Senators, Robins, and Pilots (Oh My!) 5/3/20

Hey baseball fans!

Throughout my blogging career, I've written about some old teams, teams that are so old that they had different names than they do currently. So, to make up for all of that confusion, let's talk about what some teams used to be called. I'm not going to go through every MLB team, but I will touch on some of the big name changes.

Boston Americans = Boston Red Sox
The first ever World Series was won by the Boston Red Sox. Eh, well, technically it was the Boston Americans, but it was the Red Sox franchise. The Sox officially became the Sox in 1908, after being the Americans from their inception in 1901-1907.

Brooklyn Robins = Los Angeles Dodgers
Ok, so it's common knowledge that the Dodgers used to be in Brooklyn, but did you also know that the 1917 NL pennant-winning team was called the Brooklyn Robins? Yeah, like the bird. The Dodgers were also called the Trolley Dodgers, the Superbas, and the Bridegrooms (because so many of the players were married).

Washington Senators = Minnesota Twins AND Texas Rangers
Ok, this one is a little trickier than the others. The original Washington Senators, aka the 1924 World Series winners, moved to the Land of 10,000 Lakes before the 1961 season and became the Twins. That same season, a new team in Washington named the Senators started playing in the American League. They move to Texas in 1972 and became the Rangers.

Seattle Pilots = Milwaukee Brewers
The Pilots were one of four expansion teams in 1969, along with the Padres, Royals, and Expos (who we will get to shortly). They spent one season in the Pacific Northwest before getting bought by eventual MLB commissioner Bud Selig in bankruptcy court. In 1970, the Milwaukee Brewers were officially born.

Montreal Expos = Washington Nationals
Ah, yes, the hottest topic when it comes to MLB expansion. The Expos, led by terrible management, were forced to move to DC following the 2004 season, much to the dismay of Quebec. However, with the Rays possibly playing some of their home games north of the border, the Expos could return sooner than one might think.

Bonus: Cincinnati Redlegs = Cincinnati Reds
From 1954-1958, the Reds temporarily changed their name to the Redlegs. Why? Communism! Well, not necessarily, but there were speculations that the word 'red' associated with the franchise with the Soviets. The word was even taken out of their "C" logo, but was brought back in 1961.

Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz," and make sure to keep Vladimir Putin away from Joey Votto at all times.