Cleveland Indians to change team name to Guardians

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Cleveland's Major League Baseball team on Friday announced that it will change its name from the Indians to the Guardians next season - fulfilling a promise to give up a name that Native Americans view as disparaging.

Called the Indians for more than 100 years, the team started a search for a new name in December.

In 2018, it phased out its "Chief Wahoo" logo -- a cartoon figure with red skin, a toothy smile and a feather in his headband -- after it was criticized as a racist caricature.

Last July, Cleveland said it would consider a name change as the social unrest in the United States had underscored the need to improve as an organization on issues of social justice.

This comes after the National Football League's Washington D.C. team decided last July to retire its Redskins name and logo, which it has used since 1933.

The logo had long been criticized as racist.

Currently, it calls itself the Washington Football Team and says it will adopt a new name next year.