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MLB Team Strikes Out Against Cancel Culture, Changes Name After 105 Years

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  December 14, 2020 4:00 PM

Cancel culture claimed so many victims over the summer it was hard to keep track—from statues and monuments to television shows, Aunt Jemima, and more. While the pace of cancelations may have slowed down, the trend hasn't stopped.

The latest victim is a Major League Baseball team—a team that's had its name since 1915.

Not content with the logo change that removed Chief Wahoo, team owners of the Cleveland Indians have decided to ax the name altogether.

The Cleveland baseball franchise has been known as the Indians since 1915, but Native American groups and others have for decades opposed the use of Indigenous names, mascots and imagery for sports teams, insisting they are demeaning and racist. Cleveland’s name and Washington’s old name were considered among the most high-profile examples and were the targets of widespread campaigns for change. [...]

The organization said Monday that after its review to "learn how our team name affected different constituencies and whether it aligned with our … values," they decided to move forward with the name change.

The new name will be "non-Native American based," the statement said.

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"Hearing firsthand the stories and experiences of Native American people, we gained a deep understanding of how tribal communities feel about the team name and the detrimental effects it has on them," team owner and chairman Paul Dolan said. "When a sports team is aligned with its community, it unlocks the ability to unite people from different backgrounds and bring people together in support of their home team. While Indians will always be a part of our history, it is time to move forward and work to unify our stakeholders and fans through a new name."

President Trump reacted to the reports on Sunday, tweeting: "Oh no! What is going on? This is not good news, even for 'Indians.' Cancel culture at work!"