When the Cleveland Indians changed their name to the “Guardians” in 2021, it was supposed to be progress.
But for many Native Americans like me, it felt like something else entirely: being canceled.
On the Sunday of this past week, President Donald Trump stood up for us when he called on the team in Ohio to bring back its iconic name.
“Cleveland should do the same with the Cleveland Indians,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after calling for the Washington Redskins name to also be restored. “The Owner of the Cleveland Baseball Team, Matt Dolan, who is very political, has lost three Elections in a row because of that ridiculous name change. What he doesn’t understand is that if he changed the name back to the Cleveland Indians, he might actually win an Election.”
“Indians are being treated very unfairly,” Trump added. “MAKE INDIANS GREAT AGAIN (MIGA)!”
The original name wasn’t just a catchy title. It actually had meaning.
It was linked to Louis Sockalexis, a Native American outfielder who played for the then-Cleveland Spiders in the late 1890s.
Sockalexis, a member of the Penobscot Nation, was the first Native American widely recognized in professional baseball. In 1897, he hit .338 with an .845 OPS in 66 games, according to MLB.com.
Hellbound and Down 