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“Guardians of Traffic” Photo Gallery
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The Indians Change Their Name To the “Guardians”
Regardless of how you may view the appropriateness of the decision, I’d have to say that many of us who love the game of baseball and respect its storied history and traditions were somewhat saddened to learn that the Cleveland major league baseball franchise will change its name from the Indians—a name that goes back to 1915—to the Guardians. Upon hearing this news, my baseball history antenna and alarm bells went off. Again, I’d be remiss in my duties as your friendly baseball historian if I didn’t comment about it and give you a little background information.
Clevland was one of the original American League franchises dating back to its founding in 1901. Over the years, the franchise has won ten Central Division titles, six American League pennants, and two World Series Championships (1920, 1948). The 73-year World Series championship drought since 1948 is the longest active among all 30 current major league teams. As of the end of the 2020 season, the franchise was a record of 9512-9062 (.512).
I was thinking that if they were really going to change their name, how about recycling a name that was at least part of the team’s history, like the “Naps”? That was the team name during the early years of the 20th century, a tribute to their great Hall-of-Fame star, Napoleon (Larry) Lajoie. Another non-offensive name would be the “Spiders,” the 19th-century team name. But no, for some reason, they chose the name, “Guardians.”
Your heart has to go out to Indian fans. Changing the team name really cuts to the quick. What if the team you’re a fan of suddenly changed its name, how would that affect you? I’m a Cub fan. What if the animal rights crowd decided the name somehow connotes cruelty or disrespect to animals? How would I feel if the team changed the name? I can tell you I wouldn’t like it. Until you think about it in these terms, you really don’t perceive how much the team name means to its identity. The Indian fans are now learning this cruel lesson.
But why the name “Guardians”? At first, it seemed like such a random choice. I was actually glad to learn that there is at least a Cleveland connection to the name. It wasn’t just a name they picked out of a hat. It turns out the “Guardians” are the names given to the eight towering Art Deco figures that have “stood guard” over the Hope Memorial Bridge since 1932, as the “Guardians of Traffic.”
(In the featured photo above, we see two of the figures standing guard to the Hope Memorial bridge over the Cuyahoga River. The Cleveland franchise’s Progressive Field is in the background.)
According to the bridge’s engineer, Wilbur Watson, each figure was meant to typify the spirit of progress in transportation:
“Each guardian holds a different vehicle in his hand, representing the history of ground transport — from a stagecoach, covered wagon and hay rack to a 1930s-era automobile and four types of trucks. Great care was taken to obtain a pleasing architectural creation demanded by a public that is becoming more and more critical in this regard.”
Well, that’s somewhat comforting to know. There’s at least some attachment to the name for Cleveland fans. If you really care to read more about the Guardians, I’ve included a link to an article in Cleveland Magazine.
I know we have a lot of Indian fans reading our website, so I’d be interested in hearing their reaction to the news of the name change.
Gary Livacari
Information: Excerpts edited from the Cleveland Indians Wikipedia page, and from article in Cleveland Magazine
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Don’t worry these “woke” miserable communist want to change all American tradition!…that’s part of their game plan.
The Indian name was by no means perceived by anyone with common sense to be derogatory…just the opposite.
They’ll come after Braves, Chiefs, and Blackhawks next!…and then they’ll find something else to rail about…pathetic.
I’m with you Pat!
Too true Gary !
Since the Indians haven’t won the World Series since 1948, maybe they figure the Guardians get a fresh start.
I’d say I am with you on the nostalgic aspect of the Indians name history. But IMO too many people – relevant people that are of Native American descent have an issue with the Indians name, the past depiction of Chief Wahoo and the associated Indian stereotypes. Yes the original Indian name was not intended to be derogatory but that’s not how it ended up. The same goes for the Braves BTW – remember Chief Noc-a-Homa? That was just awful when you really think about it.
Where you lost me a bit and I suspect your tongue was firmly in-cheek, was comparing Cubs and animal rights aspects to people that lived on this continent long before Europeans got here and treated the natives with contempt and disrespect.
Personally I was in favor of the Spiders nickname although were I a Cleveland fan the association with the worst record of all-time 20-134 in 1899 is not sexy at all!
Your points are well taken Mark. I was thinking more from nostalgia point of view.
I would have preferred the Cleveland Rockin’ Rollers!
Yeah…that’s a good one!
When I posted this one on Facebook, as I usually do, to my dismay I found that it was bringing out the worst in everyone with over 400 comments in the first hour and a half. I’ve never had one take off like that before. There was some really vile name calling back and forth. I didn’t mean it to be controversial or political, so I took it down from both sites. But I think we can have a more civilized discussion here on the website, so I put it back up, but am keeping it off of FB.
Sorry to say Gary but a move like this is controversial…and has it’s marching orders from the political elite. Look what happened to the All Star game…and the $$millions in revenue that small business owners in Atlanta lost out on.
Worst viewed All Star game…ever! People with common sense are sick of this crap!
Cleveland “Naps” wouldn’t fly either, Gary.
Today’s game is already becoming a self induced sleep fest that “Naps” may add a subliminal suggestion
to viewers.
Although it would pick up a national sponsor in Sominex and as you know, we live in such a “woke” country.
Some good thoughts right there!
Gary…glad you put it back up and, yes, good info on the guardian background, it makes more sense now.
But still no reason to change the name in the first place, as you point out. And “Guardians” is lifeless and uninspiring for a sports team. I thought of the “Cleveland Conquerors”-no historical reference but at least it connotes action and is alliterative.
Didn’t you and I agree a couple of months ago, Gary, that the Cleveland Spiders was one of the worst sports nicknames ever?
Hey Mark,
What was wrong with Chief Noc-a-Homa? Corny as hell, yes, but George Plimpton had fun with it once-upon-a-time and most American humor, historically, is corny.
Hey Bill,
I just like the name Spiders and the fact that there are no other pro sports teams with that moniker. But again the association with the worst team of all time is just so…Cleveland! As for Chief-Noc-a-Homa, to me he was an awful and insensitive caricature of a Native American. Although at the time I just hated it because he’d come out when the Braves hit a home run off my Mets!
The Cleveland Rockin’ Rollers. Why wasn’t that name chosen? I will NEVER call them the STUPID Guardians – a HORRIBLE name!
I’ve been enduring the Tribe’s downward slide into PC-madness for too many years, a long sour mix of sadness tinged with bitter. I grew up in Cleveland, was a Ball Boy in 1961, and have stuck with the franchise year in, decades out, always proud of my background and ballclub. No more. This is the result of a handful of leftist protesters always pretending to be protecting the sensitivities of this minority or that, all the while ruining everything they touch.
As an adult I began my career as a reporter for The Plain Dealer and later the Cleveland Press but I was still young and wanted to try something new. I wound up in Northern California where I did 34 years as a private investigator working criminal defense. In the course of my work helping represent those charged with crimes, I spend a large percentage of my time on Indian reservations and rancherias, and never did I visit these remote outpost without a Chief Wahoo sticker in the rear window of whatever car I was driving. Never heard a negative comment and in fact many young Indian guys (on the “rezz”) wore red and blue caps with the Chief’s smiling face. I also played fastpitch softball for 14 or 15 years; one team was composed entirely of Native Americans and their uniform included Wahoo caps.
All gone now, at the request of a mob that doesn’t care about baseball and won’t be visiting Progressive Field to see the Guardians, although they used to say they avoided going to games in previous seasons because of the trauma caused by seeing the emblem and name Indians on uniforms.
Guardians? Sounds like an adult diaper.
Thanks Tom, look for my email.
Thank you Tom. You are so right. In 1961, I was 10 and would have loved to be a ball boy and look up to Tito and Woodie.
I am in total, absolute agreement with your post.
I no longer consider myself a “fan,” due almost entirely to the incredibly high salaries of these modern day prima donnas, along with the politics of the entire “woke” movement.
Back when I first heard that they were “canceling” Chief Wahoo, the “handful of leftist protestors” immediately responded by saying that the Indians name also had to go. When I heard that, I laughed to myself, thinking that such a thing would never happen.
For a very interesting, in depth report on how the the team was named the Indians, check this out. It’s well worth the time spent.
The Cleveland Indians, Louis Sockalexis, and The Name
By Joe PosnanskiMar 18, 2014
https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2014/03/18/the-cleveland-indians-louis-sockalexis-and-the-name/
At long last, they’ve done the right thing. Don’t worry about their traditions; they’ll build new ones. They’ll folliw in the footsteps of Stanford, who made the switch 50 years ago, and who now have been the Cardinal longer than they were the old name.
Cardinal is a lot better than Guardians.
You know your Tribe lore, Mr. Montemurro, if you know Cleveland’s shortstop was Woodie (not Woody) Held. My favorite was Jimmy Piersall and on my first day as a ballboy (they were part-time jobs, divvied up among about a dozen of us) I was in short left field during batting practice when out of the Indians’ dugout came Jimmy himself. He trotted up to me and asked if I’d play catch with him. Me?!? Play catch with Jimmy Piersall?!?
We went out near the centerfield fence and stood about 75 feet apart. I was so nervous (12 years old) and trying so hard that I threw everything either at his ankles or else over his head. Later, in the clubhouse he draped an arm around my shoulders and told three or four teammat4es “This kid here throws better than half the guys on the team.”
It remains the nicest lie anyone has ever told about me.
Great stroy, Tom! Thanks for sharing! If you have any other tales from those days, it might make for a nice writeup!
Great, great story! I would have been nervous too Tom. I remember the ’59 team with Billy Martin, Vic Power, Cal McLish (guy had the longest name in history), Jim Perry, Minnie and Rocky (Frank Lane was crazy to trade him). Saw a twin bill at Yankee Stadium in September with my Dad. I was 8.
Thanks, Gary, and i’ll paw through my memory.
I like the new nickname and look forward to a first visit to the city.
To me, the name is uninspiring, lifeless garbage. Guardians of traffic? Really? Will a clause in all contracts require a clean driving record while with the team? I don’t mind the franchise changing the team name (although I disagree with the reasons why) but there are so many better choices. My vote would have been a nod to the city’s Negro League franchise, the Cleveland Buckeyes.
I was for changing the Indians’ name to the Naps back in 2016. Mike Napoli was a free agent and part of the inducement for him to re-sign would be to change the team name to Naps in his honor. (Yes, tongue fully in cheek but it did cross my mind – as a joke -back in 2016).
I personally liked the Spiders or the Grays (in honor of both the Homestead Grays and Cleveland’s Gray’s Armory) or the Buckeyes (obviously, never would have happened), but Guardians is perfectly acceptable to me. Today we obviously think of “Dodgers” as a cool, all-around classic name but remember where that name came from: their fans had to dodge trolleys to get to the ballpark. For all of you who called the name Guardians stupid, think about it. If you lived exactly one century ago, would you think “Dodgers” is a stupid/awful/uninspiring name? I know I probably would have. Think about other sports team names that are not some generic animal species (Tigers, Cubs, Bears, Eagles, etc.). How many of them – when you think about it – really are stupid?
I suppose it was too late for a revival of the the Cleveland Forest Citys.
To Scott’s point, I don’t recall any uproar over the Los Angeles Lakers.