William Ellsworth Hoy (1862-1961)

William Ellsworth “Dummy” Hoy was born in Houcktown on May 23, 1862. Although spinal meningitis as a toddler left him deaf and mute, Hoy became one of the great 19th century professional baseball players. He played centerfield for such teams as the Chicago White Stockings, Louisville Colonels, and Cincinnati Reds. In his 1888 Washington Senators season he led the league with 82 stolen bases and is one of the all-time leaders in that art. The defensive star’s record includes: 3,959 outfield putouts; 73 double plays; 2,054 hits; 40 home runs; 597 stolen bases; and, 210 strike-outs. Hoy is a member of the American Athletic Association for the Deaf Hall of Fame, as well as those of the Cincinnati Reds, Ohio Baseball, and Ohio School for the Deaf. He died in Cincinnati at the age of 99.