Dummy Hoy: Controversy In The MLB
William “Dummy” Hoy was born May 23, 1862 in Houckstown, Ohio. At the age of 3, Hoy was struck with meningitis, causing him to become deaf. He graduated from the Ohio School for the Deaf and started his minor league career in 1886. In 1888, Hoy debuted for the Washington Nationals. In his 14 year career playing for 7 teams, Hoy produced very impressive numbers; a .288 career batting average, 2044 hits, 725 RBIs, and 596 stolen bases. Playing for the Chicago White Sox, Hoy hit a grand-slam home run in 1901. This was the first ever grand-slam in the American League. However, one of his biggest accomplishments is the one that is shrouded in the most controversy.
Hoy is widely credited to be the creator of hand signals in baseball. When Hoy came to bat, he asked his coached to raise their right arm to indicate a strike, and raise their left arm to indicate a ball. Soon, coaches would sign while Hoy was in the outfield. Gradually, hand signals became a very common practice throughout the game, and are still used today.
While many confirm that Hoy is the originator behind hand signals in baseball, others claim that title belongs to others. Some believe that Edward Dundon, who is credited as being the first deaf major league baseball player, created these hand signals for in game occurrences.
Others claim that Umpire Bill Klem invented the practice. Known as the “The Father of Baseball Umpires,” Klem is immortalized in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Despite conflicting accounts, Klem’s plaque reads “Credited with introducing arm signals indicating strikes and balls.”
Even as accounts become more conflicting and lost, those in support of Dummy Hoy are active in getting Hoy recognized by Major League Baseball. A group based out of his hometown in Ohio is actively lobbying for Hoy to become a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. If elected, he would become the first Deaf member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Hoy’s...
