Franchise Timeline
1960
Oct 26, 1960: American League awards expansion franchise to Washington, D.C. following transfer of Calvin Griffith's franchise to Minnesota.
Nov 17, 1960: General Elwood R. (Pete) Quesada's bid for the Washington franchise is approved by American League.
1961
Apr 10, 1961: President John F. Kennedy throws out the first pitch as 26,724 watch the Washington Senators lose to Chicago White Sox, 4-3 at Griffith Stadium in the franchise's first game.
1962
Apr 9, 1962: The Senators beat Detroit, 4-1 in first game at new District of Columbia Stadium (renamed Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in 1969).
July 10, 1962: The first of two 1962 All-Star Games comes to D.C. Stadium as the National League beats the American League, 3-1, before 45,480.
Sept 18, 1962: The American League holds a meeting in New York to explore the possibilities of major league baseball coming to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Although the idea is deemed worthy, league owners reject Kansas City A's owner Charley Finley's attempt to move his team to the metroplex.
1963
Jan 29, 1963: James H. Johnston, James H. Lemon, and George M. Bunker buy out Quesada and four others to become majority owners of the Senators.
1964
September 1964: Construction begins on 10,000-seat Turnpike Stadium in Arlington. The ballpark would serve as home of the Dallas-Fort Worth entry in the Texas League and, eight years later, the Texas Rangers.
1965
January 1965: Johnston and Lemon buy out Bunker and other partners to gain complete control of the franchise.
Apr 23, 1965: The Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs beat Albuquerque before 7,231 in the first game at Turnpike Stadium.
1966
June 1966: Washington selects Pittsfield (Mass.) outfielder Tom Grieve as its top choice in the June free agent draft. Grieve would go on to a fine career with the Senators and Rangers and later become the club's general manager.
1967
June 12, 1967: The Senators beat Chicago, 6-5, in 22 innings. The game lasted six hours, 38 minutes and ended at 2 43 a.m., causing the league to adopt a curfew stating that no inning may start after 1 00 a.m.
November 1967: The Senators draft shortstop Toby Harrah from the Phillies farm club in Reading, Pa.
1968
Apr 19, 1968: After a five-hour meeting in Chicago, the National League approves expansion to Montreal and San Diego. Dallas-Fort Worth fails in its bid for an NL franchise.
Dec 3, 1968: Robert E. Short, the Democratic National Committee Treasurer, purchases majority interest of the Washington Senators at the winter meetings in San Francisco.
1969
Jan 18, 1969: Ted Williams is appointed manager of the Senators.
July 23, 1969: The National League scores a 9-3 win in the All-Star Game before 45,259 at R.F.K. Stadium.
Oct 1, 1969: The Senators close out the season with an 86-76 record after finishing 32 games under .500 a year earlier. The turnaround earns Ted Williams AL Manager of the Year honors. Frank Howard finishes with 48 homers and places fourth in the MVP voting. Dick Bosman wins the era title at 2.19.