There's a Frontrunner Name to Replace 'Indians'

The Cleveland Spiders, anyone?
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 14, 2020 1:31 PM CST
There's a Frontrunner Name to Replace 'Indians'
In this July 10, 2020, photo, Cleveland Indians' Francisco Lindor runs the bases after hitting a home run.   (AP Photo/David Dermer, File)

The Cleveland Indians are poised to drop "Indians" from their name, though the timetable is uncertain. Now the inevitable guessing game has begun on what the new name will be. Both USA Today and CBS Sports suggest the Cleveland Spiders is a frontrunner. This was actually the name of one of the city's baseball teams at the end of the 19th century, and it gets the vote at Vulture. It "could strike fear into the hearts of any opposing team, and look cool as hell on a T-shirt," writes Halle Kiefer. Read on for other options from the above sources:

  • Lakers: Fitting for a city on one of the Great Lakes—Erie. "Great Lakers" is another option.
  • Naps: A nod to a beloved city baseball player in the early 1900s, Napoleon "Larry" Lajoie. A previous iteration of Cleveland's team was known as the Naps.
  • Rockers: The city is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
  • Crows: Bird names are popular in the MLB, and crows are plentiful in Ohio. Bonus points for alliteration.
  • Wild Things: It's a reference to the baseball flick Major League, which features a fictional Cleveland team.
  • Cleveland Baseball Club: The word "club" versus "team" adds an "air of sophistication," writes Chris Bumbaca at USA Today. The CBC for short.
(More Cleveland Indians stories.)

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