After years of pressure from activists concerned about racist implications of the name “Indians,” Cleveland’s Major League Baseball team announced today a name change to the Cleveland Guardians. The name-change decision came last year as multiple sports teams came under fire for their Native American monikers.
The organization released a video narrated by Tom Hanks announcing the new name and highlighting the history of the team, founded in 1894 and known as the Indians since 1915, while pointing to the future.
The new name comes from Cleveland’s iconic Art Deco statues, known as “Guardians of Traffic,” on the Lorain-Carnegie bridge spanning the Cuyahoga River.
Owner Paul Dolan noted in a letter to fans that the “”Indians will always be part of our history just as Cleveland has always been the most important part of our identity,” adding that “In searching for a new brand, we sought a name that strongly reflects the pride, resiliency and loyalty of Clevelanders. Guardians embodies those defining attributes while drawing upon the iconic Guardians of Traffic proudly standing just outside Progressive Field on the Hope Memorial Bridge. …. We acknowledge the name change will be difficult for many of us, and the transition will take time. It is our hope and belief this change will divert us from a divisive path, and instead steer us towards a future where our fans, city, and region are all united as Cleveland Guardians.{eoa}
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