Cleveland Indians change their name to 'Guardians' after backlash against historic 105-year-old brand and announce it in glossy video narrated by Tom Hanks
Cleveland's Major League Baseball team is changing its name from the Indians to the Guardians after more than a century amid criticism it was racially offense.
The club announced the name change on Friday - effective at the end of the 2021 season - with a video on Twitter narrated by actor Tom Hanks.
The announcement ended months of internal discussions triggered by a national reckoning by institutions and teams to permanently drop logos and names considered racist.
Cleveland's MLB team have been called the Indians since 1915.
The choice of Guardians will undoubtedly be criticized by many of the club's die-hard fans.
President Donald Trump was among those to criticize the team last year when it first emerged they were considering changing the name, tweeting at the time: 'Oh no! What is going on? This is not good news, even for 'Indians'. Cancel culture at work!'
Cleveland's Major League Baseball team is changing its name from the Indians to the Guardians after more than a century. The club announced the name change on Friday with a video (above) on Twitter narrated by actor Tom Hanks
The team started a search for a new name in December. The organization spent most of the past year whittling down a list of potential names that was at nearly 1,200 just over a month ago.
In 2018, it phased out its 'Chief Wahoo' logo - a cartoon figure with red skin, a toothy smile and a feather in his headband - after it was criticized as a racist caricature.
However, the team continued to sell merchandise bearing the smiling, red-faced caricature that was protested for decades by Native American groups.
Team owner Paul Dolan said last summer's social unrest, touched off by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, spurred his intention to change the ballclub's name.
Dolan is expected to provide more details on the choice and background on the change at a news conference at Progressive Field before the Indians host the Tampa Bay Rays.
'Cleveland has and always will be the most important part of our identity,' Dolan said in a statement. 'Therefore, we wanted a name that strongly represents the pride, resiliency and loyalty of Clevelanders. 'Guardians' reflects those attributes that define us.'
'It brings to life the pride Clevelanders take in our city and the way we fight together for all who choose to be part of the Cleveland baseball family. While 'Indians' will always be a part of our history, our new name will help unify our fans and city as we are all Cleveland Guardians.'
The announcement ended months of internal discussions triggered by a national reckoning by institutions and teams to permanently drop logos and names considered racist
Not far from the downtown ballpark, there are two large landmark stone edifices — referred to as guardians — on the Hope Memorial Bridge over the Cuyahoga River. Cleveland's team colors will remain the same, and the new Guardians' new logos will incorporate some of the architectural features of the bridge.
Guardians is the fifth name in franchise history joining the Blues (1901), Bronchos (1902), Naps (1903-1914) and Indians (1915-2021).
Other major sports organizations including the Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Blackhawks and Atlanta Braves have insisted a name change is not in their plans.
Other teams who have changed their names of late include the Washington NFL team.
The Washington team decided last July to retire its Redskins name and logo, which it has used since 1933 and which had long been criticized as racist by Native Americans.
It now calls itself the Washington Football Team and says it will adopt a new name next year.
Last month, Washington president Jason Wright said that one nickname the team won't be adopting in 2022 is the 'Warriors'.
Cleveland's MLB team have been called the Indians since 1915. Manager Lou Boudreau (left) poses with starting pitcher Bob Feller in 1948
In 2018, the Indians stopped wearing the contentious Chief Wahoo logo on their jerseys and caps. However, the team continues to sell merchandise bearing the smiling, red-faced caricature
Wright said that a new nickname and logo would be unveiled sometime early next year, according to the Washington Post. But with speculation swirling as to what the new nickname might be, Wright scratched Warriors off the list.
In a letter posted to the team's website, Wright wrote 'Warriors' is too close to the 'Redskins' moniker that the team ditched one year ago.
'One might look at this name as a natural, and even harmless transition considering that it does not necessarily or specifically carry a negative connotation,' Wright wrote.
'Feedback from across communities we engaged clearly revealed deep-seated discomfort around Warriors, with the clear acknowledgment that it too closely aligns with Native American themes. Such an embrace of potentially Native-adjacent iconography and imagery would not represent a clear departure that many communities have so forcefully advocated for us to embrace, and that frankly, we set out to do when we started this process a year ago.
'To that end, we will choose an identity that unequivocally departs from any use of or approximate linkage to Native American imagery.'
The team will retain its gold and burgundy colors, Wright said.
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