Recap
The Washington Nationals were the first important baseball club in the nation's capital. They played part of one season or parts of two seasons in the National Association, the first professional league, so they are considered a major league team by those who count the NA as a major league. Several baseball clubs in Washington have used the historic name Nationals.
The team played their home games at the Nationals Grounds and the Olympics Grounds. They joined National Association of Professional Base Ball Players in 1872, playing 11 games, and played 39 games in 1873. According to Baseball-Reference, the franchise was named the Washington Blue Legs for the 1873 season. Following poor on-field results over that period, the team disbanded after the 1873 season. The team was revived for the 1875 season, but failed after one year.