It’s official — the Cleveland Indians have changed their name!
Cleveland’s own professional baseball team, a member club of the American Central League Division, has officially completed their name change as of today, Friday, July 23.
The announcement came in a video narrated by actor Tom Hanks, which also featured Ohio musical treasure the Black Keys. The name is inspired by the guardian statues along the Hope Memorial Bridge on Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River.
The video alluded to both the team’s roots and its future aspirations, as well as its connections with the city of Cleveland. A quote from the video follows:
“Now, it’s time to unite as one family, as one community. To build the next era for this team and this city. To keep watch and guard over what makes this game the greatest. To come together and welcome all who want to join us… Together, we are all Cleveland Guardians.”
The name change comes after years of backlash against the controversial name. It is the first name change the team has undergone since 1915, when it changed from the Cleveland Naps, a nod to player Nap Lajoie.