Cy Young Award on Baseball Almanac

Cy Young Award

The Cy Young Award was Commissioner Ford Frick's idea to honor the best pitcher in Major League Baseball. Hard lessons were learned by the Chalmers Award earlier in history so the recipients of the Cy Young Award were selected by the Baseball Writers Association of America from the beginning.

Note: During the first eleven years (1956 - 1966), only one winner from Major League Baseball was selected. Immediately after Commissioner Frick retired, the rules were changed to honor the best pitcher from each league.

"I didn't cheat when I won the twenty-five games in 1961. I don't want anybody to get any ideas and take my Cy Young Award away. And, I didn't cheat in 1963 when I won twenty-four games. Well, maybe just a little." - Whitey Ford in Slick (1987)

Cy Young Award American League Recipients Photo of a Cy Young Award In Chronological Order / Historical A.L. Vote Analysis
Year	Name(s)	Team	Threw	W-L	ERA	IP	SO	SV
1958	Bob Turley ⁽¹⁾	New York	R	21-7	2.97	245.1	168	1
1959	Early Wynn ⁽¹⁾	Chicago	R	22-10	3.17	255.2	179	0
1961	Whitey Ford ⁽¹⁾	New York	L	25-4	3.21	283.0	209	0
1964	Dean Chance ⁽¹⁾	Los Angeles	R	20-9	1.65	278.1	207	4
1967	Jim Lonborg ⁽¹⁾	Boston	R	22-9	3.16	273.1	246	0
1968	Denny McLain ⁽¹⁾	Detroit	R	31-6	1.96	336.0	280	0
1969	Mike Cuellar ⁽¹⁾	Baltimore	L	23-11	2.38	290.2	182	0
1969	Denny McLain ⁽²⁾	Detroit	R	24-9	2.80	325.0	181	0
1970	Jim Perry ⁽¹⁾	Minnesota	R	24-12	3.03	279.0	168	0
1971	Vida Blue ⁽¹⁾	Oakland	L	24-8	1.82	312.0	301	0
1972	Gaylord Perry ⁽¹⁾	Cleveland	R	24-16	1.92	343.0	234	1
1973	Jim Palmer ⁽¹⁾	Baltimore	R	22-9	2.40	296.0	158	0
1974	Catfish Hunter ⁽¹⁾	Oakland	R	25-12	2.49	318.0	143	0
1975	Jim Palmer ⁽²⁾	Baltimore	R	23-11	2.09	323.0	193	0
1976	Jim Palmer ⁽³⁾	Baltimore	R	22-13	2.51	315.0	159	0
1977	Sparky Lyle ⁽¹⁾	New York	L	13-5	2.17	137.0	68	26
1978	Ron Guidry ⁽¹⁾	New York	L	25-3	1.74	273.2	248	0
1979	Mike Flanagan ⁽¹⁾	Baltimore	L	23-9	3.08	266.0	190	0
1980	Steve Stone ⁽¹⁾	Baltimore	R	25-7	3.23	251.0	149	0
1981	Rollie Fingers ⁽¹⁾	Milwaukee	R	6-3	1.04	78.0	61	28
1982	Pete Vuckovich ⁽¹⁾	Milwaukee	R	18-6	3.34	223.2	105	0
1983	La Marr Hoyt ⁽¹⁾	Chicago	R	24-10	3.66	260.2	148	0
1984	Willie Hernandez ⁽¹⁾	Detroit	L	9-3	1.92	140.1	112	32
1985	Bret Saberhagen ⁽¹⁾	Kansas City	R	20-6	2.87	235.1	158	0
1986	Roger Clemens ⁽¹⁾	Boston	R	24-4	2.48	254.0	238	0
1987	Roger Clemens ⁽²⁾	Boston	R	20-9	2.97	281.2	256	0
1988	Frank Viola ⁽¹⁾	Minnesota	L	24-7	2.64	255.1	193	0
1989	Bret Saberhagen ⁽²⁾	Kansas City	R	23-6	2.16	262.1	193	0
1990	Bob Welch ⁽¹⁾	Oakland	R	27-6	2.95	238.0	127	0
1991	Roger Clemens ⁽³⁾	Boston	R	18-10	2.62	271.1	241	0
1992	Dennis Eckersley ⁽¹⁾	Oakland	R	7-1	1.91	80.0	93	51
1993	Jack McDowell ⁽¹⁾	Chicago	R	22-10	3.37	256.2	158	0
1994	David Cone ⁽¹⁾	Kansas City	R	16-5	2.94	171.2	132	0
1995	Randy Johnson ⁽¹⁾	Seattle	L	18-2	2.48	214.1	294	0
1996	Pat Hentgen ⁽¹⁾	Toronto	R	20-10	3.22	265.2	177	0
1997	Roger Clemens ⁽⁴⁾	Toronto	R	21-7	2.05	264.0	292	0
1998	Roger Clemens ⁽⁵⁾	Toronto	R	20-6	2.65	234.2	271	0
1999	Pedro Martinez ⁽²⁾	Boston	R	23-4	2.07	213.1	313	0
2000	Pedro Martinez ⁽³⁾	Boston	R	18-6	1.74	217.0	284	0
2001	Roger Clemens ⁽⁶⁾	New York	R	20-3	3.51	220.1	213	0
2002	Barry Zito ⁽¹⁾	Oakland	L	23-5	2.75	229.1	182	0
2003	Roy Halladay ⁽¹⁾	Toronto	R	22-7	3.25	266.0	204	0
2004	Johan Santana ⁽¹⁾	Minnesota	L	20-6	2.61	228.0	265	0
2005	Bartolo Colon ⁽¹⁾	Anaheim	R	21-8	3.48	222.2	157	0
2006	Johan Santana ⁽²⁾	Minnesota	L	19-6	2.77	233.2	245	0
2007	C.C. Sabathia ⁽¹⁾	Cleveland	L	19-7	3.21	241.0	209	0
2008	Cliff Lee ⁽¹⁾	Cleveland	L	22-3	2.54	223.1	170	0
2009	Zack Greinke ⁽¹⁾	Kansas City	R	16-8	2.16	229.1	242	0
2010	Felix Hernandez ⁽¹⁾	Seattle	R	13-12	2.27	249.2	232	0
2011	Justin Verlander ⁽¹⁾	Detroit	R	24-5	2.40	251.0	250	0
2012	Not Yet Announced^(11-2012)	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
Year	Name(s)	Team	Threw	W-L	ERA	IP	SO	SV
American League Cy Young Award \| Bold=Unanimous

Cy Young Award National League Recipients Photo of a Cy Young Award In Chronological Order / Historical N.L. Vote Analysis
Year	Name(s)	Team	Threw	W-L	ERA	IP	SO	SV
1956	Don Newcombe ⁽¹⁾	Brooklyn	R	27-7	3.06	268.0	139	0
1957	Warren Spahn ⁽¹⁾	Milwaukee	L	21-11	2.69	271.0	111	3
1960	Vern Law ⁽¹⁾	Pittsburgh	R	20-9	3.08	271.2	120	0
1962	Don Drysdale ⁽¹⁾	Los Angeles	R	25-9	2.83	314.1	232	1
1963	Sandy Koufax ⁽¹⁾	Los Angeles	L	25-5	1.88	311.0	306	0
1965	Sandy Koufax ⁽²⁾	Los Angeles	L	26-8	2.04	335.2	382	2
1966	Sandy Koufax ⁽³⁾	Los Angeles	L	27-9	1.73	323.0	317	0
1967	Mike McCormick ⁽¹⁾	San Francisco	L	22-10	2.85	262.1	150	0
1968	Bob Gibson ⁽¹⁾	St. Louis	R	22-9	1.12	304.2	268	0
1969	Tom Seaver ⁽¹⁾	New York	R	25-7	2.21	273.1	208	0
1970	Bob Gibson ⁽²⁾	St. Louis	R	23-7	3.12	294.0	274	0
1971	Fergie Jenkins ⁽¹⁾	Chicago	R	24-13	2.77	325.0	263	0
1972	Steve Carlton ⁽¹⁾	Philadelphia	L	27-10	1.97	346.1	310	0
1973	Tom Seaver ⁽²⁾	New York	R	19-10	2.08	290.0	251	0
1974	Mike Marshall ⁽¹⁾	Los Angeles	R	15-12	2.42	208.1	143	21
1975	Tom Seaver ⁽³⁾	New York	R	22-9	2.38	280.1	243	0
1976	Randy Jones ⁽¹⁾	San Diego	L	22-14	2.74	315.1	93	0
1977	Steve Carlton ⁽²⁾	Philadelphia	L	23-10	2.64	283.0	198	0
1978	Gaylord Perry ⁽²⁾	San Diego	R	21-6	2.73	260.2	154	0
1979	Bruce Sutter ⁽¹⁾	Chicago	R	6-6	2.22	101.1	110	37
1980	Steve Carlton ⁽³⁾	Philadelphia	L	24-9	2.34	304.0	286	0
1981	Fernando Valenzuela ⁽¹⁾	Los Angeles	L	13-7	2.48	192.1	180	0
1982	Steve Carlton ⁽⁴⁾	Philadelphia	L	23-11	3.10	295.2	286	0
1983	John Denny ⁽¹⁾	Philadelphia	R	19-6	2.37	242.2	139	0
1984	Rick Sutcliffe ⁽¹⁾	Chicago	R	16-1	2.69	150.1	155	0
1985	Dwight Gooden ⁽¹⁾	New York	R	24-4	1.53	276.2	268	0
1986	Mike Scott ⁽¹⁾	Houston	R	18-10	2.22	275.1	306	0
1987	Steve Bedrosian ⁽¹⁾	Philadelphia	R	5-3	2.83	89.0	74	40
1988	Orel Hershiser ⁽¹⁾	Los Angeles	R	23-8	2.26	267.0	178	1
1989	Mark Davis ⁽¹⁾	San Diego	L	4-3	1.85	92.2	92	44
1990	Doug Drabek ⁽¹⁾	Pittsburgh	R	22-6	2.76	231.1	131	0
1991	Tom Glavine ⁽¹⁾	Atlanta	L	20-11	2.55	246.2	192	0
1992	Greg Maddux ⁽¹⁾	Chicago	R	20-11	2.18	268.0	199	0
1993	Greg Maddux ⁽²⁾	Atlanta	R	20-10	2.36	267.0	197	0
1994	Greg Maddux ⁽³⁾	Atlanta	R	16-6	1.56	202.0	156	0
1995	Greg Maddux ⁽⁴⁾	Atlanta	R	19-2	1.63	209.2	181	0
1996	John Smoltz ⁽¹⁾	Atlanta	R	24-8	2.94	253.2	176	0
1997	Pedro Martinez ⁽¹⁾	Montreal	R	17-8	1.90	241.1	305	0
1998	Tom Glavine ⁽²⁾	Atlanta	L	20-6	2.47	229.1	157	0
1999	Randy Johnson ⁽²⁾	Arizona	L	17-9	2.48	271.2	364	0
2000	Randy Johnson ⁽³⁾	Arizona	L	19-7	2.64	248.2	347	0
2001	Randy Johnson ⁽⁴⁾	Arizona	L	21-6	2.49	249.2	372	0
2002	Randy Johnson ⁽⁵⁾	Arizona	L	24-5	2.32	260.0	334	0
2003	Eric Gagne ⁽¹⁾	Los Angeles	R	2-3	1.20	82.1	137	55
2004	Roger Clemens ⁽⁷⁾	Houston	R	18-4	2.98	214.1	218	0
2005	Chris Carpenter ⁽¹⁾	St. Louis	R	21-5	2.83	241.2	213	0
2006	Brandon Webb ⁽¹⁾	Arizona	R	16-8	3.10	235.0	178	0
2007	Jake Peavy ⁽¹⁾	San Diego	R	19-6	2.54	223.1	240	0
2008	Tim Lincecum ⁽¹⁾	San Francisco	R	18-5	2.62	227.0	265	0
2009	Tim Lincecum ⁽²⁾	San Francisco	R	15-7	2.48	225.1	261	0
2010	Roy Halladay ⁽²⁾	Philadelphia	R	21-10	2.44	250.2	219	0
2011	Clayton Kershaw ⁽¹⁾	Los Angeles	L	21-5	2.28	233.1	248	0
2012	Not Yet Announced^(11-2012)	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
Year	Name(s)	Team	Threw	W-L	ERA	IP	SO	SV
National League Cy Young Award \| Bold=Unanimous

In 1957 Warren Spahn became the first left-handed pitcher to receive the Cy Young Award. Do you believe he was the most dominant lefty in Major League history? Discuss this and other issues on our baseball message boards.

Who was the oldest winner? In 1978 Gaylord Perry became the oldest pitcher (forty years thirty-five days) to receive the Cy Young Award. In 2004, at forty-two years young Roger Clemens won his record setting seventh Cy Young Award and broke Perry's record.

Did you know that in 1974 Mike Marshall of the Los Angeles Dodgers became the first relief-pitcher to receive / earn the Cy Young Award?

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