The William Hoy Story: How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game

By Nancy Churnin and Jez Tuya

New York Public Library Best Books for Kids 2016
2017 Storytelling World Resource Award Honor Book
2017 Best Children's Books of the Year, Bank Street College

"[Churnin] tells William's story patiently and clearly, with a wonderfully matter-of-fact tone about the ways a deaf person navigates life."—New York Times Book Review

"A rewarding read-aloud choice for baseball fans."—Booklist

"A moving tribute to a hero."—Kirkus Reviews

William Hoy's love for baseball changed the sport forever.

All William Ellsworth Hoy wanted to do was play baseball. After losing out on a spot on the local deaf team, William practiced even harder―eventually earning a position on a professional team. But his struggle was far from over. In addition to the prejudice Hoy faced, he could not hear the umpires' calls. One day he asked the umpire to use hand signals: strike, ball, out. That day he not only got on base but also changed the way the game was played forever. William "Dummy" Hoy became one of the greatest and most beloved players of his time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
• Release date: Mar 1, 2016
• ISBN: 9780807591932

Nancy Churnin

Nancy Churnin is the author of many children's books, including Martin & Anne, Sydney Taylor Notable Irving Berlin, the Immigrant Boy Who Made America Sing, and the Sydney Taylor Honor Book Dear Mr. Dickens. She is a full-time writer living in Texas.

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Reviews for The William Hoy Story

[nbmars · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Subtitled “How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game,” this book tells the amazing story of William Hoy, born in 1862 in Ohio, who lost his hearing at age three after a bout of meningitis. He was proud of being deaf, and referred to himself as Dummy, a common name for people who were deaf and mute. Nevertheless, Hoy went on not only to become a major league baseball star, but still ranks today in the top twenty-five in a number of all-time career statistics.As a boy, William longed to play baseball, but the team captain at the Ohio State School for the Deaf told him he was “too small” - William never got much taller than five-foot-five. But he was continued to practice, trying to aim better and get faster. One day he was standing outside the cobbler shop where he worked, watching men play baseball in a far-off field. After a foul ball crashed by his feet, he through it back, “straight into an amazed player’s waiting hand.” The men invited him to play on their team.He had a hard time though; he couldn’t hear the cues about the pitches, and players would talk behind his back about him, covering their lips so he couldn’t read them. Then he came up with an idea. What if the pitcher could learn some simple hand signals from the American Sign Language to cue Hoy about the pitches? It worked! The author reports: “In his first year in the majors, he led the National League in stolen bases. With his strong, sure arm, he became the first player to throw three base runners out at the plate in one game - from the outfield!”William taught the other players on his team the signs so they could discuss plays without the other team knowing what was up. Fans learned the signs as well. Churnin reports:“Teams begged for William. He played for several before signing with the CincinnatiReds, near his family’s farm.”He led the American League in walks in 1901: “He was called the kind of center field because for ten years he was ranked among the top five outfielders to get hitters out by catching hard-to-reach fly balls.”Fans learned how to show applause to the deaf: “William said he’d never cry about baseball. But he did cry at the sight of deaf applause.”Back matter includes “More About William Hoy” and a timeline. Churnin notes that while William Hoy was not the only person to introduce hand signals to the game, he worked with umpires to develop a number of signs he needed before signals became official in baseball. She also reports that William received a standing ovation when he threw the first pitch before Game 3 of the 1961 World Series when the Cincinnati Reds played the New York Yankees. He was ninety-nine years old.Illustrator Jez Tuya uses a bright animation-like cartoon style to help tell the story. Readers might be interested in comparing the other picture book about which I am aware about William Hoy, Silent Star: The Story of Deaf Major Leaguer William Hoy by Bill Wise. In that telling, illustrator Adam Gustavson uses realistic oil paintings. He spent months researching baseball uniforms, rules, and stadiums for this assignment, and it shows in the many period elements in the backgrounds of his pictures. Tuya’s drawings also show that he did his homework for the art work.