Established
1969
City
Montreal – Washington D.C.
League History
2000 – Present / Major League Baseball
1969 – 1999 / National League
Team History
2005 – Present / Washington Nationals
1969 – 2004 / Montreal Expos
Nickname
Nationals – Baseball fans in the nation’s capital have been cheering on the Washington Nationals since 2005, but few know that their nickname has a long and exciting history. The team's name is derived from an earlier major league baseball club founded in 1859 as part of the National Association of Baseball Players. This original incarnation of the “Nationals” competed for nearly two decades before disbanding following financial difficulties associated with America's Civil War.
In 1901, another version of this same franchise joined Major League Baseball (MLB) as a charter member under its new moniker: The Washington Senators. Over time, this team became known affectionately by locals simply as "the Nats," they continued to compete until 1960 when they were relocated to Minnesota and renamed “The Twins."
Though no professional teams were based out of D.C. between 1961-2004 due to MLB expansion rules, residents never lost their love for baseball or forgot about "the Nats." When MLB finally returned to D.C., it made perfect sense for them to rekindle this beloved nickname, thus giving birth once again to The Washington Nationals - now one of the most successful franchises in all sports!
Championship
World Series 1
2019
Stadium
2008 – Present / Nationals Park
2005 – 2007 / Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
*Montreal*
1977 – 2004 / Olympic Stadium
1969 – 1976 / Jarry Park Stadium
Owner
2006 – Present / Theodore N. Lerner
2002 – 2006 / Major League Baseball
1999 – 2002 / Jeffrey Loria
1991 – 1999 / Claude Brochu
1969 – 1991 / Charles Bronfman
- 2001
- 2005
- 2006
- 2008
- 2019
-
MLB Takes Over Ownership Nationals
Without a viable owner willing to operate the team in Montreal, it was widely thought that the sale of the Expos to MLB was the first step in the process of either moving the team or folding it all together. Although their attendance increased from 7,935 per game in 2001 to 10,031 in 2002, MLB decided that the Expos would ... -
Move to Washington
On September 29, 2004, MLB announced that the Expos would move to Washington, D.C. in 2005. The Expos played their final game on October 3 at Shea Stadium, losing by a score of 8–1 against the New York Mets, the same opponent that the Expos first faced at its start, 35 years earlier. On November 15, a lawsuit by the ... -
Ted Lerner Ownership
When Ted Lerner took over the club in mid-2006, he hired Stan Kasten as team president. Kasten was widely known as the architect of the Atlanta Braves before and during their run of 14 division titles. Kasten was also the general manager or president of many other Atlanta-area sports teams, including the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Thrashers. “The Plan”, as ... -
Nationals Park
Finally, on March 5, Major League Baseball signed a lease for a new ballpark, agreeing to the city’s $611 million cap. MLB also agreed to contribute $20 million toward the cost of the stadium, although it did not agree to cover stadium overruns. Further, MLB added the condition that excess ballpark tax revenue earmarked for debt service for the bonds ... -
World Series Winner 2019
The 2019 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) 2019 season. The 115th edition of the World Series was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League champion Houston Astros and the National League champion Washington Nationals. The series was played from October 22 to October 30. The Nationals won the series, four games to three, ...
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Nationals
The Washington Nationals, formerly known as the Montreal Expos, are a Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in the nation’s capital. The franchise was formed in 1969 as the Montreal Expos and moved to Washington, D.C., in 2005; they have been known as the Nationals since then. In its 50-year history, the team has experienced both highs and lows. Still, it is now one of baseball's most successful franchises, with three division titles, four National League East championships, and an appearance at the World Series title game in the 2019 season.
The first decade of existence for the Montreal Expos was marked by great success on the field, led by Hall of Famer Gary Carter, who won two Gold Glove Awards during his time with them from 1974-84 while also leading them to five playoff appearances over that span, including 1981 when they advanced all the way to the National League Championship Series, only to lose out to the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers in a thrilling four games to three series, despite having the best record in the regular season with 81 wins and 59 losses. Despite this early success, however, the franchise had difficulty finding a consistent winning formula afterward, missing the playoffs for 18 years until 2002 when they finished second place in the NL East, just behind the Atlanta Braves, led by future Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero.
The Washington Nationals have become perennial contenders in recent years, primarily due to their strong pitching staff, including Stephen Strasburg, Max Scherzer, Patrick Corbin, and Anibal Sanchez, along with a stellar lineup featuring stars such as Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto, Trea Turner, Victor Robles, and Howie Kendrick, among others. After failing to make the postseason in 2018, despite coming within a single win of clinching a wild card spot in 2017, the Nats bounced back a year later, capturing the NL Pennant before ultimately falling short in a thrilling Game Seven showdown against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on October 30th, 2019. This moment crowned the Astros as the MLB world champs, yet it added another dramatic chapter to the storied history of the Washington Nationals baseball club. They are here to stay for the long haul and are sure to bring many more exciting moments in the near future that fans can look forward to.
Sports Fan Products
Retired Number
42 / Jackie Robinson
*Blue is this team’s history