'Chicago Stronger' Shirt Yanked After Boston Outrage
Cubby Tees defended their shirt, riffing off of the "Boston Strong" phrase.
June 14, 2013— -- A Chicago apparel company that created a "Chicago Stronger" T-shirt to support the city's hockey team as it plays against Boston is lashing out at critics who called the T-shirt tasteless.
"Boston Strong" became a slogan for the city after the Boston Marathon was bombed on April 15, killing three and injuring more than 150. The slogan has become commonplace at Boston sporting events since the bombing.
The company, Cubby Tees, introduced its "Chicago Stronger" T-shirt as the Chicago Blackhawks faced the Boston Bruins in the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup.
When they initially began selling the shirt, the proprietors of Cubby Tees released a statement on their website touting its alleged appeal.
"We love Boston and support/admire its people, but don't believe that the homicidal lunacy of two disturbed locals has rendered its teams invincible. This is about hockey, this is about O-6 pride, this is about the Cup," the website initially read.
"Chicago is the City of Broad Shoulders – our town burned down, our winters are legendary, our Cubs have floundered for a century, yet we endure. Other cities may be strong, we're stronger," they wrote.
The slogan and statement caused an immediate uproar on social media. Hundreds of Twitter users penned messages to the company expressing their outrage.
"This is Boston strong, using the strong logo for a parody for a playoff is disgusting," wrote Twitter user called sirenized.
"How someone could even fathom the idea of making money off of a shirt that says Chicago stronger makes me sick. Put the sports aside," a Twitter user identifying himself as Tyler Seguin wrote.
Cubby Tees did not respond to requests for comment from ABC News, but posted a lengthy, angry statement on its website today fighting back against its critics, even after it pulled the shirt from its website.
"We post this for posterity: judging by the tone/ignorance/froth/grammar contained in most of the notes received, we realize that a majority of the correspondents lack an open mind, earnest desire for discourse or an ability to comprehend complex concepts like parody...let alone polysyllabic words (though some sent thoughtful, well-reasoned messages which we appreciated)," they wrote on their website.
Cubby Tees is no longer selling the shirt.