The Cy Young Award is given annually to the most outstanding pitcher in each league. The award was introduced in 1956 by Commissioner Ford Frick and is named in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young who passed away the previous year. Between 1956 and 1966 there was a single award given to the best pitcher in Major League Baseball. Then in 1967, new Commissioner William Eckert announced that there would be an award given out in both leagues each year. From 1956-1958 a player could only win the award once but starting in 1959 that restriction was removed.

The Cy Young Award is voted on by 28 members of the Baseball Writers Association of America, one voter per MLB city. From the award’s inception through 1969 voters ballots included only a single name. Each name was awarded one point per vote. From 1970 through 2009 each ballot listed, in order, three names with the first receiving 5 points the second receiving 3 and the third and final name receiving 1 point. Since 2010 each ballot lists five names with a scoring system of: Score = 7 * (number of first place votes) + 5 * (number of second place votes) + 3 * (number of third place votes) + 2 * (number of fourth place votes) + (number of fifth place votes).