Indians players yesterday joined manager Terry Francona, front office personnel including President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti and GM Mike Chernoff, as well as Chair & CEO Paul Dolan in an "open forum to voice their opinions about the possibility of the team exploring a name change in the near future," according to Joe Noga of the Cleveland PLAIN DEALER. While Francona indicated that "nothing has been resolved over the naming controversy, he was satisfied with the players seizing an opportunity to share their opinions while Dolan was in the room, and hearing the owner share his thoughts as well." Francona also told his players to "appreciate the significance of their get-together with Dolan, because such meetings don't take place everywhere in pro sports" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 7/22). Francona said of the discussion, "The way the players expressed themselves in a mature and respectful manner and the way Paul listened and spoke back to the players, I was really, really happy and content to just sit there and let them talk back and forth." He added, "I just thought it was really good for the players to share their opinions and to let Paul be in the room and hear them and also share his opinions as an owner" (AKRON BEACON JOURNAL, 7/22).
SHOW OF UNITY: Francona said that the possible name change "wasn't the only topic discussed and the team touched on 'a little bit of everything' with Dolan." The AP's Tom Withers noted during the playing of the national anthem before exhibition games, Indians players "have been standing next to each other in front of their dugout with one hand over their hearts and the other on a teammate's shoulder." They decided to stand and not kneel during the anthem to "show unity and as a way of expressing their support for social justice and reforms" (AP, 7/21).
