The Only Known Scorecard From Cy Young’s 1904 Perfect Game

Here’s the only known scorecard from Cy Young’s 1904 Perfect Game vs. Rube Waddell, the first perfect game in AL History. Sotheby’s offered it in their June 2005 Important Sports Memorabilia and Cards auction.

I’ve never been a big collector of this sort of memorabilia unless the scorecard advertised sports cards, too, but this one is so historically significant that I felt it was worth highlighting.

Here’s the full item description copied from the catalog:

One of the most consistent and durable pitchers the game has ever known, Denton True “Cy” Young won 511 games almost 100 more than any other pitcher in history. He won 30 games five times and topped 20 wins an astounding 15 times. In 1901 Young had his best season and became the fledgling American League’s first superstar, leading the junior circuit in wins, strikeouts and ERA. His greatest single performance, however, would come on May 5, 1904 at the Huntington Avenue Grounds in Boston. In an epic showdown against future Hall of Famer Rube Waddell and the Connie Mack led Athletics Young threw the first perfect game in American League history. In the ninth inning with two outs, Connie Mack sent Waddell (the pitcher) to the plate. Cy Young popped him out on a fly ball to center capping his 3-0 masterpiece. Not a single ball was hit hard by the Athletics and Mack himself commented that this was the most impressive game ever pitched. Young’s extraordinary nine-inning performance was at the center of what may be the most amazing streak of pitching excellence in baseball history. All told, the right-hander pitched 24 consecutive innings without surrendering a hit. Prior to his perfect game on May 5, Young had pitched two hitless innings at the end of a loss on April 25, and seven innings of hitless relief on April 30. In his first outing after blitzing the Athletics, he stretched his hitless streak to 24 innings against Detroit on May 11 In a 1-0 victory, Young failed to allow a hit until future Hall of Fame outfielder Sam Crawford broke the hitless streak with one out in the seventh. Offered here is the only known original scorecard from Cy Young’s historic perfect game on May 5, 1904. The six-page scorecard features pre-printed lineups at the centerfold for that day including pitchers Young and Waddell. Every at-bat has been neatly recorded in pencil by its original owner. A small composite image of the Red Sox team appears on the first page. The interior pages have loosened from the spine, which has been reinforced by clear tape. Minor soiling and general wear do not significantly detract from its presentation quality. Very good condition overall.