Cleveland has the Guardians, but future of Indianapolis baseball team name still uncertain
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The Cleveland Major League Baseball team’s name change announced Friday could have a major impact on other teams.
In a Twitter video narrated by actor Tom Hanks, the team announced its rebrand as the “Cleveland Guardians” after years of controversy and public pressure to drop the “Indians” name.
It’s an issue playing out in Indianapolis, too, and leaving some fans wondering whether the city’s minor league baseball team will change its name.
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Some came up with their own suggestions and jokes online, from the “Indy Mechanics” to the “Indy Tenderloins.” One person pointed to “Ann Dancing,” the digital dancing sculpture on Massachusetts Avenue, as potential inspiration.
The current “Indians” nickname has been under review for about one year, with no clear progress.
Most recently in May, the Triple-A organization said it was continuing to have conversations about the name, but it was “concentrating on providing outstanding family entertainment” as the team was returning to Victory Field for the 2021 season.
At the time, there was no conclusion or decision about where the organization was heading. The team did not immediately respond to IndyStar’s request for comment for this story.
May 2021: Indianapolis minor league baseball team still reviewing ‘Indians’ nickname
July 2020: Native American group hosting discussion about Indy minor league baseball team name
The review initially kicked off in July 2020, after the American Indian Center of Indiana started discussions about the team and offensive portrayals of Native Americans in sports. About that time, the NFL team in Washington decided to drop its controversial “Redskins” name and logo.
Marketing experts have previously said the Indianapolis team’s efforts could be a costly, multi-year process. But Cleveland’s example is perhaps evidence that a faster timeline is possible. The Cleveland team had also opened up the name change conversation in early July last year. One year later, the team has successfully rebranded, as Hanks says in the video announcement, “to build the next era for this team and this city.”
Native American advocacy groups applauded Cleveland’s announcement.
“Cleveland’s leadership was the first to begin the process of not only eliminating harmful mascots and team names, but also proof that eliminating the use of Native American imagery in sports is possible,” said Crystal Echo Hawk, executive director and founder of the nonprofit IllumiNative. “It is a major step towards righting the wrongs committed against Native peoples, and is one step towards justice.”
“We call on other professional sports teams and thousands of schools across the country that still cling to their antiquated Native ‘themed’ mascots to immediately follow suit,” said Fawn Sharp, president of The National Congress of American Indians.
Note to readers: The Indianapolis Star refers to the city’s minor league baseball team as “Indianapolis minor league baseball team” to avoid inappropriate use of cultural terms.
Stefan Krajisnik and Michael McCleary contributed to this story.
Contact Rashika Jaipuriar at rjaipuriar@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @rashikajpr.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Cleveland has the Guardians, but future of Indianapolis baseball team name still uncertain