Boston Red Sox Mount Rushmore

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Cy Young (1901-1908)

Typically, when a pitcher turns 34 years old, they are in the downside of their career. That was not the case with Cy Young.

He had changed his pitching style by that point, going away from his fastball to a heavier usage of his breaking pitches and curve. Coupled with his excellent command, he was able to keep opponents off balance, helping him lead the American League in wins in each of the league’s first three years of existence.

Young was able to help bring legitimacy to the AL. One of the pitching stars of the 1890s, Young had been one of the biggest names in the game. His ability to continue to pitch well helped the American League take off, and he continued to make history as the first player to throw a pitch in the modern World Series.

During his time with the Red Sox, Young furthered his Hall of Fame credentials. He posted an excellent 192-112 record, with a 2.00 ERA and a 0.970 WHiP. Young completed 275 of his 297 starts, accounting for 2728.1 innings. In that time, he struck out 1341 batters with only 299 walks.

Cy Young was one of the more durable pitchers in baseball history. During his time with the Boston Red Sox, he proved he was still a star in his late 30s and early 40s.