What Happened on May 5th – Cy Young’s Perfect Game

Cy Young, Perfect Game

On May 5, 1904, pitcher, Cy Young of the Boston Red Sox throws a perfect game against the Detroit Tigers.  The Tigers had a future hall famer on the mound too, Rube Waddell.  It was the first perfect game of the modern era.  For Cy Young, it was the second of three total no-hitters that he would experience and his only perfect game.  A perfect game is no hits and no walks.  Basically, everyone that came up to bat against Young was put out by the Red Sox.

The following is a virtual baseball card for Cy Young

• Denton True Young (Cyrus was a nickname poking fun at his country ways)
• Born March 29, 1867
• Gilmore, Ohio
• Professional baseball, Canton Ohio 1890
• Earned $60 a month
• Acquired by Cleveland Spiders and earned $200 per month

Cy Young, 1891

• The nickname Cyrus shortened to CY soon became short for Cyclone.
• Part of 111 player lured away from National League to form the American League in 1901
• Lead the Boston Americans (soon changed to Red Sox) to the first World Series in 1903

World Series 1903

• Retired after his 906th game which was the most games played by a pitcher at that time.
• All time leader in wins with 511 and in losses with 316.
• 22 season in major league baseball
• 749 complete games which is 110 more than his closest competitor