Cy Young (athlete) facts for kids
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| Born | July 23, 1928 Modesto, California, US |
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| Died | December 6, 2017 (aged 89) Modesto, California, US |
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| Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Cy C. Young Jr. (born July 23, 1928 – died December 6, 2017) was an American athlete. He was famous for competing in the javelin throw. Cy Young is the only American man to ever win an Olympic gold medal in this event.
Contents
Early Life and Javelin Beginnings
Cy Young was born and grew up in Modesto, California. When he was a boy, he had asthma.
He first tried the javelin throw at Modesto Junior College. He attended college there for two years. Cy started throwing seriously after he went to UCLA in 1948. In 1950, he came in second place at the NCAA championships.
Cy Young finished his studies at UCLA in 1951. In 1952, he set a new US record for the javelin. He threw it 256 feet 4 inches (78.13 meters)!
Olympic Champion
At age 24, Cy Young competed for the US at the 1952 Summer Olympic Games. These games were held in Helsinki, Finland. He won the gold medal in the javelin throw on his birthday! This was a huge achievement.
Cy continued to throw the javelin after his Olympic win. Four years later, he prepared to defend his Olympic title. In April 1956, he had his best throw ever. He threw the javelin 259 ft 8.5 in (79.159 m). Later that year, he won his only AAU championship.
The 1956 Olympics were held in Melbourne, Australia. This was in the Southern Hemisphere, so the seasons were different. The games were held in late November. This was months after the usual track and field season ended.
Just a few months before the Melbourne Games, a Polish athlete named Janusz Sidło set a new world record. He threw the javelin 274 ft 5.75 in (83.6613 m). Even so, Cy Young was still one of the top favorites for the gold medal.
However, three days before the competition, Cy twisted his ankle. This caused him pain when he planted his leg to throw. On November 26, 21 throwers from 12 countries competed. Cy Young made it to the finals. But he only threw 68.64m, which was not his best. He finished in 11th place.
Awards and Recognition
After his 1952 Olympic win, Cy Young was named Southern California's Athlete of the Year. This award included professional athletes from the region. He almost won the Sullivan Award, missing it by just one vote.
In 1998, Cy Young was added to the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame. He was also honored in the Modesto Junior College Hall of Fame.
Later Life
Cy Young was a farmer, just like his family for many generations. He grew walnuts and almonds. He lived in Modesto with his wife, Elizabeth. His daughter, Jenifer, helped manage his farm business.
Cy Young passed away on December 6, 2017. He was 89 years old. He died due to health issues affecting his brain.
See also
In Spanish: Cyrus Young para niños
