Pitcher Zach Plesac of the Cleveland Indians in the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field in Cleveland in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., July 23, 2021. /CFP
The Cleveland MLB team finally found their new name, "Cleveland Guardians" after abandoning the over-one-century-old name "Cleveland Indians," announced the team on Friday.
"Frankly, I hadn't studied them that closely until we started talking about them and I should emphasize, we're not named after the bridge, but there's no question that it's a strong nod to those and what they mean to the community," said team owner Paul Dolan.
The new name, which will be effective until the end of the 2021 season, replaced the old one that was considered racist. It took 140 hours of interviews with fans, community leaders, front-office personnel as well as a survey of 40,000 fans to reach "Guardians."
Dolan said he knows there may be some fans who will never accept the new name. "We do feel like we're doing the right thing and that's what's driving this. I know some people disagree, but if anything I've gotten more and more comfortable that we're headed in the right direction."
Progressive Field during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Cleveland Indians, June 15, 2021. /CFP
"And actually, the selection of the name solidifies that feeling because of the values that the name represents. I'm 63 years old, and they've been the Indians since I was aware of them, probably since I was 4 or 5 years old, so it will take a long time. But we're not asking anybody to give up their memories or the history of the franchise that will always be there. And for people my age and older, most our life is going to be living as an Indian and not as a Guardian."
"We think Guardians is unique and authentic to Cleveland. It's less about the Guardians of Traffic and more about what the Guardians represent and that idea of protection. For us and our research, Cleveland folks are very protective of one another. They're protective of our city, they're protective of the land and everything about it. That's one key component, the resiliency of people here in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio and the loyalty," said Brian Barren, Cleveland's president of business operations.
Cleveland are currently No. 2 in the American League Central with a 48-47 record.