Please Cleveland: go back to Indians?

G1911 · #1 05-01-2022, 01:37 PM

I think newspaper reports should always be questioned, and it is possible the name had less to do with Sockalexis than the traditional story. I would love to see any evidence this is the case though and it was something else that inspired the naming.

But if we are to ignore the newspaper reports because they are often inaccurate, why are we citing those same newspapers to attack Sockalexis' character? Aren't the allegations in them of his drunkeness and brothel visiting to be held to the same standard as the reports on the team naming, if we believe that newspaper reports cannot be trusted? How can we logically allow one into evidence but require the dismissal of the other?

I must admit I find it a little amusing that attacking a Native-American for being a drunk, an old negative racist stereotype of them, is given in the context of defending why the team name was offensive and it was proper to change it.

John1941 · #2 05-01-2022, 01:45 PM

I wouldn't say that Bob C.'s take on Sockalexis is factually incorrect, but I think it's missing something. Sockalexis was very talented, and was a great player before the drinking started. I remember him being very popular, though I might be wrong.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Indian team name was inspired both by the Boston Braves and by Sockalexis. Not mutually exclusive.

G1911 · #3 05-01-2022, 01:54 PM

Ed Rice's biography is an excellent treatment of his tragic life. Or at least, I enjoyed his research.

Republicaninmass · #4 05-01-2022, 02:10 PM

Penobscot?

Seems like the " knobs " would be apropos

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