In June of 1912, after being unable to return for his 23rd season, Cy Young headed to his farm in Peoli, Ohio, when he “wrote” an article for The Associated Press comparing players from the country versus those who grew up in cities:
“Other things being equal—and by ‘other things’ I mean natural ability, baseball brains and nerve—I would pick the country boy in place of the city chap for my ball team.”
Cy Young
Young said:
“I am not saying this because I am from the country and return here on the slightest provocation. Still, I believe the fact that I was born and raised on a farm (not two miles from this spot, by the way) is largely responsible for myself as a pitcher.”
Comparing himself to “city” pitchers, Young said:
“I was naturally rugged, and my farm work as a boy tended to make me more so. I have seen other pitchers who seemed to have a lot more stuff than I had fail, for the reason that they were lacking in reserve power.
“They would go along splendidly for a few innings, but when the real test came they were lost sight of, and now are all but forgotten, whereas they had the same early training I received they might have remained in the game as long as I have.”
Cy and friend
And Young was buying any claims that players from the city were smarter:
“The argument that city boys think faster and are more independent is not a good one. In fact, I believe it is entirely wrong. The country boy must think as fast and as often as the boy in the city, and he is thrown upon his own resources much oftener.
“All in all, give me the boy from the country—the boy who have survived the hard knocks—for a diamond star.”
Despite his desire to always return to farm at “the slightest provocation,” Young worked out throughout the summer of 1912 with designs on getting back to the major leagues.
He told a reporter:
“I am not broken down by any means. I am still better than three-fourths of the pitchers in the league…I am going to get up a couple of country games and pitch them, too. Then if I am right I am going to report to (Boston Braves Manager Johnny) Kling…(D)on’t think I am through yet.”
Despite his best efforts in the summer of 1912, the “country boy” had played his final major league game.
Baseball History Daily 
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