Cleveland Changes Name from Indians to Guardians

BRACE HEMMELGARN/GETTY IMAGES
BRACE HEMMELGARN/GETTY IMAGES

In a Tom Hanks-narrated video just over two minutes in length, the Cleveland team, formerly known as the Indians, announced that they were changing their name to the Guardians.

The video was posted from the Indians Twitter account:

 

As the Associated Press reports:

The choice of Guardians will undoubtedly be criticized by many of the club’s die-hard fans.

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. But the process quickly accelerated and the club landed on Guardians.

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.

Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Triston McKenzie delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Friday, July 9, 2021, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

AP Photo/Tony Dejak

Cleveland began the most visible part of their search for a new identity in 2018 when they eliminated the team’s longtime mascot “Chief Wahoo” from their uniforms.

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