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Originally Posted by davidb
Bob C , thanks for your response and accept your "informed people" assessment. Stories like Louis Sockalexis from late 20th century baseball continue to fascinate and I appreciate historians like you that provide insight otherwise unknown to us mediocre baseball historians.
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I'm no historian, just been a Clevelander all my life, so kind of understand the people, culture, and thinking. And by "informed people" I'm referring to those that haven't just heard the common, mainstream stories, and then simply assumed they're true and that the Indians were named for Sockalexis. I'm referring to those who dig a little deeper to read and learn more about the times and history, and Sockalexis' career and life in general. When you read and discover more about the issues and things plaguing him, and different things that he supposedly did or that occurred, it helps to better adjust and understand the context around him and his place in Cleveland history.
Now Sockalexis did figure into the naming of the Indians back in 1915, but probably more because the team was at one time referred to by some as the Indians when he was playing for the Spiders. Oddly, the stories are that the Indians name was ultimately picked by the team's ownership, along with input and help from four major newspapers Cleveland had back then. Speculation in some areas was that using Sockalexis made for better print than just saying we're copying off the Boston Braves.
Plus, the fact some people had referred to a Cleveland team as the Indians in the past likely stuck in some peoples minds as well. Oftentimes when looking to rename and change things, people will often look to the past. No surprise that before settling on the Guardians, some of the more popular names bandied about locally included the Spiders, the Blues, and the Buckeyes. All three are the names of former ML baseball teams playing in Cleveland.
There is no definitive proof of the specific, primary reason they named the team the Indians, but in looking at it strictly from a Cleveland team and fan standpoint, it makes absolutely no sense to think they did so primarily to honor Sockalexis. Now if you're up around Maine or in an area the Penobscot tribe is prominent in, that is an entirely different story. Otherwise, Sockalexis' only connection to the Cleveland city and team was his very short, and very forgettable, playing career with the Spiders. And based on how it turned out, from a strictly Cleveland perspective, what exactly would they be honoring him for?