Cy Falkenberg is born in Chicago, Illinois.

Born Frederick Peter Falkenberg, he spent 12 years in the Majors, including five in Cleveland with the Naps from 1908 to 1913, and presumably earned the nickname Cy after his future teammate in Cleveland, Cy Young.

The 6’5” right-hander was primarily a starter with moderate success, debuting in ten games for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1903. He returned to the Majors in 1905 with Washington and spent parts of four seasons with the club before being purchased from the Senators by the Naps in Cleveland from 1908 to 1911. He played in the minors in 1912, when he was 25-8 with Toledo, before returning to Cleveland to win 23 games in 1913. He also helped champion the use of the “emery ball” in the big leagues that year.

Unable to come to a contract agreement after his breakout season, he was offered a substantial raise in the Federal League and jumped to the outlaw organization for 1914, winning 25 games for the Indianapolis Hoosiers. He would play two years in that league before heading to the American Association and later, a brief return to the Majors with the Philadelphia Athletics.