The Silent Natural

Courtney Gains,Tyler Mane,Sheree J. Wilson,Kathleen Kinmont

It is a crisp October day at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Reds are in the World Series for the first time in 21 years; their opponent, the powerful New York Yankees. The PA announcer's voice booms over the crowd noise, broadcasting that the ceremonial first pitch will be thrown out by William "Dummy" Hoy. The crowd cheers, but Hoy, now 99 years old, can not hear them. In fact, William "Dummy" Hoy never heard the roar of the crowds or the congratulations of his teammates during his Major-League career. Deaf since childhood, and the first deaf baseball player to ever play Major-League baseball, Hoy played in a world of silence. Carson, Hoy's son, uses American Sign Language to tell his dad that the crowd is cheering for him. Hoy stands and waves to the crowd, his face igniting into an incandescent smile. The crowd stands and waves their arms in the air- the deaf cheer. Hoy stands there in wonderment. A tear rolls down his cheek. Carson signs again, asking his father if he's okay. Hoy nods, yes. Then Carson signs, telling Hoy that it is time to throw out the first pitch. As Hoy throws the ball to the catcher, we follow the arc of the baseball through the air. Just as it hits the catcher's glove, we flash back to the SLAP of a rubber ball hitting the side of a red brick building... Late 1870's Young William Hoy plays in the schoolyard at the Ohio School for the Deaf where he is learning to be a cobbler. He repeatedly throws the ball at a specific brick and hits it with precise accuracy. He quickly moves around at every bounce. With each throw he moves back, extending the distance between himself and the wall. Again and again he hits the marked brick. After graduating the school for the deaf, Hoy moves back to his hometown of Houcktown, Ohio where he helps his father on their farm and then opens his own shoe-repair shop. Playing baseball with the kids on the street and with amateur teams on the weekends fuels his passion for the game. One day, while passing through the town, a pro scout notices Hoy playing. He is astounded at the accuracy of the young man's arm. After the game, the scout approaches Hoy and asks him where he learned how to throw like that and if he ever thought of playing professionally. During an awkward moment while trying to communicate, Hoy points to his ears, and shakes his head. Realizing that Hoy can not hear him, the scout produces a pen and a piece of paper and writes, "Have you ever thought of playing professionally?" Hoy's eyes light up as he smiles and nods enthusiastically. Hoy, now in a Milwaukee uniform, is practicing with the team. Afterwards, the coach approaches Hoy and writes that he wants Hoy to play for him. Then he writes down, $55.00 a month. Hoy takes the paper and pencil and writes, $65.00 a month. The coach shakes his head and points to $55. Hoy turns and walks away leaving the coach screaming to unheard ears. The door to the shoe-repair shop opens and the scout approaches Hoy who is busy nailing a sole to a shoe. The scout writes, "What happened?" Hoy writes, "Milwaukee bad." The scout studies Hoy for a moment, then writes, "You go to Oshkosh, Wisconsin." Once again we see Hoy's face light up with a triumphant smile. At the age of 24, Hoy grabs his spikes, closes his shop for good and boards a train headed for the Minor-League team in Oshkosh. His professional baseball career has begun. Hoy faces challenges far and above those faced by a "normal" new prospect, yet despite his diminutive size (5-foot-4, 148 pounds) and his hearing disability, he intrigues the men who run the Oshkosh minor-league club with his explosive speed and powerful arm. After two years in Minor-Leagues, Hoy is signed by the Washington Senators in 1888 and leads the National League with 82 stolen bases in his rookie year. Hoy, not being able to hear the calls of the umpire, communicated with his third-base coach, who relayed the calls back to Hoy by signing. The game of baseball will never be the same. Shy and unassuming, "Dummy" Hoy endeared himself to both teammates and fans, teaching anyone who cared to notice that talent, desire, and hard work can be transcendent. Hoy's story is truly inspirational; a story of one man overcoming the odds and in doing so leaving a mark on the great American pastime that survives today.