Walter Johnson made 14 Opening Day starts for the Washington Senators.

Two American League baseball franchises have borne the name "Washington Senators". The first franchise was one of the teams that was originally part of the American League when it became a Major League in 1901. That franchise moved to Minnesota after the 1960 season, becoming the Minnesota Twins. It was replaced by a new Washington Senators franchise in 1961. That franchise moved to Arlington, Texas after the 1971 season, becoming the Texas Rangers. The Washington Senators played in three home ball parks over their history. They started in American League Park and moved to American League Park II in 1903. In 1911, they moved to Griffith Stadium, where they remained until 1961. The first game of the new baseball season for a team is played on Opening Day, and being named the Opening Day starter is an honor, which is often given to the player who is expected to lead the pitching staff that season,[1] though there are various strategic reasons why a team's best pitcher might not start on Opening Day.[2]

The 1901-1960 franchise won 32 Opening Day games against 28 losses. The 1901-1960 franchise had a record in Opening Day games at home of 26 wins and 21 losses. On the road, they had an Opening Day record of six wins and seven losses.

The 1901-1960 franchise used 32 Opening Day starting pitchers in their 60 seasons in Washington. One pitcher made Opening Day starts for both franchises. Camilo Pascual made two Opening Day starts for the 1901-1960 franchise, in 1956 and 1960, and later made two Opening Day starts for the 1961-1971 franchise.[3][4][5][6][7][8]

Walter Johnson holds the record for most Opening Day starts for either franchise, with 14 Opening Day starts for the 1901-1960 franchise between 1910 and 1926, including ten consecutive Opening Day starts from 1912 through 1921.[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] Dutch Leonard made four Opening Day starts for the 1901-1960 franchise between 1940 and 1945.[23][24][25][26] Bob Porterfield made three Opening Day starts for the 1901-1960 franchise between 1952 and 1955.[27][28][29] Other pitchers with multiple Opening Day starts for the 1901-1960 franchise are Al Orth, Long Tom Hughes, Charlie Smith, George Mogridge, Alvin Crowder, Earl Whitehill, Early Wynn, Pedro Ramos and Pascual, with two apiece.

The Senators won three American League championships in their history, all by the 1901-1960 franchise. Their championships were won in 1924, 1925 and 1933.[30] They won the World Series in 1924, but lost in 1925 and 1933.[30] The Senators' Opening Day starters in their American League championship years were Johnson in 1924, Mogridge in 1925 and Crowder in 1933.[21][31][32]

Key

Season Each year is linked to an article about that particular Senators season.
W Win
L Loss
ND (W) No decision by starting pitcher; Senators won game
ND (L) No decision by starting pitcher; Senators lost game
(W) Senators won game; no information on starting pitcher's decision
(L) Senators lost game; no information on starting pitcher's decision
Final Score Game score with Senators runs listed first
Location Stadium in italics for home game
(#) Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Senators
** American League Champions
† World Series Champions

1901 through 1960 franchise

Long Tom Hughes made two Opening Day starts for the Senators.
Highball Wilson was the Senators Opening Day starting pitcher in 1904.
Case Patten was the Senators Opening Day starting pitcher in 1905.
Firpo Marberry was the Senators Opening Day starting pitcher in 1930.
Season Pitcher Decision Final
Score 		Opponent Location References
1901 Bill Carrick (W) 5–1 Philadelphia Athletics Columbia Park [33][34]
1902 Al Orth (W) 7–3 Boston Red Sox American League Park [35][36]
1903 Al Orth (2) (W) 3–1 New York Yankees American League Park II [37][38]
1904 Highball Wilson (L) 3–8 Philadelphia Athletics American League Park II [39][40]
1905 Case Patten (L) 2–4 New York Yankees American League Park II [41][42]
1906 Tom Hughes (L) 3–4 Philadelphia Athletics American League Park II [43][44]
1907 Tom Hughes (2) (L) 2–3 New York Yankees American League Park II [45][46]
1908 Charlie Smith (L) 1–3 Boston Red Sox Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds [47][48]
1909 Charlie Smith (2) (W) 4–1 New York Yankees American League Park II [49][50]
1910 Walter Johnson (W) 3–0 Philadelphia Athletics American League Park II [9][51]
1911 Dolly Gray (W) 8–5 Boston Red Sox Griffith Stadium [52][53]
1912 Walter Johnson (2) (L) 2–4 Philadelphia Athletics Shibe Park [10][54]
1913 Walter Johnson (3) (W) 2–1 New York Yankees Griffith Stadium [11][55]
1914 Walter Johnson (4) (W) 3–0 Boston Red Sox Fenway Park [12][56]
1915 Walter Johnson (5) (W) 7–0 New York Yankees Griffith Stadium [13][57]
1916 Walter Johnson (6) (W) 3–2 New York Yankees Polo Grounds [14][58]
1917 Walter Johnson (7) (W) 3–0 Philadelphia Athletics Shibe Park [15][59]
1918 Walter Johnson (8) (L) 3–6 New York Yankees Griffith Stadium [16][60]
1919 Walter Johnson (9) (W) 1–0 Philadelphia Athletics Griffith Stadium [17][61]
1920 Walter Johnson (10) (L) 6–7 Boston Red Sox Fenway Park [18][62]
1921 Walter Johnson (11) L 3–6 Boston Red Sox Griffith Stadium [19][63]
1922 George Mogridge W 6–5 New York Yankees Griffith Stadium [64][65]
1923 Walter Johnson (12) L 1–3 Philadelphia Athletics Shibe Park [20][66]
1924† Walter Johnson (13) W 4–0 Philadelphia Athletics Griffith Stadium [21][67]
1925** George Mogridge (2) L 1–5 New York Yankees Yankee Stadium [31][68]
1926 Walter Johnson (14) W 1–0 Philadelphia Athletics Griffith Stadium [22][69]
1927 Stan Coveleski W 6–2 Boston Red Sox Griffith Stadium [70]
1928 Milt Gaston (L) 5–7 Boston Red Sox Griffith Stadium [71]
1929 Sam Jones (L) 4–13 Philadelphia Athletics Griffith Stadium [72]
1930 Firpo Marberry (L) 3–4 Boston Red Sox Griffith Stadium [73]
1931 Lloyd Brown (L) 3–5 Philadelphia Athletics Griffith Stadium [74]
1932 Alvin Crowder W 1–0 Boston Red Sox Griffith Stadium [75]
1933** Alvin Crowder (2) W 4–1 Philadelphia Athletics Griffith Stadium [32]
1934 Earl Whitehill ND (W) 6–5 Boston Red Sox Fenway Park [76]
1935 Earl Whitehill (2) W 4–2 Philadelphia Athletics Griffith Stadium [77]
1936 Bobo Newsom W 1–0 New York Yankees Griffith Stadium [78]
1937 Joe Cascarella (L) 3–4 Philadelphia Athletics Griffith Stadium [79]
1938 Wes Ferrell W 12–8 Philadelphia Athletics Griffith Stadium [80]
1939 Jimmie DeShong (L) 0–2 Philadelphia Athletics Shibe Park [81]
1940 Dutch Leonard (L) 0–1 Boston Red Sox Griffith Stadium [23]
1941 Dutch Leonard (2) (L) 0–3 New York Yankees Griffith Stadium [24]
1942 Sid Hudson (L) 0–7 New York Yankees Griffith Stadium [82]
1943 Dutch Leonard (3) ND (W) 7–5 Philadelphia Athletics Griffith Stadium [25]
1944 Johnny Niggeling (L) 2–3 Philadelphia Athletics Griffith Stadium [83]
1945 Dutch Leonard (4) W 14–8 Philadelphia Athletics Shibe Park [26]
1946 Roger Wolff (L) 3–6 Boston Red Sox Griffith Stadium [84]
1947 Early Wynn (L) 6–7 Boston Red Sox Fenway Park [85]
1948 Early Wynn (2) (L) 4–12 New York Yankees Griffith Stadium [86]
1949 Ray Scarborough W 3–2 Philadelphia Athletics Griffith Stadium [87]
1950 Ray Scarborough (2) W 8–7 Philadelphia Athletics Griffith Stadium [88]
1951 Connie Marrero W 6–1 Philadelphia Athletics Griffith Stadium [89]
1952 Bob Porterfield (L) 0–3 Boston Red Sox Griffith Stadium [27]
1953 Bob Porterfield (2) (L) 3–6 New York Yankees Griffith Stadium [28]
1954 Chuck Stobbs ND (W) 5–3 New York Yankees Griffith Stadium [90]
1955 Bob Porterfield (3) W 12–5 Baltimore Orioles Griffith Stadium [29]
1956 Camilo Pascual[a] L 4–10 New York Yankees Griffith Stadium [5]
1957 Bob Chakales ND (L) 6–7 Baltimore Orioles Griffith Stadium [91]
1958 Pedro Ramos W 5–2 Boston Red Sox Griffith Stadium [92]
1959 Pedro Ramos (2) W 9–2 Baltimore Orioles Griffith Stadium [93]
1960 Camilo Pascual[a] (2) W 10–1 Boston Red Sox Griffith Stadium [6]

Footnotes

References

General
Specific
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  84. ^ "Opening Day 1946". Retrosheet. Retrieved 2009-02-21.
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