megancsparks

(Also posted on my blog Hearing Sparks.)

Silent Star: The Story of Deaf Major Leaguer William Hoy is by Bill Wise (illustrations by Adam Gustavson). It takes us through the life of William Hoy. William, or "Dummy" as he actually came to prefer to be called (the term was acceptable in the 19th century), was deafened by a bout with meningitis in his childhood.

Hoy never gave up on his dream of playing baseball in the major leagues. This book vividly describes his experiences growing up and proving his abilities to be able to move up in the baseball ranks. Hoy retired from baseball over a century ago, but his accomplishments still rank up there with today's notable players. According to the book, he is "one of only three outfielders to record three assists to home plate in one game and is the only outfielder ever to lead a major league in assists, putouts, and fielding percentage in the same season."

In order to play, Hoy had to overcome initial skepticism as well as difficulty with the mechanics of the game itself (not being able to hear the umpire's calls meant he had to turn and look at him after each pitch, leaving him unable to see the pitcher getting ready to throw another ball). The book is an inspiration, showing how Hoy beat his obstacles and became very successful.