Long Live the Washington Nationals!!!

gemint

How long do you think they'll last this time?

Story

Stone193

<< <i>How long do you think they'll last this time? >>


Great McCovey Card!

I found this old pin of the Washington club when they were referred to as the "nationals" - they retained that name from 1901 to 1955. In 1956 the more popular Senators name was adopted until their move after the 1960 season to Minn.
Of interest is the fact that original Washington Senators were of the national league and folded in a contraction deal (sound familiar?).
So when the new team started in 1901, they didn't want to use the name Senators and confuse people - thus they selected the 'Nationals.' Still people affectionately referred to them as the 'Senators.' When Griffith was named manager in 1912, newspaper guys called them the 'Grifs' But, people still liked the name Senators. In their last year before moving to Minn, people referred to them as the "vagabonds".
Not to complicate the issue - The Washington Senators were also an American League baseball expansion team from 1961 to 1971. The franchise then moved to Arlington, Texas and became, and still remains, the Texas Rangers.
My understanding is the "Senators" name is with the Rangers and not the Twins.



I have a bunch of team pins with this style - they are very small but really cool IMO.

your friend
Mike

MorrellMan

"Washington - first in war, first in peace, last in the American League."

ajw

They'll be around for a long time. They'll get a new stadium paid for by local and federal taxes, which pretty much guarantees their survival (if not their success.) In fact, the stadium deal they're working on would be one of the most generous deals, yet.

Now, the quality of play is another question entirely. So far they've spent about $20,000,000 to form a left side of the infield that will have an OBP of about .310. That's not a good start.

Griffins

<< <i>When Griffith was named manager in 1912, newspaper guys called them the 'Grifs' >>



And they pretty much sucked once they dropped the name Grifs and became the Senators/Nationals. Coincidence? I think not.

pandrews

<< <i>
And they pretty much sucked once they dropped the name Grifs and became the Senators/Nationals. Coincidence? I think not. >>