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A confirmation by two sources to ESPN Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, has revealed that the Cleveland Indians will be dropping the Native American nickname that has been used by the team for over 100 years. They are the latest in sports franchises to make a move like this surrounding allegations of racism.
The announcement will be made later this week amidst abandoning their Chief Wahoo logo and future commitment to discovering a new nickname. Team owner Paul Dolan said that the team will continue to use “Indians” until they have successfully found a replacement name that will carry them another decade. Dolan says:
We don’t want to be the Cleveland Baseball Team or some other interim name.
Cleveland following the NFL’s Washington Football Team’s lead to drop its nickname influenced their decision to do the same. Their prior name was the Cleveland Naps named after their manager and star player Nap Lajoie.
There have been protests taking place outside of Cleveland’s Progressive Field with both positive and negative views on the name change. The changing of the Chief Wahoo logo to a block C was considered a positive first step.
Owner Dolan also stated:
I like to think they would come to the same conclusion, It’s a name that had its time, but this is not the time now, and certainly going forward, the name is no longer acceptable in our world.”
Former President Trump was in characteristic form when he took to Twitter and stated:
Oh no! What is going on? This is not good news, even for ‘Indians.’ Cancel culture at work!
Written by Omari Jahi
Sources:
ESPN: Sources: Cleveland to drop Indians nickname after 105 years, Jeff Passan
Yahoo! Sports: President Donald Trump slams Cleveland’s decision to drop ‘Indians’ nickname, Ryan Young
CBS Sports: Cleveland Indians to change team name franchise has used for more than a century, R.J. Anderson
TMX Sports: CLEVELAND INDIANS NO MORE OFFENSE, DITCHING THE NAME … Cleveland Baseball Team ’til Then???
Featured and Top Image by Erik Drost Courtesy of Wikimedia – Creative Commons License
Inset Image by Arturo Pardavila III Courtesy of Wikimedia – Creative Commons License
