Lifetime Stats
Born 05-23-1862 in Houcktonwn, Ohio Died 12-15-1961 Cincinnati, Ohio
High School: Ohio School for the Deaf High School
First Game 04-20-1888 @ age 25
Last Game 07-17-1902 Batted left handed but threw right handed
Major obstacles: hearing and speech impaired, small stature (5’5 and less than 150 pounds).
In his Major League career, he had (various source differ a bit on several of these statistics most of these below are from Wikipedia):
- 2,048 hits
- 1,006 walks second most during his era
- 596 stolen bases
- 725 RBIs (runs batted in)
- 210 strike outs in 7,104 at bats in 1,796 games (one strike out every 34 at bats)
- .288 lifetime batting average
- .386 on base percentage
- Over 100 runs scored in a season nine times
- .925 career fielding percentage
- 1,726 games in center field (a record then)
- 1,795 games in the outfield (second among players then)
- 273 assists (seventh then)
- 72 double plays recorded as an outfielder
- 3,964 career put outs
- 4,632 total chances as an outfielder
William “Dummy” Hoy hit the first American League’s second grand slam home run, and he stole an amazing 82 bases his rookie Major League year and accumulated 596 stolen bases in his career.
William was considered the premiere outfielder of his era—speedy with a powerful and accurate arm, he got great jumps on hit balls.
William still holds a record 125 years after he retired: he threw three base runners out at home plate from centerfield in a single game—this record has been tied but never exceeded.
William’s most notorious catch was the last game of the season and the winner of this game would win the pennant. In the ninth inning his team led by one run,the other team had a base runner on when the batter struck an “obvious” home run. William raced deep into the outfield where fans tied their horses; while on a dead run, he leaped on a horse’s back then using the horse’s back as a springboard to leap yet again to record the out and preserve the victory for his team and win the pennant!