On May 5, 1904, Cy Young threw the first perfect game of the World Series era while pitching for the Boston Americans, later renamed the Red Sox. He struck out 27 consecutive batters in front of over 10,000 fans. This rare feat of pitching a perfect game is one of the most challenging accomplishments in all of sports, with an average of less than 1 per 10,000 games. Young was a dominant force in baseball, winning 511 games over his 22-season career, which remains a record that has never been close to being broken. He was also the ace of the Boston team that won the first World Series in 1903.
Young’s perfect game was part of an impressive streak of dominance that included 25 1/3 consecutive no-hit innings and 45 straight scoreless innings. His 45 innings without allowing a run was matched later in the season by Doc White of the Chicago White Sox. No player in the 119 years since Young has been able to match his record of over 25 innings without yielding a hit. Dennis Eckersley comes in second on the list with 21 consecutive no-hit innings pitched for the Cleveland Indians in 1977.
Baseball has only witnessed a total of 23 perfect games since Young achieved his historic feat in 1904. The rarity of this accomplishment is evident in the fact that only one perfect game has occurred for every 10,260 games played since 1876. The last perfect game in baseball was pitched by Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners in 2012. Young’s legacy as a pitcher is unlikely to ever be matched, with his 511 wins remaining un-approximated. Walter Johnson, with 417 wins, is a distant second to Young.
The 23 perfect games in baseball’s history include two earlier ones in 1880, both pitched under different standards than Young and modern players. The mound was closer to home plate at 45 feet, compared to the 60 feet, 6 inches distance in Young’s era and today. This unique feat of a perfect game has only been achieved a total of 21 times in the World Series era. Young’s perfect game was a significant moment in the history of baseball and remains one of the most memorable highlights of his illustrious career.
Cy Young’s dominance as a pitcher is reflected in the legacy he left in baseball. Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937, he stood as one of the greatest pitchers of all time. His perfect game on May 5, 1904, was considered by Young himself to be his greatest day in baseball. The impact of his record-breaking career and impressive feats continue to be celebrated and recognized by baseball fans and historians alike.
