While taking little grandson on a stroll, we walked past this open garage and the Miami Redskins signs caught my eye. That's a blast from the past. Before becoming the Redhawks in 1997, the Miami University of Ohio mascot was the Redskins. In 1996 the Miami tribe of Oklahoma sent a resolution that said “the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma can no longer support the use of the nickname Redskins and suggest that the Board of Trustees discontinue the use of the Redskins and other Indian related names…” There was a lot of fuss from the alums who threatened pulling their donations but the switch was made and now 26 years later, the former nickname has faded away. The red hawk is native to this area of Ohio and hawks are a powerful animal in the lore of the Miami tribe. It was an easy and logical path to the new mascot.
Another more recent change in mascot names has been the Cleveland Indians baseball team switching its name to the Cleveland Guardians. The Cleveland Indians removed the Chief Wahoo logo from their uniforms and stadium signs following the 2018 season. Chief Wahoo had been in use by the Indians since 1947. Protest of both the logo and name started in the 1970s and moved quickly toward the retirement of Chief Wahoo when the 2016 World Series drew international attention to the team. In December 2020, the Cleveland Indians decided to drop its team name — and in July 2021 announced they’d be called the Cleveland Guardians. Again, protests regarding the name change were noisy, people today still call the Guardians the Indians, but the name is coming around.
The Cleveland Guardians' name was inspired by the large art deco landmark stone edifices - referred to as the guardians of traffic - that flank both ends of the Hope Memorial Bridge. This bridge crosses the Cuyahoga River and begins or ends, depending on which way you're traveling, close to Progressive Field. William Henry "Harry" Hope, a local stonemason helped build the Guardians of Traffic sculptures, and the father of comedian and former Cleveland resident, entertainer Bob Hope. A lot of thought was put into this new name for the Cleveland baseball team. This moniker shows pride of place, legacy, nostalgia, stewardship, and strength, all wrapped up in one rough, tough, beautiful, powerful word: Guardians.
Change is the only constant in life. It's a phrase we’ve heard time and again, and for good reason. It captures the essence of human existence, where every moment is transient, every situation impermanent. Change can be exhilarating, intimidating, challenging, or liberating, depending on our perspective and readiness to embrace it. From personal growth to societal progress, change is the driving force that propels us forward. Sometimes we fight for change — and other times we just focus on accepting change.
“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”
How far we have come in our lifetime, how far we have to go in your grandchildren's lifetime.
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