The Cy Young Award Overview: The Cy Young Award, given annually, honors the best pitchers in Major League Baseball's American League (AL) and National League (NL).
Historical Roots: Established in 1956, the award is named after Hall of Fame pitcher Denton 'Cy' Young, a World Series champion in 1903 with a remarkable 511 career wins.
Award Evolution: Originally, there was only one Cy Young Award for all of MLB, but in 1967, it was split into two separate awards for the AL and NL.
Voting Panel: Winners are decided by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, the same group responsible for choosing recipients for other MLB awards like Most Valuable Player, Manager of the Year, and Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year.
Recurring Achievers: Over almost 70 years, 84 pitchers have won the Cy Young Award, with 21 winning multiple times.
Record Holder: Roger Clemens holds the record for the most Cy Young Awards, winning it seven times across three decades. He's also one of only 11 players to achieve both Cy Young and MVP honors in the same season, accomplishing this feat in 1986.
Consecutive Triumphs: Greg Maddux and Randy Johnson share the record for the most consecutive Cy Young Awards.
Individual Achievements: The Cy Young Award recognizes individual excellence among pitchers, highlighting their outstanding performances throughout the season.