Cleveland Indians to change name to Cleveland Guardians, filmmaker and Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks announces for the major league baseball team franchise, a name change that follows years of protests from Native- Americans and activists who say the name Cleveland Indians is racist and offense to Native Americans and people of color
Pictured at top right is filmmaker and Oscar- winning actor Tom Hanks
"You see, there's always been a Cleveland -- that's the best part of our name," Hanks says in a video announcement he narrated for the team, which posted it on Twitter. "And now it's time to unite as one family, one community, to build the next era for this team and this city."
A legendary actor and filmmaker who has collaborated with famed director Stephen Spielberg on such films as "Saving Private Ryan, "Bridge of Spies,"and the "Post," Hanks has won best actor Oscars for the motion picture films "Forrest Gump" and "Philadelphia."
And he is a Hollywood Californian, and a beloved activist in his own-right, which is partly why he was chosen to announce the name change, sources said Friday.
The announcement comes as corporate entities across the country are reexamining the use of racist caricatures as logos as well as stereotypical team names that are also considered offensive and racist.
During media hype this time last year franchise officials announced during a press conference that a new team name that is not offensive to Native-Americans and people of color would be in place by 2022.
But the $1.5 billion major league football team franchise did keep the Indians name and uniforms for the 2021 season while the name-changing transition process takes place.
The decision for a new name follows a previous decision to scrap the team's controversial Chief Wahoo loco that Native-American and activist groups call racist and demeaning after decades of protesting the loco and the team name by the indigenous community and their supporters.
Indians' owner Paul Dolan and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announced in January of 2018 that Chief Wahoo would no longer appear on uniforms or stadium signs following the end of the 2018 season.
Chief Wahoo was barred from future Hall of Fame plaques in March of 2018, starting with the induction of former Indian Jim Thome.
Merchandise featuring the Chief Wahoo logo will still be available at the Indians' ballpark and retail stores in Ohio, but will no longer be sold on the league's website. The team's primary logo is now a block "C".
Dolan said in a statement last year that the team would consider a non-Native American name for its franchise after discussions with activists, tribal communities and civic leaders.
He did just that, announcing this week through Hanks that the Cleveland Guardians is the new name for the predominantly Black city's major league baseball team.
But he spoke-out on his own, saying via a press statement on Friday that the name change is in the best interest of Cleveland and that ""Cleveland has and always will be the most important part of our identity."
Indians manger Terry Francona agreed, saying Cleveland is a leader in major league baseball and what they do reflects on the city.
While not all fans agree with the team's new loco and new name Dolan says it is long over due.
The Indians were a founder member of the American League in 1901 as the Cleveland Bluebirds (or Blues). They renamed to the Cleveland Napoleons (Naps) in 1903, before adopting their current name in 1915. The current name of "Indians," which Dolan himself says is no longer acceptable, has been around for some 105 years.
The upcoming name change comes at a time when the Black Lives Matter Movement and other Civil Rights movements seeking racial and economic equality and an end to useless excessive force by police that disproportionately targets the nation's Black community are thriving.
Some major league baseball teams, however, do not agree that offensive team names and racist team logos should be done away with.
Officials for the Atlanta Braves have said that there will be no change in their team name or logo, which they said is a proud tradition that will be celebrated.
Major league baseball, basketball and football are all part of the framework of the major American city of Cleveland, a Democratic stronghold that sits in the 29 percent Black county of Cuyahoga, also a Democratic stronghold, and the second largest of Ohio's 88 counties.
Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most read Black digital newspaper in Ohio and in the Midwest, and the most read independent digital news in Ohio. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview. CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.
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