Deaf after a bout of meningitis at age three, William Hoy attended the Ohio School for the Deaf and then became a shoemaker after graduation from high school. His childhood obsession with playing baseball became an occasional backyard game behind his shoemaker shop, until the day the coach of an amateur team happened to see him play. At first put off by William’s attempts to communicate in sign language, the coach returned to offer him a spot on the team in writing. William went on to play for a minor league team in Oshkosh, before moving up to the Washington Nationals. Defying the commonly held belief that he couldn’t make it in baseball as a deaf player, William created methods to get around the sport’s traditional reliance on the spoken word. His use of visual cues from his third-base coach is believed by some historians to have led to the creation of hand signals by umpires. When he retired after an extended and successful career as the first deaf player in the major leagues, William Hoy became an Ohio dairy farmer who never lost his devotion to the game. (Ages 7–10)

William Hoy loved baseball. Growing up in the 1860s and '70s, he dreamed of one day playing in the major leagues. A far-off fantasy for many boys, fulfilling this dream was even more of a long shot for William, who was deaf.

Striving to find his place in a hearing world, Hoy became a shoemaker. He took pride in his work, but baseball was still his real love. When an amateur team coach saw him playing behind the shoemaker's shop, Hoy dazzled the coach with his hard-hitting skills. Moving from amateur clubs to the minor leagues and eventually to the majors, Hoy proved himself again and again--overcoming obstacles and becoming a star both on and off the baseball diamond.

Silent Star: The Story of Deaf Major Leaguer William Hoy is a tribute to one of the most inspirational figures in baseball history. A talented player with a standout record, Hoy is a shining example that success in life should not be measured by differences but by drive and determination.