Outside The Confines: The Cleveland TBDs

Some will say it’s about time, others will say the time was long before now, but regardless of when it should have happened, the Cleveland Indians will be changing their team name after 105 years.

Two years after the retirement of the racist caricature mascot Chief Wahoo, and following on the heels of the Washington Football team earlier this year, the Cleveland club will be doing away with a name that has long been a point of contention for both Indigenous groups and fans alike.

While there will no doubt be a vocal group of detractors who bemoan the choice (including, it seems, the President), it was high time to make the move to a less offensive team name. Especially when, historically speaking, Cleveland has one of the best historical nicknames to draw from, with the Cleveland Spiders who played from 1887 to 1899 being an early successor to the Indians.

But truly, the team could select any number of options that would be better than what they currently use.

Your move, Atlanta Braves.

• Jeff Passan looks at the story of the decision for the Cleveland Indians to finally change their name.
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And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.