Tag: Walter Johnson

Senator’s Tidbits

July 4, 2008 – The team played in two stadiums, American League Park in 1901 through 1902 and then played in Griffith Stadium from 1903 through 1960. Griffith Stadium as known as National Park from 1903 through 1920.

Washington’s best season was in 1933 when their record was 99-53. Their worst season was in 1904 when their record was 38-113.

The team made World Series appearances in 1924, 1925, and 1933 with their only World Series championship in 1924.

Team colors were Navy, White, and Red.

Sixteen players with Washington Senators roots are in the major league Baseball Hall of Fame.

The Washington franchise hosted two All-Star games, in 1937 and again in 1956.

The Senators had two rookie of the year winners, ironically they were both outfielders and they were back to back in 1958 (Albie Pearson) and 1959 (Bob Allison).

The Senator’s never had a Cy Young award winner but did have 3 MVP winners. Walter Johnson a right handed pitcher won in 1913 and again in 1924. Roger Peckinpaugh, a shortstop, won the award in 1925.

Two Washington Senator pitchers threw no hitters, Walter Johnson in 1920 and Bob Burke in 1931.

Four Washington batters hit for the cycle, Otis Clymer in 1908, Goose Goslin in 1924, Joe Cronin in 1929, and Mickey Vernon in 1946.

In their final year in Washington, the Senators finished in 5th place with a 73-81 record.

Championship Washington Senators Teams

March 22, 2008 – The Washington Senators who became the Minnesota Twins in 1961 certainly had more losing seasons then they had winning seasons between the time they started as a charter member team of the American League in 1901 and when they played their final game as the Washington Senators on October 2, 1960. During their 60 years as the Senators and Nationals, they compiled a 4,223 – 4,864 record while fielding winning teams in only 18 of their 60 years. Their best seasons were:

1924 – The Nationals won the AL pennant with a 92-62 record and went on to win their first and only World Series championship by beating the New York Giants 4 games to 3.

1925 – The Nats won the pennant for the second year in a row finishing the season 96-55 record. They played the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fall classic and took a 3 games to 1 lead before losing 3 straight and the series 4 games to 3 and became the first team to lose the World Series after taking a 3 games to one lead in a seven game series.

1933 – The Nationals won the pennant with a 99-53 record and went on to lose the World Series in 5 games to the New York Giants in what turned out to be their final World Series appearance while in Washington.

The Washington teams had many exciting players and we will touch on many of them in the future. The Senators/Nationals had several Hall of Famers that played on their pennant winning teams such as RHP Stan Coveleski (1925-1927), SS Joe Cronin (1928-1934), OF Goose Goslin (1921-1930, 1933, 1938), OF Heinie Manush 1930-1935), OF Sam Rice from 1915-1933, and the incomparable RHP Walter (Big Train) Johnson who pitched for Washington from 1907-1927 compiling a record of 417-279 and winning 60% of his games for a team that only won 49.2% of their games. During his time with the Washington Nationals, he won 27% of the teams total games.