Deaf People in History: Dummy Hoy!

Hoy grew up in Ohio and attended the Ohio School for the Deaf after contracting meningitis at the age of three. While owning a shoe repair store and playing baseball on the weekends for his local team, he was the third deaf player to be picked up for the Major Leagues after signing with the Washington Nationals.

“Dummy” Hoy was 5’4″, batted with a left hand, and was fast. His career is full of impressive stats, including stealing bases and even holds the record for most outs thrown to home plate in a game! (And it’s only been tied twice!) He ended up playing in four different major leagues, including for the Buffalo Bisons, the Chicago White Sox, and the Cincinnati Reds. He even had a famous faceoff between another deaf player, “Dummy” Taylor of the New York Giants (a pitcher), and hit twice!

Check out some of these stats:

• Shortest major baseball outfielder in history – 5’4″ tall
• Ranked equally to Joe DiMaggio and Willie Mays
• During Hoy’s rookie year, he stole 82 bases.  Total career 607 stolen bases
• Lifetime batting average of .292
• Lifetime career stats:
  1. Hits – 2054
  2. Walks – 1,004
  3. Played – 1,798 games
  4. Proudest Achievement:  Threw out 3 batters at home plate in one game
  5. Taught his teammates how to communicate in sign language
  6. Had a pioneering role in the creation of the hand signal

 

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