Guardians picked to replace Indians

The new logo for the Cleveland Guardians is displayed at a news conference Friday in Cleveland. The Guardians will be the new name for the Major League Baseball team in Cleveland after the franchise has been known as the Indians since 1915. The name change will take place at the end of the 2021 season.
(AP/Tony Dejak)
The new logo for the Cleveland Guardians is displayed at a news conference Friday in Cleveland. The Guardians will be the new name for the Major League Baseball team in Cleveland after the franchise has been known as the Indians since 1915. The name change will take place at the end of the 2021 season. (AP/Tony Dejak)

CLEVELAND -- While riding his bike over a bridge across the Cuyahoga River near Progressive Field, Indians owner Paul Dolan rarely paid much attention to the eight giant stone figures that seem to guard the city.

They have new meaning now.

After more than 100 years, Cleveland's Major League Baseball team is getting a new name -- Guardians.

The Indians are going, going, soon to be gone.

The ballclub announced Friday that at the end of the 2021 season, the Indians will transition from the name they've been known as since 1915 and replace it with Guardians. They hope the change inspires a new generation of fans.

The name change, which has its supporters and critics among Cleveland's fan base, ends months of internal discussions triggered by a national reckoning for institutions and teams to drop logos and names considered racist.

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"We do feel like we're doing the right thing and that's what's driving this," Dolan said after a news conference at the ballpark. "I know some people disagree, but if anything I've gotten more and more comfortable that we're headed in the right direction.

"And actually, the selection of the name solidifies that feeling because of the values that the name represents."

The organization spent most of the past year whittling down a list of potential names that was at nearly 1,200. It was a tedious process, which included 140 hours of interviews with fans, community leaders, front office personnel and a survey of 40,000 fans.

Dolan has said last summer's social unrest, touched off by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, spurred his intention to change the name -- a move that came a few years after the Indians stopped wearing the Chief Wahoo logo on their game jerseys and caps.

Cleveland's new name was inspired by the large landmark stone edifices -- referred to as traffic guardians -- that flank both ends of the Hope Memorial Bridge, which connects downtown to Ohio City.

As the team moved closer to making a final decision on the name, Dolan said he found himself looking closely at the huge art deco sculptures.

"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," he said.

While dropping Indians, Cleveland will keep its red, white and navy team colors, and the Guardians' logos will incorporate some of the team's lettering style on past uniforms as well as architectural features found on the bridge.

Numerous Native American groups have protested Cleveland's use of the Wahoo logo and Indians name for years, so the latest development brought some comfort.

"It is a major step towards righting the wrongs committed against Native peoples, and is one step towards justice," said Crystal Echo Hawk, executive director and founder of IllumiNative, a group dedicated to fighting misrepresentations of Native Americans.

The name change has sparked lively debate among the city's passionate sports fans. Other names were pushed by supporters on social media platforms.

Dolan knows there's a portion of Cleveland's fan base that may never accept the change.

"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," he said. "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."

Guardians is the fifth name in franchise history joining the Blues (1901), Bronchos (1902), Naps (1903-1914) and Indians (1915-2021).

Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona speaks at a news conference, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Cleveland. Known as the Indians since 1915, Cleveland's Major League Baseball team will be called Guardians. The ballclub announced the name change Friday, effective at the end of the 2021 season. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona speaks at a news conference, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Cleveland. Known as the Indians since 1915, Cleveland's Major League Baseball team will be called Guardians. The ballclub announced the name change Friday, effective at the end of the 2021 season. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Cleveland Indians owner Paul Dolan speaks to the media during a news conference, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Cleveland. Known as the Indians since 1915, Cleveland's Major League Baseball team will be called Guardians. The ballclub announced the name change Friday, effective at the end of the 2021 season. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Cleveland Indians owner Paul Dolan speaks to the media during a news conference, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Cleveland. Known as the Indians since 1915, Cleveland's Major League Baseball team will be called Guardians. The ballclub announced the name change Friday, effective at the end of the 2021 season. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
A guardian rests on the Hope Memorial Bridge within site of Progressive Field, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Cleveland. Cleveland's new name was inspired by two large landmark stone edifices near the downtown ballpark, referred to as traffic guardians, on the Hope Memorial Bridge over the Cuyahoga River. The team's colors will remain the same, and the new Guardians' new logos will incorporate some of the architectural features of the bridge. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
A guardian rests on the Hope Memorial Bridge within site of Progressive Field, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Cleveland. Cleveland's new name was inspired by two large landmark stone edifices near the downtown ballpark, referred to as traffic guardians, on the Hope Memorial Bridge over the Cuyahoga River. The team's colors will remain the same, and the new Guardians' new logos will incorporate some of the architectural features of the bridge. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Cleveland Indians owner Paul Dolan speaks to the media during a news conference, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Cleveland. Known as the Indians since 1915, Cleveland's Major League Baseball team will be called Guardians. The ballclub announced the name change Friday, effective at the end of the 2021 season. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Cleveland Indians owner Paul Dolan speaks to the media during a news conference, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Cleveland. Known as the Indians since 1915, Cleveland's Major League Baseball team will be called Guardians. The ballclub announced the name change Friday, effective at the end of the 2021 season. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
A guardian rests on the Hope Memorial Bridge within site of Progressive Field, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Cleveland. Cleveland's new name was inspired by two large landmark stone edifices near the downtown ballpark, referred to as traffic guardians, on the Hope Memorial Bridge over the Cuyahoga River. The team's colors will remain the same, and the new Guardians' new logos will incorporate some of the architectural features of the bridge. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
A guardian rests on the Hope Memorial Bridge within site of Progressive Field, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Cleveland. Cleveland's new name was inspired by two large landmark stone edifices near the downtown ballpark, referred to as traffic guardians, on the Hope Memorial Bridge over the Cuyahoga River. The team's colors will remain the same, and the new Guardians' new logos will incorporate some of the architectural features of the bridge. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Two guardians rest on the Hope Memorial Bridge within site of Progressive Field, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Cleveland. Cleveland's new name was inspired by two large landmark stone edifices near the downtown ballpark, referred to as traffic guardians, on the Hope Memorial Bridge over the Cuyahoga River. The team's colors will remain the same, and the new Guardians' new logos will incorporate some of the architectural features of the bridge. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Two guardians rest on the Hope Memorial Bridge within site of Progressive Field, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Cleveland. Cleveland's new name was inspired by two large landmark stone edifices near the downtown ballpark, referred to as traffic guardians, on the Hope Memorial Bridge over the Cuyahoga River. The team's colors will remain the same, and the new Guardians' new logos will incorporate some of the architectural features of the bridge. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

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