Scroll Down to Read Today’s Essay
Subscribe to Baseball History Comes Alive for automatic updates (sign-up block found in right side-bar)
As a Free Bonus for subscribing, you’ll get instant access to my two Special Reports: Memorable World Series Moments and Gary’s Handy Dandy World Series Reference Guide!
“Guardians of Traffic” Photo Gallery
Click on any image below to see photos in full size and to start Photo Gallery:
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).
1920 World Series Champion Indians
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.
The towering Guardians on the Hope Bridge
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
Check out my latest book, recently nominated for the SABR 2020 Lawrence Ritter Award: “Reflections on the 1919 Black Sox: Time to take Another Look,” now available on Amazon in e-book and paperback. All profits go to the Illinois Veterans Foundation: https://amzn.to/2uk6KBU
Check out the new baseball book by our subscriber, Adam Rothstein, “Growing the Game”: https://www.amazon.com/…/dp/B0955BCXDV/ref=as_li_ss_tl