Cleveland should have been the Spiders.
The Cleveland Spiders would have made sense from a marketing standpoint. Feels like it would have been much easier to sell that gear instead of the Guards.
Interesting history with the Spiders, as it was the name for the Cleveland NL Club in the 1890s and where Cy Young got his start. In 1898 he won 25 games for them. The following year, the entire team won only 20, and with 134 losses is going to be a futility record never approached.
Before the 1899 season the Spiders owners bought the St Louis franchise, which would later be the Cardinals. They transferred the majority of their talent (including Young) to St Louis which they thought was a better market. Soon after the Major Leagues barred owners from having stakes in multiple franchises. Yeah, conflict of interest. They folded before 1900.
Speaking of Cy Young and the Cardinals, RIP Bruce Sutter who won the award that bears his name, while with the Cubs. 1st pitcher to enter the HoF without ever starting a game.
Bruce Sutter, who entered the Baseball Hall of Fame after 300 saves with the Cubs, Cardinals and Braves, has died at 69.
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