By Christopher Brito
Cleveland Indians to change name, NYT reports
Georgia Republican Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue have issued a strong statement in support of the Atlanta Braves name. The baseball team has not announced any plans to change its nickname but the lawmakers' statement comes as the Cleveland Indians are preparing to change theirs.
"We adamantly oppose any effort to rename the Atlanta Braves, one of our state's most storied and successful sports franchises," they said Monday. "Not only are the Braves a Georgia institution – with a history spanning 54 years in Atlanta – they're an American institution."
The GOP senators, who are both facing state runoff races next month, said the Braves' name "honors our Native American heritage" and it should "not be erased."