CLEVELAND — The arrival of the new Cleveland Guardians season means the availability of new merchandise.
And one new t-shirt, in particular, has a unique connection to a local high school.
Last week, Columbus-based apparel manufacturer Homage released a new "Cleveland Guardians Chess Club" shirt. The officially licensed tee features Guardians' themed chess pieces and the team's stylized 'C' logo, paying tribute -- or homage -- to the clubhouse's affinity for the game and the connection it created with John Marshall High School.
As the chess club at John Marshall High School received national recognition last year, chess-loving Guardians players, including rookie outfielder Steven Kwan, began to take notice. The Guardians even hosted the John Marshall team for a chess tournament at Progressive Field, ahead of their Wild Card Series against the Tampa Bay Rays -- which Cleveland won two games to zero -- last October.
According to Guardians pitcher Triston McKenzie, the relationship began as the team's players wanted to test their skills against some tougher competition. So they called on the team at John Marshall High School, who wound up presenting the Guardians with some of their toughest competition of the 2022 season.
"It goes both ways," McKenzie told 3News' Austin Love. "They don't realize how big of an impact they have on us. Having them out here on the field is a blessing for us."
The new t-shirt is available both on Homage's website and in the Guardians' team shop at Progressive Field. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the chess clubs of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.
To celebrate the arrival of the shirts, Kwan will be signing autographs for the first 100 fans who purchase the shirt at the Guardians' team shop on Saturday, April 8, beginning at 11 a.m. The team shop will open at 10 a.m. and fans must first purchase the shirt before receiving their autograph.