Cy Young

Cy Young

Tuscarawas County farm boy who won 511 major league games, the most of any pitcher, and whose name is on baseball's top pitching award.

Born March 29, 1867, Gilmore, Washington Township
Died November 4, 1955, Benedum farm near Peoli (Newcomerstown area)

Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

Born: March 29, 1867, Gilmore, Washington Township (Tuscarawas County) source
Died: November 4, 1955, Benedum farm near Peoli (Newcomerstown area) (Tuscarawas County) source
Buried: Peoli Cemetery, Peoli (Tuscarawas County) source
Also known as: Cy Young, Dent Young, Farmer Young
Education: Local school, Gilmore, OH, to sixth grade
Known as: Sports
Organizations: Cleveland Spiders, Cleveland Naps, Boston Americans

Life story

Denton True Young was born in Gilmore, Tuscarawas County, in 1867 to McKinzie Young Jr. and Nancy Mottmiller. He finished only the sixth grade before working on the family farm.

He pitched for semi-pro teams and began as a pro with the Canton Nadjys in 1890, then debuted in the majors on August 6, 1890, with the Cleveland Spiders. In 1892 he led the National League in wins (36), ERA and shutouts.

He threw a no-hitter in 1897, a perfect game on May 5, 1904, and a third no-hitter in 1908, and won the 1903 World Series with the Boston Americans. He finished with 511 wins, was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1937, and died in 1955. The Cy Young Award was created the next year.

Ohio ties

Gilmore (1867-1885, 1887-1890)
birthplace and boyhood farm Tuscarawas County · source
Canton (1890)
pitched for the Canton Nadjys of the Tri-State League Stark County · source
Cleveland (1890-1898, 1909-1911)
pitcher for the Cleveland Spiders and Cleveland Naps Cuyahoga County · source
Cleveland (1913)
manager of the Cleveland Green Sox Cuyahoga County · source
Peoli, Washington Township (1933-1955)
lived with John and Ruth Benedum on their farm; died there Tuscarawas County · source
Newcomerstown (1955-present)
memorial park, state marker and museum artifacts Tuscarawas County · source

Timeline

1867 Born March 29 in Gilmore, Tuscarawas County. source
1885 Family moved to Nebraska, returning to Gilmore in 1887. source
1890 Pitched for Canton in the Tri-State League, then had his contract sold to the Cleveland Spiders. source
1892 Married Roba (Robba) Miller. source
1899 Spiders owner Frank DeHaas Robison, who also owned St. Louis, moved him to St. Louis. source
1904 Threw a perfect game for Boston against Philadelphia on May 5. source
1909 Returned to Cleveland, pitching for the Naps until his release in August 1911. source
1916 Ran for Tuscarawas County treasurer. source
1933 His wife Roba died; he later moved in with the Benedum family near Peoli. source
1937 Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. source
1955 Died November 4 at the Benedum farmhouse about half a mile from his grave. source
1956 Major League Baseball created the Cy Young Award. source
1964 The Cy Young memorial was installed in Newcomerstown. source

What Cy is known for

511 career wins, the MLB record
Pitched for Cleveland Spiders 1890-98 and Cleveland Naps 1909-11, plus St. Louis and Boston
Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame 1937; Cy Young Award created 1956
511 career wins
Perfect game, 1904
Three no-hitters

Stories

Twenty-two years with the Benedums

After Roba Young died in 1933, the retired pitcher tried several jobs and then moved in with friends John and Ruth Benedum, doing odd jobs around their farm near Peoli. He spent the rest of his life there. He died on November 4, 1955, in the red farmhouse about half a mile up the road from the cemetery where he is buried. His own house outside Peoli still stands, owned by an Amish family who use it for livestock. The Peoli post office closed the year after he died.

Source

The winged baseball at Peoli

Young's headstone in the 1.8-acre Peoli Cemetery, beside a small brick church on a hilltop, is topped by a winged baseball and carries his name and Roba's. Roba's family, the Millers, are buried nearby. Visitors leave baseballs, caps and sunflower seeds, and a sign on the church calls it the resting place of Cy Young. According to the Newcomerstown Historical Society, Cy Young Award winners including Vida Blue and Dwight Gooden have come to pay respects. The stone and the 1964 Newcomerstown memorial both carry career totals that differ from today's official record.

Source

Honors and things named for them

Baseball Hall of Fame, 1937
Cy Young Award named for him, 1956
MLB All-Century Team, 1999

Named for Cy Young

Cy Young Memorial Park (Newcomerstown, Tuscarawas County) source
Cy Young Days Festival (fourth weekend in June) (Newcomerstown, Tuscarawas County) source

Family

father: McKinzie Young Jr.
mother: Nancy Mottmiller
wife: Roba (d. 1933)

Sites to know

Homes, graves, markers, museums and monuments; the numbered ones are on the map.

1 Cy Young grave, Peoli Cemetery
Peoli Tuscarawas County · source
Cy Young Memorial Park and Ohio historical marker
Newcomerstown (N. College St. at US 36) Tuscarawas County · source
Olde Main Street Museum (Newcomerstown Historical Society)
Newcomerstown Tuscarawas County · source
Cy Young house outside Peoli (private)
near Peoli Tuscarawas County · source

Places in Ohio to see

Peoli Cemetery (grave) (grave)
Peoli, Tuscarawas County ZIP 43832 (approximate) · Tuscarawas County · official page

Ohio places

Where Cy Young was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.

Born: Gilmore, Tuscarawas County ZIP 43832 · Tuscarawas County
Buried: Peoli (Peoli Cemetery), Tuscarawas County ZIP 43832 · Tuscarawas County

Myths and corrections

Things often said about Cy Young, and what the record shows.

Often said Cy Young is buried in Newcomerstown.

The record The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History says Newcomerstown, but his grave is in Peoli Cemetery in Washington Township, about 11 miles away. Newcomerstown is his memorial park and his death-certificate town. source

Often said He got the nickname Cy because his fastball wrecked fences like a cyclone.

The record This is the standard story and Wikipedia repeats it, but it rests on reporters' anecdotes from his Canton tryout rather than any documented record. source

Disputed: One source calls his burial place New Peoli Cemetery, about 11 miles from Newcomerstown, with an address near Port Washington. Other accounts place it at Peoli Cemetery in the Newcomerstown area.

Pictures

Free to use with the credit shown. Select a picture for the original and its license.

Major League Baseball player Cy Young
Public domain
Cy Young Cabinet Card
Public domain
1898 Cleveland Spiders baseball teamBack row, left to right: Fred Frank, Emmet Heidrick, Cy Young, Zeke Wilson...
Public domain
1898 Cleveland Spiders baseball teamTop row, left to right: Sport McAllister, Emmet Heidrick, Cy Young, George...
Public domain
Cy Young of the 1898 Cleveland Spiders at spring training in Hot Springs, Arkansas, March 1899
Public domain
Denton True "Cy" Young, head-and-shoulders portrait, facing left, wearing Boston Americans baseball team unifo...
Public domain
Baseball Player, Cy Young, Boston Americans, standing by grandstand concourse netting[1903]
Public domain
Accession No.: 06_06_000035 Title: Players at Boston Red Sox Spring Training in Little Rock Arkansas Creator: ...
Public domain
Baseball player "Old" Cy Young, Boston, standing on the field at South Side Park（1908）
Public domain
Cy Young of the Boston Red Sox on Cy Young Day. At age forty-one, on August 13, 1908, Young was honored with h...
Public domain
While this image was taken in 1908 (he is wearing his Boston Red Sox uniform) it originates from Cleveland and...
Public domain
Public domain