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I recently visited the grave of a neighbor I didn't realize was so famous or so revered by baseball fans. I should have known but I am not sports oriented or subject to exchanging sports information with those who are. I get bored by sports like my grandsons get bored with talk of hard work and individualism and patriotism and self sufficiency. I had gone to Peoli, Ohio, to visit an entirely different grave and to find stories about an entirely different personality. Strange how one thing leads to another. My original mission was to do something nice for someone and I wound up opening up a whole new world to myself and now hopefully to others. At least I can share with my sporting friends the little I have found out about one of their legends.
The following is extracted from Wikipedia:
Denton True "Cy" Young (March 29, 1867 – November 4, 1955) was an American baseball player who pitched for five different major league teams from 1890 to 1911. He established numerous professional pitching records during his 22-year career in the majors, some of which have stood for a century. Young retired with 511 career wins, the most in MLB history and 94 more wins than Walter Johnson, who is second on the list.
In honor of Young's contributions to Major League Baseball, MLB created the Cy Young Award, an annual award given to the pitcher voted the most effective in each of the two leagues. The Baseball Hall of Fame elected Young in 1939. During his professional career, Young won at least 30 games in a season five times, with ten other seasons of 20+ wins. He also pitched three no-hitters, including the first perfect game of baseball's "modern era."[1][a]
Friends and admirers of this Baseball Great can be assured that Cy is buried right where he would wish to be. He is in the cemetery adjacent to the quaint Peoli Church that is now used for community activities but does not permit any religious promotion on the grounds. (That is another story I must pursue when the opportunity arises.) The grounds are immaculate and well tended. The view is of the high ridges of the Ohio hills prevalent on this northern edge of the Appalachians. His wife, Roba Miller Young, lies at his side. Going on the name Roba Miller, I suppose Roba is now in the center of her birth community. The area has recently become the center for a large Amish community in Muskingum County, Ohio.
One strange thing was observed and could not be entirely explained by residents who live nearby. On the top of the grave stone was a circle made up of nickles with a pebble in the center. Just 25 or 30 cents but placed there as some kind of tribute or donation. The small group of Peolians that accompanied us said that although there was an established fund for the upkeep of the cemetery and for Cy Young's grave in particular, someone continued to leave nickles, only nickles, on top of the stone. Knowing how the Amish love any kind of ball game but especially Baseball I would guess the nickles were tributes from the young Amish who visit the grave. I hope we didn't spoil their custom for there were several quarters among the coins when we left.
You never know where or when you are going to come across a story that others may like to hear or read. Sometimes you see the story but don't even realize it would be of interest to others. I would like to suggest that all who come here and read this think about how they could contribute to all of us. Everybody has at least one story to tell. Won't you please share yours?
