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

PreS-Gr 3—This picture book biography demonstrates how an extraordinary deaf player from the early days of baseball made a lasting contribution to the game. The ambitions of William Hoy (1862–1961) were clear from the start. The boy thought of little other than baseball and practiced tirelessly in hopes of playing on a team. Achieving his goal brought challenges that he didn't expect, but giving up was not an option. Hoy realized that better communication was needed and knew just the way to do it. While he was not the only person to introduce hand signals to the game, he did popularize their use among players and fans. The book is well told and charmingly illustrated in a semirealistic style that conveys Hoy's emotions. Those who enjoyed Audrey Vernick's Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brother Baseball Team (Clarion, 2012) will want to read this engaging biography.