Renaming the Indians the ‘Cleveland Municipals’ would reflect both our character AND CLEVELAND SPORTS HISTORY
Originally published in the Plain Dealer July 8, 2020
Our society is changing and our baseball team is changing with it. Cleveland sports teams are our city’s representatives on the national and international stage. They’re how many people interact with our hometown.
If Cleveland baseball is going to change a century-old name, the team should use the opportunity to communicate what this city is all about.
“Cleveland Municipals” pays tribute to Northeast Ohio’s rich sports history while representing our community’s past, present, and future. Webster defines municipal as “relating to a city or town.” Something that is municipal belongs to the community as a whole. And while it would be a new name, it is an old term, an unmistakable part of our sports heritage that evokes our much-beloved Municipal Stadium — where many Cleveland baseball fans got their start.
The Municipals name — or Munis for short — would reflect that unflinching connection between the city and its citizens. For those thinking “Municipals” is too long or too odd, I’d call your attention to the New York Metropolitans, or Mets. In the same way Metropolitans represents the international capital that is New York City, Municipals would represent the down-to-earth pride-of-place akin to all Clevelanders.
As our society struggles with its own disappointments and shortfalls, many are looking for a recommitment to that municipal sense of spirit and pride — the kind of commitment that says, “Hey, things are rough now, but I’m sticking around because I have faith the good times will come.” The Municipals name would make clear that this team belongs to and represents every single Clevelander. It would broadcast to the world what Clevelanders have known for a long time: That we’re all damn proud to call this city and this team our own.
With the goal of changing an offensive name to an inclusive name representative of all Clevelanders, it’s hard to do better than the name we suggest. “Municipals” maintains the link to our storied sports past and represents the way Cleveland and its citizens can move forward into the future together.