Dummy
Posted: Wed May 04, 2011 5:56 am
Dummy!
To tell the truth, the last time I remember hearing that word was Fred Sanford berating his son, Lamont.
I think back at how it was my favorite name for my brothers and sisters and, of course, them shooting it right back at me.
We are a politically correct society now, however. Although 'dummy' was often used as a good natured slur, the pc police have made it almost extinct.
What's all this got to do with baseball?
Over 100 years ago, anybody who was deaf and could not speak was considered dumb. Hence the phrase 'deaf and dumb'.
Billy Hoy could do neither as a kid, but he was comfortable in his own skin. Folks would mouth the words 'Billy' to him, and he would correct them by indicating he would rather be called 'Dummy'. Afterall, it was what most people that didn't know him, called him.
He lost his hearing as the result of an illness early in his childhood. He graduated from the Ohio School for the deaf and set out to fulfill his dream, a life of playing baseball.
He did it well. During his rookie year, he led the league in stolen bases with 82. Although, this stat is a little misleading, it is still huge for a rookie ballplayer. Before 1900, stats were not streamlined as they are today. Stolen bases by some official scorekeepers would be given if stretching a sure single into a daring double for example.
Dummy ranks 18th on the all-time stolen base list. Fifth, among players who started their careers before the 1900's.
Dummy was one of the best fielders in baseball as well. Playing outfield, he once threw three runners out at the plate in the same inning.
Tommy Leach played in the outfield beside him. He said, "He was a real fine ballplayer. When you played in the outfield with him, you never called for the ball.... You listened for him, and if you heard this squeaky little sound coming from his mouth, you knew it was his ball." Dummy topped fielding statistics most years he played.
His biggest problem was something simple for you and me. Balls and strikes. After every taken pitch, Dummy had to turn around to the umpire to see what he called the pitch. Since rules didn't prevent it back then, a pitcher would quick pitch him before he had time to turn back around. Dummy would soon ask his third base coach to signal with his left hand for a ball. Right hand for a strike. The system worked perfectly. Soon, some umpires started using the system as they shouted balls and strikes. It was the first time that strikes were called with the use of the right hand, as they are to this very day.
Hand signals from coaches and managers to move outfielders also originated with Dummy.
Dummy never trumpeted his use of left hand, right hand signals that would become custom for umpires. In fact, many history books give Bill Klem credit for the gesture.
Dummy came along well before Klem.
In Cincinnati, fans loved him. Knowing he could not hear, they would wave their hats wildly or throw them in the air.
His voice came out in squeaks. Players with patience could 'talk' with him. He read lips, so players did not have to use sign language.
Known as notoriously honest, some umpires would ask him if he or a fellow player trapped or caught a ball in the outfield. A tough call then, there was only one or two umpires on the field. His teammates would sometimes become enraged that he would be honest enough to tell umpires the truth.
In 1903, he faced Dummy Taylor. You got it, the first deaf pitcher in baseball. Later, they would team up and Hoy would catch some of Taylor's pitches.
John McGraw was Taylor's Manager. When Taylor joined the team, McGraw instructed all his players to learn sign language. Sometimes, fearing a player missed a sign, he would use sign language to make sure the sign was received.
There has been a movement by folks to get Dummy Hoy into the Hall of Fame for a long time. If you are interested there are sites you can find to lend support.
He had over 2,000 hits (less than 300 players can say that) and of all the players that have played throughout history, he ranks in the top 20 for stolen bases. Fielding without use of a glove sometimes, he was among the best fielders before the 20th century. His speed would allow him to 'play up' which almost made him a fifth infielder.
Above all though, without knowing it at the time, he changed a part of this game into the game we have today.
He was a game changer. A game changer that should be in the Hall of Fame.
[ May 04, 2011, 12:57 PM: Message edited by: DOUGHBOYS ]
To tell the truth, the last time I remember hearing that word was Fred Sanford berating his son, Lamont.
I think back at how it was my favorite name for my brothers and sisters and, of course, them shooting it right back at me.
We are a politically correct society now, however. Although 'dummy' was often used as a good natured slur, the pc police have made it almost extinct.
What's all this got to do with baseball?
Over 100 years ago, anybody who was deaf and could not speak was considered dumb. Hence the phrase 'deaf and dumb'.
Billy Hoy could do neither as a kid, but he was comfortable in his own skin. Folks would mouth the words 'Billy' to him, and he would correct them by indicating he would rather be called 'Dummy'. Afterall, it was what most people that didn't know him, called him.
He lost his hearing as the result of an illness early in his childhood. He graduated from the Ohio School for the deaf and set out to fulfill his dream, a life of playing baseball.
He did it well. During his rookie year, he led the league in stolen bases with 82. Although, this stat is a little misleading, it is still huge for a rookie ballplayer. Before 1900, stats were not streamlined as they are today. Stolen bases by some official scorekeepers would be given if stretching a sure single into a daring double for example.
Dummy ranks 18th on the all-time stolen base list. Fifth, among players who started their careers before the 1900's.
Dummy was one of the best fielders in baseball as well. Playing outfield, he once threw three runners out at the plate in the same inning.
Tommy Leach played in the outfield beside him. He said, "He was a real fine ballplayer. When you played in the outfield with him, you never called for the ball.... You listened for him, and if you heard this squeaky little sound coming from his mouth, you knew it was his ball." Dummy topped fielding statistics most years he played.
His biggest problem was something simple for you and me. Balls and strikes. After every taken pitch, Dummy had to turn around to the umpire to see what he called the pitch. Since rules didn't prevent it back then, a pitcher would quick pitch him before he had time to turn back around. Dummy would soon ask his third base coach to signal with his left hand for a ball. Right hand for a strike. The system worked perfectly. Soon, some umpires started using the system as they shouted balls and strikes. It was the first time that strikes were called with the use of the right hand, as they are to this very day.
Hand signals from coaches and managers to move outfielders also originated with Dummy.
Dummy never trumpeted his use of left hand, right hand signals that would become custom for umpires. In fact, many history books give Bill Klem credit for the gesture.
Dummy came along well before Klem.
In Cincinnati, fans loved him. Knowing he could not hear, they would wave their hats wildly or throw them in the air.
His voice came out in squeaks. Players with patience could 'talk' with him. He read lips, so players did not have to use sign language.
Known as notoriously honest, some umpires would ask him if he or a fellow player trapped or caught a ball in the outfield. A tough call then, there was only one or two umpires on the field. His teammates would sometimes become enraged that he would be honest enough to tell umpires the truth.
In 1903, he faced Dummy Taylor. You got it, the first deaf pitcher in baseball. Later, they would team up and Hoy would catch some of Taylor's pitches.
John McGraw was Taylor's Manager. When Taylor joined the team, McGraw instructed all his players to learn sign language. Sometimes, fearing a player missed a sign, he would use sign language to make sure the sign was received.
There has been a movement by folks to get Dummy Hoy into the Hall of Fame for a long time. If you are interested there are sites you can find to lend support.
He had over 2,000 hits (less than 300 players can say that) and of all the players that have played throughout history, he ranks in the top 20 for stolen bases. Fielding without use of a glove sometimes, he was among the best fielders before the 20th century. His speed would allow him to 'play up' which almost made him a fifth infielder.
Above all though, without knowing it at the time, he changed a part of this game into the game we have today.
He was a game changer. A game changer that should be in the Hall of Fame.
[ May 04, 2011, 12:57 PM: Message edited by: DOUGHBOYS ]