Cleveland Guardians

The franchise has been called the Blues, Broncos, Naps (after player-manager Napoleon Lajoie from 1903-1914), and Indians (1915-2021) before becoming the Guardians in 2021.

Larry Doby became the first Black player in the American League in 1947, just 11 weeks after Jackie Robinson. In 1948, he became the first Black player to hit a home run in the World Series.

In 2017, the team set the American League record with a 22-game winning streak, the longest in AL history. The streak ended with a walk-off loss to Kansas City.

In Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, Rajai Davis hit an improbable game-tying two-run homer off Aroldis Chapman in the 8th inning. Though they lost in extras, it remains one of baseball's most dramatic moments.

The team's new name comes from the 'Guardians of Traffic'—four 43-foot Art Deco statues on the Hope Memorial Bridge near the stadium, built in 1932.

In the 1997 ALDS, Sandy Alomar Jr. hit a game-tying homer off Mariano Rivera—one of only TWO postseason homers Rivera ever gave up in his legendary career.

Before the current franchise, Cleveland had the Spiders (1887-1899), who hold the worst record in MLB history: 20-134 in 1899 after their owner shipped all good players to St. Louis.

Progressive Field (opened 1994) consistently ranks among the best ballparks in MLB. It's known for intimate sightlines, excellent food, and the massive 'C' light on the scoreboard.