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The American League Cy Young Award, first presented in 1956, has honored some of baseball’s most dominant arms, many of whom later earned a place in the Hall of Fame. Icons like Jim Palmer, Gaylord Perry, Catfish Hunter, and Pedro Martínez turned Cy Young glory into Cooperstown immortality, while modern stars like Roger Clemens and Justin Verlander have built award-filled résumés that define pitching excellence. As in the NL, not every winner becomes a Hall of Famer, but the award often marks a career’s peak performance on the mound.