It was announced on Friday that the Cleveland Indians, who have held that name for 106 years, is changing their name at the conclusion of the 2021 season to the Cleveland Guardians.
Cleveland follows the Washington Redskins of the NFL, who changed their name to the Washington Football Team for the 2020 season, due to what long have considered an offensive name and imagery in the wake of a national conversation about race. The Indians held a press conference to unveil the new logo and uniforms that will be used starting in the 2022 season, and also put up a video on Twitter narrated by Tom Hanks.
Cleveland Indians owner Paul Dolan said at the press conference, “As a fifth-generation Clevelander, I understand the historic impact and importance of this decision. Like many of you, I grew up with the name Indians. Those memories do not diminish with a new name. Indians will always be a part of our history, just as Cleveland has always been the most important part of our identity.”
