Cy Falkenberg

Frederick Peter Falkenberg

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 5", Weight 180 lb.
• School University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Debut April 21, 1903
• Final Game July 4, 1917
• Born December 17, 1879 in Chicago, IL USA
• Died April 14, 1961 in San Francisco, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

"Cy Falkenberg is proving the greatest comeback pitcher in history." - Sporting Life, Sept. 27, 1913

Cy Falkenberg had his best years back-to-back in 1913 and 1914 after learning to pitch the emery ball. In 1913, he went 23-10 for the Cleveland Naps and then jumped to the Federal League where he went 25-16 for the Indianapolis Hoosiers in 1914. In both years he had an ERA of 2.22.

Although his last name may sound German, he was born in Chicago, IL in a family of immigrants from Norway.

Falkenberg, while with the Indians, was a teammate of both the veteran Nap Lajoie, who was six years older, and of the youngster Joe Jackson, who was nine years younger. Falkenberg's real name was not "Cy", so presumably he was nicknamed after Cy Young, who had been a great Cleveland pitcher in the 1890s. Young came back to Cleveland in 1909 and was a teammate of Falkenberg for three years. On September 23, 1905, he gave up the first homer of Ty Cobb's career; it was also the first time he had given up a homer to anyone.

Falkenberg also had considerable success in the minors. In 1902 with Worcester he went 18-11 and the following April, in 1903 he was up in the majors for the first time, pitching 10 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1912 he was 25-8 for the Toledo Mud Hens. In 1916 he won 19 games for the Indianapolis Indians, and followed that with an 11-6 year for the team. Even in his last season, split between the Oakland Oaks and Seattle Rainiers at age 39, he won 15 games, good for second highest on either team.

Falky has exceeded the most sanguine expectations. He started the season by winning ten straight games . . . (after that) in his last six games out, 54 innings in all, he has allowed exactly two runs, winning all six games handily. Falky had a string of 35 consecutive scoreless innings . . . when Sam Crawford tripled and scored." - Sporting Life, Sept. 27, 1913

Notable Achievements

• FL Games Pitched Leader (1914)
• FL Innings Pitched Leader (1914)
• FL Shutouts Leader (1914)
• FL Strikeouts Leader (1914)
• 15 Wins Seasons: 2 (1913 & 1914)
• 20 Wins Seasons: 2 (1913 & 1914)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 6 (1906, 1907, 1910 & 1913-1915)
• 300 Innings Pitched Seasons: 1 (1914)
• 200 Strikeouts Seasons: 1 (1914)

Related Sites

• Cy Falkenberg at the SABR Bio Project