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A detailed view of the custom Rawlings baseball glove worn by Francisco Lindor #12 of the Cleveland Indians during the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on September 19, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan. Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images

In a decision reflecting the push for institutions to change names that are now seen as discriminatory or racist, the Cleveland Indians have announced plans to change the name they’ve held since 1915. Come next season, fans will be cheering for the Cleveland Guardians.

The Associated Press reports that the team’s owner, Paul Dolan, decided to change the team’s name following social unrest after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, and the baseball organization spent the past year deciding what name would fit the team, and the city they represent in Major League Baseball, best.

“We wanted a name that strongly represents the pride, resiliency, and loyalty of Clevelanders,” Dolan said of the new name. “'Guardians’ reflects those attributes that define us.”

“It brings to life the pride Clevelanders take in our city and the way we fight together for all who choose to be part of the Cleveland baseball family,” he added. “While ‘Indians’ will always be a part of our history, our new name will help unify our fans and city as we are all Cleveland Guardians.”

The Guardians is representative of “The Guardians of Traffic,” two large stone fixtures on the Hope Memorial Bridge, which goes over the Cuyahoga River. The landmark is near the ballpark’s downtown location. The original name for the team was inspired by the many tribes in the Ohio area, but many groups had protested against it for years.

“It is a major step towards righting the wrongs committed against Native peoples, and is one step towards justice,” said Crystal Echo Hawk, executive director of IllumiNative, a group dedicated to fighting misrepresentations of Native Americans.

Criticism is to be expected, as die-hard fans are already on social media saying that they are against the name change.

But, Chris Antonetti, the club’s president of baseball operations, ensures that, “This is a historic moment for our franchise, and we are excited for our players and staff to debut our new team name and look in 2022,” and that, “We look forward to our team proudly representing the city of Cleveland as the Guardians.”