The Washington club that entered the National League in 1886 was basically the same team that had won the previous season's Eastern League pennant, and the year before that, had played in the Union Association. The club, which was also known as the Statesmen, finished in last place, some 60 games behind first place Chicago, in 1886. That year they acquired a young rookie catcher by the name of Connie Mack who went on to become one of baseball's best defensive catchers (before spending fifty years managing the Philadelphia A's).
The Senators managed to finish next to last in 1887, but then ended up in the basement again in '88 and '89. When eleven of their players jumped to the Players League at the end of the '89 season the club decided to fold rather than get caught up in the impending Players League war.
When the Players League war ended after the 1890 season another Senators club was installed in Washington for the 1891 season, this time as an American Association franchise. The club, which had to start from scratch, went through four managers and several dozen players that year, before ending up in last place some 50 games out of first.
When the American Association was absorbed by the National League after the 1891 season the Senators were moved into the new twelve team N.L. in 1882. The club was owned by two entrepreneur brothers by the name of J. Earl and George Wagner who cared more about making money than they did about putting a good team on the field. When the Wagners weren't busy trading away the club's best players for a profit, they were busy hiring and firing managers. As a result the Senators spent the next eight years wallowing in the second division of National League, never finishing higher than seventh.
When the N.L. cut down to eight clubs after the 1899 season Washington was one of four clubs that were dropped.
When the American League declared itself a major league in 1901, a franchise was installed in Washington, and a new version of the Senators was born. After a sixth place finish in their first season, the club added slugger Ed Delahanty to their lineup. He led the league with 43 doubles and a .376 batting average in 1902 but the Senators still finished in sixth place.
In 1903, following the untimely death of Delahanty, and much squabbling among the club brass, the Senators ended up in last place. And things got worse the following season, not only did they finish in the basement once again, some 55.5 games out of first, but they lost a club record 113 games. What followed was series of last place and next to last place finishes for the next seven years.
In 1907 the Senators signed a young fireballer by the name of Walter Johnson. Johnson would go on to win 417 games in his next twenty-one seasons with the Senators, and is considered by many to be the greatest pitcher of all time.
But the club did not have a winning season until Clark Griffin took over as manager in 1912. Griffin revamped the lineup with younger players and the Senators finished the season in second place with a 91-61 record. Johnson won 33 games that year, and led the league with a 1.39 ERA.
The Senators came in second again in l913. It was Johnson's best season ever, he went 36-7, had a league leading 1.14 ERA, and struck out 243 batters while walking only 38. He also led the league with 11 shutouts.
The Senators slipped out of contention the following season, finishing up in third, some nineteen games out. And, with the exception of a four games back, third place finish in war shortened 1918, the Senators stayed out of contention until 1924 when they finally managed to win their first pennant. (And a 37 year old Walter Johnson got to play in his first World Series.)