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RSSChief Illiniwek's demise disappoints most local fans
SHELBYVILLE - John Bitzer proudly donned the regalia of Chief Illiniwek as he danced at Illini games in the early 1970s.
Photo Gallery - Historic photos of Chief Illiniwek
Bitzer, a former Shelbyville resident, was brokenhearted Friday when the University of Illinois announced that the Chief no longer will perform after the last men's basketball home game of the season on Wednesday.
"I feel like a good friend has died; I really do," said Bitzer, a Collinsville attorney. "I am frustrated, I am angry, I am sad, and I am disappointed."
The decision to retire the chief makes the school eligible to host postseason NCAA championship events.
The NCAA in 2005 deemed Chief Illiniwek, portrayed by buckskin-clad students who dance at home football and basketball games and other athletic events, an offensive use of American Indian imagery. Schools using "hostile" and "abusive" American Indian nicknames cannot host postseason games, the NCAA ruled.
"They have no idea what this tradition is about," Bitzer said. "It's very telling when you hear them say that Chief Illiniwek is 'hostile' and 'abusive.'
"They might as well call John Wayne a wimp or call Snow White an ugly witch. It's not true. It's patently ridiculous."
Loyalty to the chief runs deep in the Bitzer family.
John's father, the late Robert Bitzer of Shelbyville, served as Chief Illiniwek during the mid-1940s, including the 1947 Rose Bowl. John's brother, Don Bitzer, of Mount Zion was an alternate chief during the late 1970s.
"It's just a shame," Don Bitzer said of the university's announcement. "Eighty-one years of tradition; that basically means no alumni living today has ever known the University of Illinois without the Chief. That's a long tradition to give up. I'm sad to see it go."
Supporters of the mascot say it honors the contributions of American Indians to Illinois. American Indian groups and others have complained for years that the mascot, used since 1926, is demeaning.
"It's a great day for everyone who cares about the University of Illinois as an educational institution and its integrity as an educational institution," said Jay Rosenstein, an associate professor of journalism at the University of Illinois.
One of the university's principles is to be respectful of all peoples and cultures, Rosenstein said.
Rosenstein produced a documentary, "In Whose Honor?" that tells the story of an American Indian graduate student and mother who were offended by Chief Illiniwek.
For years, Rosenstein said he wouldn't be surprised if the Chief stayed forever or if the Chief were eliminated suddenly.
"Over the last few months, the winds really have shifted, and you could start to feel that this day was coming," Rosenstein said. "Whether this decision holds or not is another story. That remains to be played out in the future."
Hardcore Illini fans in Decatur say they are saddened, but not surprised, by the announcement.
"I am pro-Chief but understand why the U of I did finally give in," said Mark Drain. "I do feel the NCAA has too much power and needs to be brought down a notch."
Drain is a founding member of Ralph's Pub Illini Club, a group of die-hard fans who get together at local taverns to watch Illini games.
Fans questioned why Illinois was forced by the NCAA to drop the Chief, but Florida State University can keep its Seminole mascot, Drain said.
"I knew it was coming," Drain said of the Chief's retirement. "It was just a matter of time."
The news also was disheartening to Margret Borchers Cuttill of Decatur. Her late father, Webber Borchers, served as the university's second Chief Illiniwek in the late 1920s.
Webber Borchers lived on the Oglala Sioux reservation in 1927 and was chosen to become a member of the tribe. Borchers wore an authentic American Indian outfit as Chief and helped arrange the purchase of authentic regalia for a new generation of students serving as Chief Illiniwek.
Opponents don't understand the Chief, Borchers Cuttill said.
"He was not a clown; he was not a cheerleader," Borchers said. "He was more than a mascot; he only came out once.
"He was spiritual, like the medicine man. He's the one who did the dance to get their spirits up, to lead them into battle to win."
Mike Frazier can be reached at mfrazier@herald-review.com or 421-7985. Some information from The Associated Press was used for this report.
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