Please find the newspaper article printed on Thursday, May 17th, 2007.
Leonard Hall
Luther Taylor Day at the K
By Leonard Hall
Saturday, June 30th will be a big day in Olathe for the deaf community and Kansas School for the Deaf (KSD). Kansas City Royals and the Deaf Cultural Center (DCC) will honor Luther “Dummy” Taylor at the Kauffman Stadium before the Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals baseball game.
Taylor is a famous alumnus of KSD who played baseball for the New York Giants in the early 1900s. As one of the first deaf baseball players in the major league, he was instrumental in the development of sign language that is currently being used in baseball.
Baseball fans would recognize the popular sign used by umpires in signing “out”, “safe”, “strike”, “ball” and even “you are out of the ball game”.
Taylor became famous when the New York Giants played in the World Series in 1905 and sign language was being used in the World Series. Taylor later returned to KSD as athletic director leading KSD football and basketball teams to many wins.
As part of the Luther Taylor day at the Kaufman stadium, commemorative baseball cards highlighting Taylor will be given to the first 10,000 families entering the gates.
The pre-game ceremony and celebration will begin at 6:10 p.m. at the stadium. The first pitch in honor of Luther Taylor will be thrown at 7:10 p.m.
Tickets for the view level infield are $14 and can be purchased through Chuck Theel at KSD at CTheel@ksd.state.ks.us or Bette Prentice-Rogers at kefdcc0@sbcglobal.net.
Tickets for a special dinner and game seat in the Stadium Club inside the K are being sold for $125. Season box ticket holders have exclusive seating in the Stadium Club and 80 dinner and game seats were provided for DCC.
Only 25 dinner and seat tickets are left. Visit Bette at DCC, 455 E. Park, Street, weekdays or send her an email.
As part of this celebration, Luther Taylor Expo will be held at DCC from noon to 5 p.m. A Barbeque cookout, exhibit booths, children activities, Luther Taylor’s memorabilia/slide show, raffle on 1909 Taylor baseball card, and other activities will be held in the big white tent.
Holiday Inn of Olathe, Allstate Insurance (Protection Solutions, LLC), Olathe Chamber of Commerce Sports Commission, and Kansas City Sports & Fitness sport paper are among the chief sponsors of this event.
All events proceeds will benefit DCC.
(Leonard Hall writes a weekly column for the deaf community and can be reached at Legalnetwk@aol.com.)
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