Cleveland baseball team will drop ‘Indians’ name according to report

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The 2021 season will be the last that a baseball team plays as the “Indians” in Cleveland.

A team source confirmed to cleveland.com that the club will announce this week its intention to play under the same name and uniforms through 2021, but will drop the “Indians” name after the upcoming season. A new name has not yet been decided.

The New York Times was first to report on Sunday that the name change is imminent. The Times also indicated the club is considering moving forward without a replacement name. That move would mirror the situation in Washington, where the city’s NFL franchise dropped its longtime “Redskins” moniker prior to the 2020 season and is playing as the “Washington Football Team” until a new name is chosen.

Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said on Dec. 3 that the club was working through a process that could eventually lead to a name change.

“We wanted to make sure we were thoughtful in connecting with all the different stakeholders, and we’ve been engaged in those conversations over the course of the last several months,” Antonetti said. “I have personally participated in some of those and have been enlightened by some of those. We’ll continue that process and once we’re at a point where we have more information we’ll certainly (share) that.”

Cleveland’s baseball team has been known as the Indians since the 1915 season, but has faced backlash from Native American groups and those who claim the use of the use of Indigenous mascots and imagery for sports teams is racist and demeaning.

In July, following national upheaval sparked by the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minnesota, the club released a statement on its Twitter account emphasizing that it is “committed to making a positive impact in the community” and embracing its responsibility to advance social justice and equality. The team indicated that its name is one of the most visible ways it connects to fans.

Prior to the 2019 season, the club worked to phase out Native American imagery and logos at Progressive Field, including the retirement of its longtime Chief Wahoo logo that many considered troublesome.

Club owner Paul Dolan met with players and manager Terry Francona before the season began, and the group held a conversation characterized as “candid and productive.” Dolan said players expressed their desire to help the organization in the ongoing process.

On Opening Day against Kansas City, players wore their road blue “Cleveland” jerseys at Progressive Field, rather than their white or red home jerseys emblazoned with “Indians” across the chest.

“Our players care about the organization and feel strongly about social justice and racial equality,” Dolan said. “I support their interest in using their platform to unite our city and our nation through their actions.”

Dolan issued a statement just prior to the start of the 60-game regular season in late July that indicated the organization would engage with Native American leaders to better understand their perspectives.

“We feel a real sense of urgency to discuss these perspectives with key stakeholders while also taking the time needed to ensure those conversations are inclusive and meaningful,” Dolan’s statement read.

One of the American League’s eight charter franchises, Cleveland’s major league club was founded in 1901, playing under the names Bluebirds, Broncos and Naps prior to 1915 when the Indians moniker was adopted.

According to the team’s 2020 media guide, in 1915, owner Charles W. Somers invited the Cleveland baseball writers to help in the selection of a new club name. The writers solicited their readers for suggestions. Through this process the name “Cleveland Indians” was selected.

In 2018 the club moved away from using its 50-year-old Chief Wahoo logo, viewed widely as an image that was racially insensitive to indigenous peoples. That shift was attributed by many to Manfred ransoming the 2019 All-Star Game in Cleveland when the club was in the spotlight during the 2016 World Series. But Manfred and Dolan insisted there was no quid pro quo in regards to Wahoo’s demise.

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