Cleveland Forest Citys
If the Cleveland Indians owners really want to go “old school” and pick a unique name, they could call the club the Forest Citys.
That name change would be a homage to the historical designation given the city itself, a label that was widely in use a century ago and retains some popularity today.
The Cleveland Forest Citys operated in the National Association, a precursor of the National League, back in baseball’s formative days. Created in 1870 as an independent team, the Forest Citys were part of the original NA in 1871, finishing seventh of nine teams with a 10-19 record. The team also competed in 1872 before leaving the NA for independent play.
The term “Forest City” as a designator of Cleveland is less widely used these days. But it remains common in and around Cleveland itself. The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History recently identified nearly two dozen Cleveland-based firms that carry the name of “Forest City.”
Adopting that name would have several advantages. First and possibly most importantly, it would be utterly non-controversial; nobody objects to trees.
Beyond that, it would underscore the franchisee’s commitment to local history, and not merely in a baseball sense.
Finally, creating a logo for a team known as the “Forest Citys” would be both a marketer’s and merchandiser’s dream.