moved to Chicago, the team had been named the Portland Rose Buds. Thankfully, that team name and logo did not remain for long.
Considering the original source of the Blackhawks team name, it is little wonder that the logo was that of a Native American. The logo, a profile of a Native American man with feathers in his hair, was designed by Fredrick McLaughlin's wife, Irene Castle . She also designed the uniforms for the team, which have changed little over the years.
Interestingly, the team has actually had two names; the one that we recognize now, Blackhawks, has only been the team name since 1986. From 1926 until 1986, the team was actually the Black Hawks. Once it was corrected, the team name officially became one word.
There are very few sports teams in the country that still have representations of Native Americans as their mascots. This is true for high school, college, and professional teams. Teams like the Cleveland Indians, Washington Redskins, and the University of Illinois Fighting Illini have all been heavily criticized for their mascots depicting Native Americans. The Chicago Blackhawks have seen a small amount of criticism, but have largely been left out of the controversy. The few times that journalists have lashed out at the Blackhawks organization, they have been defended fiercely by the hockey community, as Canadian sportswriter Damien Cox found out last year .
The iconic logo for the Chicago team has undergone some changes over the years, but the changes have been minimal. What started out as a black and white logo has evolved into a color profile of a Native American. Some of the facial features of the logo have been softened, there is more of a smile on the face now, and the nose is far less exaggerated. The second incarnation of the Blackhawks logo featured red skin on the face. That version lasted only two years, from 1935 until 1937.
A secondary logo exists for the team as well. In addition to the profile of the Native American, another logo is emblazoned on the jerseys of the Chicago team members. A letter "C" with two tomahawks crossing each other is the other way to spot a Blackhawk.
Perhaps the logo has been able to escape the controversy that other teams have faced simply because the design is so iconic, or maybe it is seen to pay homage to the history of Native Americans in Illinois. Whether you agree with the Native American imagery or not, the Chicago Blackhawks logo has a lot of history behind it and an army of fans ready to defend it.
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