Nickname Nationals/Senators – The Washington franchise was known as both “Senators” and “Nationals” at various times, and sometimes at the same time because of their location near the capital. League History 2000 – Present / Major League Baseball 1961 – 1999 / American League. 1899: After eight years in which the franchise never finished .500, or better, the Washington Senators of the National League are one of four teams eliminated in 1899 as the NL reduced from 12 teams to eight teams. Nickname Senators – The Washington franchise was known as “Senators,” and because of their location near the capital. The club was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1901 as the Washington Senators. Major League Baseball returned to Washington in 2005 after a 33-year absence. Burnside was selected by the expansion Senators, spending 1961 & 1962 in Washington, where he’d post records of 4-9 and 5-11 for some pretty hapless expansion teams. Team History 1972 – Present / Texas Rangers 1961 – 1971 / Washington Senators. 1961 — Major League Baseball awards Washington a new franchise as a part of its expansion, and it is named the Senators.They play their first … Team History 1961 – Present / Minnesota Twins 1901 – 1960 / Washington Nationals/Senators. However, the …

In 1905, the team changed its official name to the Washington Nationals. Washington D.C. – Dallas. The first Washington Senators franchise began play in the American Association in 1891 as the Washington Statesmen, and then continued as the Senators until 1899 as a member of the National League, when the team was one of four franchises contracted from the circuit. 1901: With the National League reducing itself, Ban Johnson, who ran the Western League, a minor league in the mid-west, decides to become start a new Major League to compete with NL. The Washington Senators baseball team was one of the American League's eight charter franchises. The Washington Senators is a name that was used by three baseball teams. The name "Nationals" appeared on the uniforms for only two seasons, and was then replaced with the "W" logo for the next 52 years.