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The Cleveland Guardians have changed their name just after the 2021 season after more than 100 years of their previous name, the “Indians”.
The calls to change the name had swirled but are unleashed in the middle of the controversy around Native American nicknames – Washington commanders have gone from Redskins to the Washington football team before setting up on their current name.
Terry Francona was the director of Cleveland at the time of the name change, but he remains satisfied with the change, in the middle of the calls of President Donald Trump to the organization to change it.
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Cleveland Guardians manager, Terry Francona, # 77, leaves the field during the fifth round against the Detroit Tigers in Comerica Park. (Rick Osentoski-Usa today Sports)
“I was not the one who must have had the (courage) to do so – (owner) Paul Dolan was finally the one who had to press the trigger,” said the current director of Cincinnati Reds this week. “I was really proud of him, because I do not think it is really popular with an older fans who, I suppose, like Trump,” why can’t he be as if it was in the past? “”
“And I guess my reply would be:” There are probably a lot of people in this country who do not want it like that. “And if you are white, (you)) probably very well. This is not how it works.
Workers are starting to remove the Cleveland Indian panel above the dashboard of the progressive field on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 in Cleveland. (AP photo / Ron Schwane)
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“Not everyone will be happy. It will never be the case,” added Francona. “But I think that as long as you try to do is respectful, you can go ahead and let people complain.”
Trump posted on social networks earlier this week that he wanted the Guardians and commanders to return to their former Native American nicknames.
“The owner of the Cleveland baseball team Matt Dolan, who is very political, has lost three consecutive elections because of this ridiculous name change,” said Trump. “What he does not understand is that if he has changed the name of the Cleveland Indians, he could actually gain an election. The Indians are treated very unfairly. Make the Indians again (Miga)!”
Trump also called commanders “Washington” anything “and threatened to stop the team’s plans to build a new stadium in the capital of the nation If they did not bring the old name back.
The president of the Guardians of baseball operations, Chris Antonetti, rejected Trump’s comments, saying that he “did not pay much attention to” IT.
A fan of Cleveland Indians has a sign in a baseball match between the Royals of Kansas City and the Cleveland Indians on Monday September 27, 2021 in Cleveland. (AP photo / tony already)
“We have had the opportunity to build the brand as Guardians in the past four years and we are delighted with the future,” said Antonetti.
