The Washington Senators Move to Minnesota, November 26, 1960!

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The Washington Senators move to Minnesota, November 26, 1960!

Fifty-eight years ago this week, November 26, 1960, the Washington Senators franchise moved out of D.C. and into an area in Minnesota near St. Paul and Minneapolis, known at the Twin Cities. The team then became known as the “Twins.”

The first game was played there on April 21, 1961 at Metropolitan Stadium. The Twins lost 5-3. They drew 1,256,723 fans their first year in Minneapolis, much better than the previous year attendance in Washington of 743,404, the worst gate in the American League.

In the featured photo, we see a scene from the first game played at Metropolitan stadium with Camilo Pascual on the mound for the Twins.

Now here’s a quiz: Who do you think beat the Twins – the former Washington Senators – in that first game? Would you believe me if I told you the Twins lost to…none-other-than…the Washington Senators!!

That’s right. Baseball – in its infinite wisdom – moved the Washington Senators to Minnesota to become the Minnesota Twins due to failing attendance, while at the same time, started an expansion team in Washington…named the Washington Senators! But wait…it gets even more confusing!

 This “second” Senators franchise lasted in D.C. until 1972, when they also moved, this time to Texas, where they became the Texas Rangers with Ted Williams as their first manager.

The city of Washington, D.C. was without a team until the Montreal Expos moved there in 2005, and became…you got it!…the third and current incarnation of baseball in Washington, this time known as the Washington Nationals!

The “original” Washington Senators were one of the American League’s eight charter franchises in 1901. The Senators began their history as a perennially losing team, at times so inept that the a quote by sportswriter Charley Dryden turned them into a national joke:  “Washington, first in war, first in peace, and last in the American League!”

The team’s fortunes finally changed in the 1920’s as they won American League pennants in 1924 and 1925, and the franchise’s only World Series championship in 1924. Another pennant followed in 1933. This short-lived success was followed by many more years of mediocrity which including six last place finishes in the 1940’s and 1950’s.

The Twins, in the meantime, won the American League pennant in 1965 under manager Sam Mele; and World Series championships in 1987 and 1991 with Tom Kelly at the managerial helm. 

Meanwhile, back to the Twins. Here’s some Twins’ Firsts:

First Twins manager: Cookie Lavagetto

First pitcher: Camilo Pascual

First batter in Met Stadium: Marty Keough, Washington

First Twins batter: Zoilo Versalles

First Twins hit: Reno Bertoia

First Twins run: Don Mincher

First Twins home run: Don Mincher

First Twins win: April 22, 1961, 5-4 vs. Washington

Gary Livacari 

Check out my two books, both now available on Amazon in e-book and paperback:  “Paul Pryor in His Own Words: The Life and TImes of a 20-Year Major League Umpire”and “Memorable World Series Moments.” All profits go to the Illinois Veterans Foundation