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Local groups buy new graveside marker for deaf pitcher
Luther "Dummy" Taylor pitched eight seasons for the New York Giants in the early 1900s, doing things people didn't realize deaf people could do.
Now he's going to get recognition for his achievements.
A group of Baldwin City organizations, along with Taylor's family, has raised $2,400 for a new monument at the Prairie City Cemetery, where the former big leaguer was buried in 1958.
The new monument, which replaced the modest piece of granite that once marked his grave site, was installed on Wednesday and a dedication was held on Saturday.
"I think it's wonderful that someone stepped up and did this," said Pat Copeland, a relative who affectionately called Taylor "Uncle Dummy." "It means a lot to us that he's finally recognized."
Taylor had a 116-106 record in a career that started in 1900 and ended with the New York Giants in 1908. He spent half a season with Cleveland in 2002 and was a member of the Giants' 1905 World Series team and was scheduled to start Game 3 before it was rained out.
Taylor's teammates in New York learned sign language and took other measures to make sure he was a part of the team. That included Vaudeville shows and parties outside of the stadium.
"He was an outstanding pitcher. He did a lot of things that some people didn't know deaf people could do," said Dave Anderson, a local author who has researched Taylor's life. "He would sense what people would do before they did it. He was a ballplayer who had a tremendous amount of savvy for the game."
The new monument was paid for with money raised by the Baldwin City Rotary, Olathe Santa Fe Trail Rotary and the Society for American Baseball Research.
"I think people need to know that there were people that were (here) before you who did some really neat things, and we need to recognize that," Anderson said.
Luther "Dummy" Taylor pitched eight seasons for the New York Giants in the early 1900s, doing things people didn't realize deaf people could do.
Now he's going to get recognition for his achievements.
A group of Baldwin City organizations, along with Taylor's family, has raised $2,400 for a new monument at the Prairie City Cemetery, where the former big leaguer was buried in 1958.
The new monument, which replaced the modest piece of granite that once marked his grave site, was installed on Wednesday and a dedication was held on Saturday.
"I think it's wonderful that someone stepped up and did this," said Pat Copeland, a relative who affectionately called Taylor "Uncle Dummy." "It means a lot to us that he's finally recognized."
Taylor had a 116-106 record in a career that started in 1900 and ended with the New York Giants in 1908. He spent half a season with Cleveland in 2002 and was a member of the Giants' 1905 World Series team and was scheduled to start Game 3 before it was rained out.
Taylor's teammates in New York learned sign language and took other measures to make sure he was a part of the team. That included Vaudeville shows and parties outside of the stadium.
"He was an outstanding pitcher. He did a lot of things that some people didn't know deaf people could do," said Dave Anderson, a local author who has researched Taylor's life. "He would sense what people would do before they did it. He was a ballplayer who had a tremendous amount of savvy for the game."
The new monument was paid for with money raised by the Baldwin City Rotary, Olathe Santa Fe Trail Rotary and the Society for American Baseball Research.
"I think people need to know that there were people that were (here) before you who did some really neat things, and we need to recognize that," Anderson said.