Braves Say They Appreciate Player’s Concerns About Tomahawk Chop Chant

Cardinals reliever Ryan Helsley criticized the Tomahawk Chop chant after he heard it during Game 1 of the NL Division Series against Atlanta.

Gary Landers / AP file

The Atlanta Braves are promising to continue their dialogue with the Native American community in the wake of Cardinals reliever Ryan Helsley’s criticism of the Tomahawk Chop chant.

Helsley told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he thinks the chant is insulting, and the 25-year-old rookie was disappointed when it was heard during Game 1 of the NL Division Series against Atlanta.

Helsley is a member of the Cherokee nation. The Tahlequah, Oklahoma, native speaks the Cherokee language and is one of only a few Native Americans in the majors.