Signs of the Time (film)

Signs of the Time is a 60minute documentary on the origin of hand signals in baseball. There are several myths in regards to how signals were started, and the film addresses some of the mysteries that led to umpires giving handsignals to call plays in the field, base coaches to relay hand signals to players on the field, and catchers to relay hand signals to pitchers.

Several have laid claim to the signs and signals that have influenced Americas game but only two deserve consideration. The first is Bill Klem, the most significant umpire of the last century and the first to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He spent nearly forty years in professional baseball from 1905 to 1942, influencing many of the greatest legends of the game. He was well known for his authoritative style behind the plate and his boastful demeanor in public.The second man was William Dummy Hoy, who since the age of two, was profoundly deaf and unable to speak. Hoy was drafted by the professional Oshkosh Baseball Club in 1886. Through his career from 18861903, Hoy was admired by his teammates, revered by the fans, and became the most celebrated deaf player in the history of bigleague baseball. ........

Source: Wikipedia