ban johnson, president of the western league, changed the league's name to the american league in 1900, bringing aboard a new team in cleveland, then known as the cleveland lake shores, along with new baltimore and washington franchises, which would be created with or without the approval of the national league. during this time, cleveland had a minor league baseball team, known as the bluebirds or blues due to their all-blue uniforms, which finished their season with a 63–73 record and finished sixth.