Description
Book Synopsis The first deaf baseball player joined the pro ranks in 1883. By 1901, four played in the major leagues, most notably outfielder William Dummy Hoy and pitcher Luther Dummy Taylor. Along the way, deaf players developed a distinctive approach, bringing visual acuity and sign language to the sport. They crossed paths with other pioneers, including Moses Fleetwood Walker and Jackie Robinson.
This book recounts their great moments in the game, from the first all-deaf barnstorming team to the only meeting of a deaf batter and a deaf pitcher in a major league game. The true story--often dismissed as legend--of Hoy, together with umpire Silk O''Loughlin, bringing hand signals to baseball is told.
Trade ReviewWith knowledgeable discussion of the history of deaf people in America, statistics, and colorful anecdotes gleaned from a wide variety of sources,
Deaf Players in Major League Baseball makes fascinating reading." —Christopher Krentz, University of Virginia
Table of Contents
- Preface
- 1. Ohio—Field of Dreams
- 2. The Radical Deafness of William "Dummy" Hoy
- 3. A Tale of Two Umpires
- 4. Three Deaf Men and Eighteen Dummies: Luther Taylor's New York Giants
- 5. No Dummy: The Brief Career of Dick Sipek
- 6. Pride, of the Expos
- Epilogue
- Chapter Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
