The issue of Native American mascots and imagery in sports was thrust into the headlines again over the summer when the Washington, D.C., NFL team decided to change the name of its team from a dictionary-defined slang term and removed all Native American terms and imagery from its branding.

He had broken his left arm in a mishap at church camp and was shackled with the standard wrist-to-elbow cast.

In his retirement, fate sent Dave Vaughn into a second career: recovery.

In the days and weeks following the killing of George Floyd and subsequent resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement and the campaign to rid society of racist language and images, the use of Native American terms and imagery in sports has once again become a national headline.

For decades, certain sports teams – professional, college and high school – have resisted changing their nicknames and branding from Native American terms and imagery.But with the recent climate of change sweeping the country in the wake of the death of George Floyd and the resulting national protests against racism, a couple of the more prominent – and historically most resistant – professional teams have been pressured by activists and investors to reevaluate the situation.

On Tuesday, officials with Minor League Baseball confirmed the 2020 MiLB season has been officially canceled after a conference call between MLB’s board of trustees. 

With its scheduled opening day looming next week, the Northwest League issued a statement on Friday officially – and indefinitely – delaying the start of its season.

MLB wants to drastically streamline the minor league and how franchises operate, as soon as next season. The Spokane Indians figure to be impacted as much as anyone.

Minor League Baseball is prepared to agree to a drastic reduction in its number of affiliated teams in order to ratify a new agreement with Major League Baseball.

In Spokane, it’s possible that while there could be fewer baseball games this year, there could be more in 2021 and beyond.

Carlos Beltran is out as manager of the New York Mets before managing even a single game, the latest fallout from the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal that has rocked Major League Baseball.

The Texas Rangers announced the 2020 field staffs for their minor league affiliates on Monday, and the Spokane Indians will welcome a new manager for the fourth-consecutive season.

Major League Baseball has provided a proposal to Minor League Baseball to drastically restructure the organization and maintenance of minor league teams, leagues, player contracts and the entry draft.

The season didn’t end the way Spokane Indians all-stars Blaine Crim and Kellen Strahm would have hoped but the pair came a long way from where they started the season.

The 2019 Spokane Indians season has to be categorized as an unmitigated success – on and off the field.

Last year, the Spokane Indians’ season ended on a walk-off balk in the Northwest League Championship Series. This year, it was a walk-off walk in the North Division playoffs. After forcing extra innings with two runs in the top of the ninth inning, the Indians’ Nic Laio issued a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the 10th as the Tri-City Dust Devils came away with a 3-2 victory in Game 3 of the best-of-3 series at Gesa Stadium.

Heriberto Hernandez clubbed a two-run homer in a four-run sixth inning, and the Spokane Indians topped the Dust Devils at Gesa Stadium on Thursday to force a decisive Game 3 in the Northwest League North divisional series.

Logan Driscoll delivered an RBI single in the top of the 12th inning and the Tri-City Dust Devils held off the Spokane Indians to win Game 1 of the divisional series 4-3 at Avista Stadium on Wednesday.

Nick Gatewood had three hits, including a pair of solo home runs, and Reinaldo Ilarraza added three hits and two RBIs as the Tri-City Dust Devils closed out the regular season with a 7-3 victory over the Spokane Indians in Northwest League play on Monday night.