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The Cleveland Guardians made headlines by changing their name after more than a century of being known as the "Indians." This significant shift occurred right after the 2021 season, ignited by a growing movement to address the use of Native American names in sports. Notably, other teams, like the Washington Commanders, also underwent name changes, transitioning from the Redskins to the Washington Football Team before finally adopting their current name.
At the helm of the Guardians during this transition was manager Terry Francona, who expressed his pride in the change, especially amidst former President Donald Trump’s calls to revert to the previous name.
In a recent interview, Francona acknowledged the challenges of making such a change: “I wasn’t the one who had to have the fortitude to do it—(owner) Paul Dolan ultimately had to pull the trigger. I was really proud of him, because I don’t think it was popular with a segment of older fans who long for the past. But there are many people who want progress.”
Francona emphasized that the name change was about respect, stating, “I didn’t even care what the new name was; I was focused on the conversations we were having to ensure we were respectful. I give a lot of credit to those involved.”
Following the announcement, workers began removing the Cleveland Indians sign from Progressive Field, marking the end of an era.
Despite the backlash, Francona acknowledged that not everyone would be pleased with the change: “Not everybody’s gonna be happy. But as long as you’re trying to be respectful, you can let people complain.”
Recently, Trump took to social media to voice his discontent with the Guardians and Commanders’ name changes, suggesting that a return to their former names could benefit the teams politically. He claimed, “The Owner of the Cleveland Baseball Team, Matt Dolan, has lost three elections because of that name change. If he reverted to the Cleveland Indians, he might actually win an election. Indians are being treated very unfairly. MAKE INDIANS GREAT AGAIN!”
In response to Trump’s remarks, Chris Antonetti, President of Baseball Operations for the Guardians, downplayed the comments, stating, “We’ve had the opportunity to build the brand as the Guardians over the last four years and are excited about the future.”
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