Connect with us

West

Family of Blackfeet chief, face of NFL's Redskins for 48 years, wants his image back in NFL

Published

on

Family of Blackfeet chief, face of NFL's Redskins for 48 years, wants his image back in NFL

Join Fox News for access to this content

You have reached your maximum number of articles. Log in or create an account FREE of charge to continue reading.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.

Please enter a valid email address.

Having trouble? Click here.

The family of the Blackfeet chief who served as the face of the Washington Redskins for 48 years want his image back on the fields of the NFL, relatives told Fox News Digital.

The descendants of John Two Guns White Calf also want his incredible life story retold, too, to a new generation of Americans who seek unity and value multiculturalism. 

Advertisement

The White Calf family has support in Washington, D.C. from one of their Montana senators, while the NFL franchise itself, now known as the Washington Commanders, is making new efforts to honor the team’s heritage. 

CANCELED TRIBAL CHIEF WHITE CALF, FACE OF THE REDSKINS, GENERATES NEW SUPPORT NATIONWIDE

“The fans want him back and we want him back,” Thomas White Calf, a great nephew of the celebrated early-20th-century native, said this week by phone, hours after the family met with Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana. 

Two Guns White Calf’s proud portrait adorned Redskins helmets, T-shirts, playing fields and marketing materials from 1972 until 2020. 

Blackfeet chief John Two Guns White Calf, left, who served as the inspiration for the Washington Redskins logo that represented the NFL franchise on the field from 1972 to 2020. (Getty Images)

Advertisement

“Our ancestor was the most famous and most photographed native in history,” said White Calf, who was joined on the call by his mother, Delphine White Calf, a niece of the late Blackfeet chief. 

“Two Guns was also the face on the Indian head nickel. I’m proud of him. The Blackfeet are proud of him.”

“I’m proud of him. The Blackfeet are proud of him.” – Thomas White Calf

White Calf’s portrait and the name Redskins were erased from the NFL in 2020 following years of mounting public pressure, much of it fueled by the George Soros-funded cancel-culture group, National Congress of American Indians. ,

The celebrated Blackfeet chief and his life story were canceled even as polls showed that 90% of Native Americans supported the team name and White Calf portrait. 

Advertisement

A Washington Redskins helmet sits on the grass during a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns at FedExField on Aug. 18, 2014, in Landover, Maryland. (TJ Root/Getty Images)

Thomas White Calf, who lives on a Blackfeet reservation in Montana, says his family was never consulted and never supported the removal of Two Guns White Calf’s image from the NFL. 

“This is about righting a wrong,” Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., said in an email sent to Fox News Digital. 

SUPER BOWL CHAMP MARK RYPIEN NO FAN OF COMMANDERS NICKNAME

“It’s a point of pride and represents the rich Native American history that helped make our nation great, and it should be enthusiastically celebrated across our culture.”

Advertisement

The Washington Commanders were purchased in 2023 by a group of investors led by Josh Harris. They inherited the controversy over the team name and image. 

Sen. Steve Daines speaks at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 18, 2024. (Reuters/Mike Segar)

“We are collaborating with Sen. Daines to honor the legacy of our team’s heritage and the Native American community,” a Commanders spokesperson said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital. 

“This is about righting a wrong.” – Sen. Steve Daines

“At the senator’s suggestion, we have developed a positive relationship with Ryan Wetzel, the grandson of Walter ‘Blackie’ Wetzel, who designed the logo. We look forward to honoring that legacy.”

Advertisement

Blackie Wetzel is the late Blackfeet tribal leader credited with creating the portrait of Two Guns White Calf in 1971, with widespread support from Native American groups, that the team adopted in 1972. 

The team said it has no plans, however, to bring back Wetzel’s White Calf portrait that was erased in 2020. 

Blackfeet chief John Two Guns White Calf was celebrated for his role aiding Native American causes in the early 20th century. He was the face of both the Indian head nickel from the U.S. Mint and the Washington Redskins NFL franchise. (Courtesy Thomas White Calf/White Calf family)

White Calf was born in Montana in 1872 and achieved international acclaim by fighting to preserve Native American culture.

He championed Native issues in Washington, D.C. – rubbing elbows with President Calvin Coolidge – and appeared to bridge cultures long at odds. 

Advertisement

NATIVE AMERICAN GROUP THAT WANTED ‘REDSKINS’ REMOVAL IS FUNDED BY SOROS FOUNDATION, OTHER LEFTIST ORGS

White Calf was, according to multiple sources, the inspiration for the face that appeared on the U.S. Mint’s famous 1913 Indian head nickel and was so prominent in the United States that his death in 1934 earned a New York Times obituary. 

The tribute noted that he helped make Coolidge “an honorary chief of the same Blackfeet tribe.”

The celebrated Blackfeet leader was steamrolled by the National Congress of American Indians in 2013, when it published a dubious report titled “Ending the Legacy of Racism in Sports & The Era of Harmful ‘Indian’ Sports Mascots.” 

Donald Wetzel Sr., whose father Walter designed the Redskins logo, holds an autographed Washington football on June 27, 2014, in Great Falls, Montana. (Larry Beckner for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Advertisement

The 29-page dissertation included a caustic 3,650-word history of the Redskins and its “legacy of racism” that critics note included a major oversight. The report failed to once mention Chief Two Guns White Calf, even though he was the face of the Redskins franchise for 48 years. 

“Two Guns White Calf was a real person, not a mascot and he was canceled,” historian Andre Billeaudeaux, the author of “How the Redskins Got Their Name,” told Fox News Digital earlier this year. 

The Redskins name remains too politically toxic, a person close to the issue told Fox News Digital.

The team “went too far” removing the White Calf image along with the name, the source said. 

Advertisement

“The legendary Blackfeet logo that was championed by Blackie Wetzel and based on the likeness of Chief Two Guns White Calf must be restored to a place of honor,” said Daines.

While the Wetzel family is being recognized by the NFL franchise for its role honoring Two Guns White Calf, the Blackfeet chief’s family says the organization has ignored them for decades.

“We want a seat at the table,” said Thomas White Calf.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Advertisement



Read the full article from Here

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Montana

Montana 250th Commission awards $100,000 to fund 40 events for America’s 250th in 2026

Published

on

Montana 250th Commission awards 0,000 to fund 40 events for America’s 250th in 2026


Montana organizations are getting a financial boost to help communities mark America’s 250th anniversary in 2026.

The Montana 250th Commission announced the recipients of its Event Sponsorship Program, awarding $100,000 to 40 organizations across the state.

The funding is intended to support community celebrations recognizing the Semiquincentennial.

The commission said the sponsorships will fund events, activities and programs that honor the anniversary while engaging communities throughout Montana.

Advertisement

“From parades and fairs to concerts and historical reenactments, these events will bring Montanans together to celebrate our shared heritage and the freedoms we cherish,” said Commission Chair Chris Averill. “We’re thrilled to support community organizations across the state as they create memorable experiences that connect Montana’s story to America’s 250-year journey, on July 4th and beyond.”

“The Commission is grateful to the Legislature for the funding, and to Governor Gianforte for signing HB 2 into law,” said Averill. “We continue to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely on activities that recognize the tremendous history of America, Montana, and our Tribal Nations; that bring Montanans together in celebration of America’s founding; and that educate Montana students and the general public on U.S., Montana, and Tribal history and government and our shared civic responsibility.”

Event Sponsorship Recipients:

  • Cascade County Historical Society (Great Falls) – Cottonwood Festival – $5,000
  • Belt Performing Arts Center (Belt) – The Belt Performing Arts Center Presents Oh, That Dreadful Tea! A Musical about the Boston Tea Party: A Community Celebration for the 250th Anniversary of the United States – $5,000
  • Livingston Area Chamber (Livingston) – Historic Livingston Roundup Parade – $5,000
  • Blaine County (Chinook) – Blaine County Fair – Veterans and Elders Tribute Exhibit – $5,000
  • Helena Symphony (Helena) – Helena Symphony Season 72 Opening Night ~ America 250 – $5,000
  • Flathead County Fairgrounds (Kalispell) – Honoring Veterans at Rodeo – $5,000
  • Town of Denton (Denton) – Pies, Parades & Pyrotechnics – $5,000
  • American Legion Auxiliary Border Unit 73 (Kevin) – North Toole County 250 Celebration Mural Project – $5,000
  • Town of Plentywood (Plentywood) – Various July 4 community programs and activities for America 250 — $5,000
  • Friends of the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula (Missoula) – 1776 Speaker Series AND 4th at the Fort on 4th of July – $4,000
  • Special Olympics Montana (Great Falls) – Special Olympics Montana’s Celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary! – $4,375
  • Department of Montana Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4042 (Bigfork) – Celebration of Independence 1776-2026 – 250 Years of Military Service and Freedom – $3,608.93
  • The Judith Mountain Players (Lewistown) – The History of the Declaration of Independence – $3,500
  • Southeast Montana Area Revitalization Team (Baker) – Fallon County’s Fourth of July Celebrations – $3,500
  • Townsend American Legion Post 42 (Townsend) – American Legion Semiquincentennial Flag/Banner and Independence Day Event – $3,000
  • Fergus County Fairgrounds (Lewistown) – Central Montana Fair – $3,109.07
  • Miracle of America Museum (Polson) – From Minutemen to Desert Sands, 250 Years of Heroes – $2,950
  • Montana Veterans Memorial Association (Great Falls) – Memorial Day Ceremony – $2,500
  • Powder River Historical Society (Broadus) – Battle of Powder River Commemoration – $2,500
  • Augusta Area Historical Society (Augusta) – South Fork Roundup of Cowboy Poetry and Music – $2,400
  • Museums Association of Montana (Great Falls) – Montana’s Museums: Revolutionary New Beginnings Conference – $2,300
  • Quality of Life Corporation (Colstrip) – Colstrip Days – $2,000
  • Mission Valley Choral Society (Polson) – Mission Valley Choral Society’s Spring Concert Weekend – Theme: “Let Freedom Sing” – $1,500
  • Mineral County Fair (Superior) – Mineral County Fair – $1,500
  • Virginia City Preservation Alliance (Virginia City) – Forgotten Heroes – $1,500
  • Town of Plains (Plains) – Fire Hydrant Painting – $1,300
  • Old Glory Landmark Committee (Helena) – Children’s Activities – $1,000
  • City of Boulder (Boulder) – Fourth of July Celebration in Veterans’ Park – $1,000
  • Crazy Peak Cattle Women Inc. (Big Timber) – Big Timber 250 Celebration – $1,000
  • Shields Valley Schools (Wilsall) – Red, White, & BBQ: Celebrate the 250th Independence Day in Shields Valley – $1,000
  • Western Legacy Center, Incorporated (Whitehall) – 250 Year Birthday Celebration – $1,000
  • City of Three Forks (Three Forks) – Community Cookout and Flag Giveaway – $1,000
  • The Extreme History Project (Bozeman) – A Commonplace for Independence: Making Meaning at America’s 250th – $800
  • Lewis & Clark Lodge Post No 3831 Veterans of Foreign Wars (Pony) – VFW Community Picnic – $750
  • Kalispell Lions Club (Kalispell) – Distribute Miniature US Flags to Kalispell Area First Graders “Flags for First Graders” – $700
  • Butte Silver Bow Quilt Guild (Butte) – Butte Silver Bow Quilt Guild Biennial Quilt Show “Quilting through Time 1776-2026” – $700
  • Wheatland County (Harlowton) – “Happy Birthday, America!” 4th of July Parade – $507



Source link

Continue Reading

Nevada

Vegas casino pulls plug on prediction market conference amid Nevada crackdown

Published

on

Vegas casino pulls plug on prediction market conference amid Nevada crackdown


A Las Vegas casino abruptly pulled the plug on a prediction market conference over fears the event could draw scrutiny from Nevada gambling regulators, according to a report.

Predict 2026 had been slated for the Aria on the Strip before the MGM-operated resort canceled the booking just days after signing the agreement.

‘The [Aria] is issuing this notice in light of Nevada’s current regulatory and enforcement position regarding prediction markets,’ a lawyer for the resort wrote in a termination letter cited by Barron’s.

The dispute highlights escalating tensions between state gambling regulators and prediction market firms such as Kalshi and Polymarket, which let people bet on the outcomes of all kinds of events.

Advertisement
The Aria on the Las Vegas Strip canceled a prediction market conference days after signing the contract amid growing scrutiny from Nevada gambling regulators. Ron Buskirk/imageBROKER/Shutterstock

Nevada regulators have taken an especially aggressive stance toward the fast-growing sector, arguing that some sports-event contracts resemble unlicensed wagering that bypasses state gaming rules and taxes.

Last October, the Nevada Gaming Control Board warned casino license holders that maintaining ties to prediction market operators could factor into whether they remain eligible for gaming licenses.

“If a Nevada licensee chooses to offer Sports and Other Event Contracts in Nevada or decides to partner with other entities offering Sports and Other Event Contracts in the state, the Board will consider these developments as it evaluates the suitability of the entity to maintain a Nevada gaming license,” regulators said in the guidance cited by Barron’s.

While Predict 2026 was not sponsored by any prediction market company, Aria’s legal notice indicated that regulators had become increasingly sensitive even to indirect promotion of the industry.

Nevada regulators have warned casino license holders that ties to prediction market operators like Polymarket could affect their suitability to hold gaming licenses. Christopher Sadowski for NY Post

The Aria, which opened in 2009 and is operated by MGM Resorts after being sold to Blackstone in 2021, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Advertisement

The showdown highlights the widening divide between traditional casino operators and the new entrants into the prediction market space.

Legacy gaming giants such as MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment have largely stayed away from prediction markets even as companies including DraftKings have launched competing platforms to challenge businesses like Kalshi.

Prediction market operators insist that their event contracts are federally regulated financial instruments overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, allowing them to operate nationwide for users over 18.

Prediction market companies including Kalshi say their event contracts are federally regulated financial instruments, setting up a clash with state gambling authorities. Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

Some state gaming regulators, however, have argued that sports-related contracts closely resemble sports betting and should fall under state gambling laws.

Nevada officials have already taken direct legal action against Kalshi.

Advertisement

The Nevada Gaming Commission sued the company over its sports event contracts, and the platform was briefly barred from operating in the state earlier this year, according to Barron’s.

The Post has sought comment from Polymarket, Aria and the Nevada Gaming Control Board.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

New Mexico

Two men arrested for deadly shooting outside Frontier Restaurant

Published

on

Two men arrested for deadly shooting outside Frontier Restaurant


ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Police arrested two young men on murder charges after a deadly shooting outside the Frontier Restaurant near the University of New Mexico.

Police said 19-year-old Junior Lewis and 20-year-old Evan Rogers are in custody and both face murder charges.

Police said both men are set to face a judge Saturday.

Investigators said they found both suspects inside Rogers’ dorm room at UNM.

Advertisement

The shooting happened in the early morning hours Thursday just south of Central between Cornell and Stanford.

Police said the man who was shot died at the scene.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending