Terry Francona says Cleveland Indians should change name

Nationwide protests against racism over the past several weeks have, among other changes, prompted multiple pro sports teams whose names have racist origins to rethink their brand. While most of the controversy has been focused on the Washington football team, which has used a slur against Native Americans as its team name since 1933, baseball’s Cleveland Indians also tweeted on Friday that they are “committed to engaging our community and appropriate stakeholders to determine the best path forward with regard to our team name.”

Cleveland manager Terry Francona is among those who think it’s time to change the name. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, the baseball veteran who’s been with Cleveland since 2013 acknowledged that the issue was a complicated one, but affirmed his belief that the team would be making progress by renaming themselves.

Many indigenous activists have long criticized the baseball team, as well as many others, for appropriating native cultures and perpetuating harmful stereotypes by using Native Americans as a mascot. Specifically, Cleveland’s former logo — a racist caricature known as “Chief Wahoo” — was seen by many Native Americans as insulting, and it was slowly phased out by the end of 2018.

“I’ve been thinking about it and been thinking about it before we put out that statement,” Francona said. “I know in the past, when I’ve been asked about, whether it’s our name or the Chief Wahoo (logo), I think I would usually answer and say I know that we’re never trying to be disrespectful. And I still feel that way. But I don’t think that’s a good enough answer today. I think it’s time to move forward.”