A True American Hero

A deaf-mute, William Ellsworth Hoy was affectionately called 'Dummy' the usual nickname for a person with his condition in the 1880s. Only 5' 4 inches, 144 pounds, Hoy was an accomplished center fielder, one of baseball top base runners and a consistent .280-to-.300 hitter. In a career that spanned 14 seasons, Dummy Hoy walked 1,004 times, stole 594 bases and scored an average 100 runs per/year (1,426 lifetime).

Dummy Hoy's greatest asset was his speed. An extremely fast center fielder, Hoy was known for playing shallow.

Born 1862 in Houckstown, Ohio, Hoy lost his hearing at around 2-years old during a meningitis attack. He attended the Ohio State School for the Deaf and made his debut in the major leagues at age 26. Dummy Hoy's career: .287 BA, 2044 hits in 1796 Games, 248 Ds, 121 Ts, 40 HR, 1426 Runs, 726 RBIs, 1004 Ws, 210 Ks, and a .385 on-base-pct. basballhistorian.com

In 1961, at the age of 99, Dummy Hoy threw out the ceremonial first pitch to open the World Series between the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Yankees. Two months later on December 15, Dummy Hoy passed away.

On Sunday, April 8, 2001, a breakfast and program, by invitation only, was held in Gallaudet University's cafeteria from 9 am to 11 am. Invited guests and speakers include Brooks Robinson, former Baltimore Oriole Hall of Fame third baseman, Hall of Famer Buck O'Neill, and Miriam Skaggs, a relative of Dummy Hoy.

After the breakfast, the guests proceeded to the baseball field where a plaque was unveiled to commemorate the dedication of William 'Dummy' Hoy Baseball Field. baseballhistorian.com - Internet News