The Beginning of the Griffith Era

October 30, 1911

After meeting with the Washington Senators board of directors, Clark Griffith is named manager of the
Washington Senators baseball club. It is also announced that Clark Griffith became the largest stockholder of the club when he purchased 10% of the club’s stock.

The Senators’ new skipper will have his hands full as he takes over a franchise that has never had a winning season in its eleven year history in the American League. The franchise had a lowly .377 winning percentage in its first eleven years and never finished better than sixth place in the junior circuit.

In his first season as the Senators’ skipper he led the team to an incredible record of 91-61 and finished the 1912 season in second place in the American League. In one season Griffith’s Senators improved by 28 games over the teams 1911 record of 64-90.

Clark Griffith will manage the Senators a total of nine seasons from 1912 to 1920 and compiled a record of 693-646.