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Posted By: Frank Ceresi

The name "Senators" first was used to define the Washington team in 1887-8 (so named after the "Statemen" who played in D.C.'s Swampoodle Grounds with Connie Mack, Dummy Hoy etc). That team name pretty much stuck until the Washington A.L. team owners wanted to change their name in 1905 (hoping it would also change the clubs losing ways from the prior years very poor on the diamond record) with a "new" name...the "Nationals", so named after the famous 19th century team that toured the west in 1867.

There was another "change" back to the "Senators" after the 1956 season... but clearly the fan favorite even BEFORE the second name change was the "Senators".

Thus, the point made about the irony that cards pretty consistantly called the team the "Senators" NOT the "Nationals" for the several decades even after the 1905 name change is right on target.

Frank Ceresi