Cleveland’s MLB team on Friday announced that they are renaming themselves the Guardians, dropping the more than century-old moniker of the Indians.
The team made the announcement that it would dump the name it has used since 1915 in a video narrated by Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks.
It is the latest in a series of professional or university sports teams in the US to yield to public pressure over names and logos — ditching ones such as the Redskins, the Savages or the Redmen.
Photo: AP
“It has always been Cleveland that is the best part of our name,” Hanks says in the video, which describes the Ohio city as proud of its sports heritage and eager to protect it.
“And now it’s time to unite as one family, one community — to build the next era for this team and this city,” he says.
“This is the city we love. And the game we believe in. And together we are all Cleveland Guardians,” the video says, unveiling the new team logo, with music in the background from the Black Keys, a rock band formed in nearby Akron.
The change is to take effect after this season ends.
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