Early Wynn, nicknamed "Gus", was a right-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, and Chicago White Sox, during his 23-year MLB career. Wynn was identified as one of the most intimidating pitchers in the game, having combined his powerful fastball with a hard attitude toward batters. 

Wynn signed with the Senators at the age of 17, deciding to forgo completing his high school education to begin pursuing a baseball career. In 1955, he was selected to his first of eight straight All-Star Games. Traded to the White Sox after the 1957 season, Wynn won the 1959 Cy Young Award, leading the AL with 22 wins as the team won the AL pennant. At 39, he became the oldest pitcher to win the award, and he was not passed for 19 years.  As of August 2020, he is one of 23 MLB pitchers to win 300 games.

After his retirement as a player, Wynn served as a pitching coach for the Indians from 1964 to 1966 and the MN Twins from 1967 to 1969. He later was a broadcaster for the Toronto Blue Jays and White Sox. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.