Cy Young
His name is synonymous with pitching excellence, awarded annually to the best pitcher in baseball.
1867–1955 (age 88)·American baseball player·Birthday: March 29·The Gilded Age
Biography
Born on an Ohio farm, Denton True Young developed the arm strength that would define a generation of baseball by heaving rocks and hay bales. He broke into the majors with the Cleveland Spiders in 1890, his fastball earning him the nickname 'Cyclone,' later shortened to 'Cy.' For over two decades, Young was an iron man on the mound, routinely pitching complete games and amassing records that seem untouchable in the modern era. His durability and skill were instrumental in the Boston Americans' victory in the first modern World Series in 1903. After retiring in 1911, his legacy was cemented when the award for pitching supremacy was named in his honor, ensuring his impact on the game would be measured forever.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
Cy was born in 1867, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1867
Cy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1867Born
President: Andrew Johnson
1872Started school
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1880Became a teenager
Edison patents the incandescent light bulb
President: Rutherford B. Hayes
1883Could drive
President: Chester A. Arthur
1885Could vote
Karl Benz builds the first gasoline-powered automobile
President: Grover Cleveland
1888Turned 21
President: Grover Cleveland
1897Turned 30
President: William McKinley
1907Turned 40
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1917Turned 50
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1927Turned 60
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1937Turned 70
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1947Turned 80
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1955Died at 88
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
Key Achievements
- Holds the MLB records for most career wins (511) and most complete games pitched (749).
- Pitched three no-hitters, including a perfect game in 1904.
- Won over 30 games in a season five times, leading his league in wins five times.
- Was a key player for the Boston Americans when they won the inaugural World Series in 1903.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Cy' is short for 'Cyclone,' a reference to the speed of his fastball.
He once pitched a no-hitter at the age of 41.
The Cy Young Award was created in 1956, a year after his death.
“Pitching is simple. You just throw the ball and the catcher catches it.”
