Reading the Signs

Summary

Cabinet of Curiosities – “Reading the Signs” (May 5, 2026)

Podcast: Aaron Mahnke’s Cabinet of Curiosities
Host: Aaron Mahnke
Episode Theme:
This episode explores the significance of nonverbal communication—particularly sign language and symbolic gestures—in historical contexts. Through two intriguing stories, Aaron Mahnke highlights how people “read the signs,” both on the baseball diamond and the battlefield.

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Story 1: Luther “Dummy” Taylor and the Language of Baseball

Overview

Aaron Mahnke recounts the story of deaf Major League Baseball pitcher Luther Taylor, whose mastery of sign language and baseball made history and changed how teams communicate on the field.

Key Points & Insights

• The Necessity of Silent Communication in Baseball:
  "If you've ever watched a baseball game closely, you'll notice something particular about the way the players communicate. There's not a lot of shouting on the field, but much of the way players talk is through hand signals and body language." — Aaron Mahnke [00:47]

• Luther Taylor’s Unconventional Path:
  Taylor, a Kansas native, joined the New York Giants in 1900. Despite skepticism, he quickly became renowned for his skills as a pitcher.

• His Nickname and Its Context:
  He was dubbed “Dummy Taylor”—a product of the era's terminology, referencing his deafness, not intelligence ("Think of the phrase 'to be dumbstruck.' He communicated only with sign language." — [03:33]).

• Team Inclusion and Communication:
  The 1901 Giants learned sign language to communicate with Taylor—an early example of team inclusion and adaptation.

• Struggles Outside of New York:
  Taylor’s stint with the Cleveland Broncos was difficult; the team’s inability to communicate alienated him.

• A Silent Recruitment and Return:
  Giants’ catcher Frank Bowerman wooed Taylor back using sign language during a game, increasing offers until Taylor agreed (“Every time Taylor walked between the mound and the dugout, Bowerman signaled at him with sign language, asking him back to the Giants and making an offer.” — [02:54])

• Historic Game: Two Deaf Athletes Compete:
  On March 16, 1902, Taylor pitched against William Ellsworth “Dummy” Hoy of the Cincinnati Reds—the first and only MLB game between two deaf players.
  "The stands filled with around 5,000 deaf and hard of hearing baseball fans. To these people, Taylor and Hoy's presence on the field spoke loud and clear. No hand signals required." — Aaron Mahnke [05:24]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “He did this all without saying a word, and because of that, he would earn the nickname Dummy Taylor.” — Aaron Mahnke [01:48]
• “Every man in the 1901 New York Giants team learned sign language in order to communicate with him on and off the field. It was a level of commitment and inclusion that, understandably, he was sad to leave.” — [03:49]

Timestamps

• Start: [00:47]
• Taylor’s Recruitment & Return: [02:54]
• Historic Game vs. Hoy: [04:58]

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Story 2: George Washington’s Gesture of Grace

Overview

Mahnke next tells the story of an unusually humane act during the American Revolution, where George Washington demonstrated kindness and honor—even in defeat—by returning a dog to his adversary, British General Howe.

Key Points & Insights

• Setting: Fog of War in 1776:
  During a foggy October morning, Washington led a surprise attack to reclaim Philadelphia, which devolved into chaos due to confusion caused by the thick mist.
  "You may have heard soldiers talk about the fog of war, but in this case, there really was a fog." — Aaron Mahnke [06:49]

• Unexpected Victim: General Howe’s Dog:
  Amid the confusion, a fox terrier named Lila, belonging to General Howe, wandered into the American camp.

• Washington’s Humane Response:
  Despite his frustrated troops wanting to keep the dog as a trophy, Washington instead ordered her returned—with dignity:
  "He instructed Alexander Hamilton to write General Howe a letter which would be delivered to the British soldiers camp under a flag of truce." — [09:41]

• The Letter’s Wording:
  “‘General Washington’s compliments to General Howe. He does himself the pleasure to return him a dog which has accidentally fell into his hands and by the inscription on the collar appears to belong to General Howe.’” — [10:01]

• Attention to Compassion:
  Washington also made sure Lila was “brushed and fed before she was returned. The dog had done nothing wrong, after all, and she would be treated with respect and gentleness,” — [10:17]

• Lasting Impression:
  The gesture was noted by observers as a mark of Washington’s character. The original letter is preserved in the National Archives.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “General Washington was what we might call a dog person. He kept many pets and had several hunting dogs himself.” — Aaron Mahnke [09:34]
• “This story shows his integrity, generosity and grace, even in defeat. And as far as we know, Lila never complained. After all, as they say, a dog is a great judge of character.” — [11:27]

Timestamps

• Start: [06:49]
• Discovery of Lila: [08:48]
• Washington’s Decision & Letter: [09:41]
• Lila’s Return: [10:27]

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Memorable Moments & Reflections

• On Inclusion in Sports:
  The story of Taylor and Hoy is a beacon for visibility and inclusion, inspiring a crowd of 5,000 deaf baseball fans and showing the impact that representation can have.

• On Generosity in Adversity:
  Washington’s return of Lila demonstrates leadership, empathy, and the enduring value of treating even enemies with dignity.

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Takeaways

• The Power of Nonverbal Communication:
  Whether through sporting signals or diplomatic gestures, silent messages can profoundly affect both history and human relationships.

• Integrity Transcends Circumstance:
  Inclusion, compassion, and honor characterize not only the best leaders but also the most surprising moments in history.

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For more tales from history’s curious corners, visit Cabinet of Curiosities or check out the official book. And remember—stay curious!

Transcript

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[Erin Menke]

thoughts why did I search the Internet for answers to my cold sore problem? Now I'm stuck down a rabbit hole filled with images of alarmingly graphic sores in various stages of ooze. I can clear my search history, but I can never unsee that.

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[Erin Menke]

Welcome to Erin Menke's Cabinet of Curiosities, a production of iHeartRadio and Grim and Mild.

[Aaron Manke]

Our world is full of the unexplainable, and if history is an open book, all of these amazing tales are right there on display, just waiting for us to explore. Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities. If you've ever watched a baseball game closely, you'll notice something particular about the way the players communicate. There's not a lot of shouting on the field, but much of the way players talk is through hand signals and body language. And this isn't surprising. After all, sports stadiums are noisy places, and in baseball, every play needs to happen with clockwork efficiency. A pitcher and a catcher also need to strategize without the batter knowing what pitch will come next. Quick, clear communication is the difference between a win and a loss. In the year 1900, the New York Giants brought a pitcher up from the minor leagues to finish out their season. His name was Luther Taylor, a 26 year old from a small town in Kansas. He wanted to be a boxer as a kid, but his parents didn't approve, so he became a baseball player instead. As soon as he joined the Giants, people thought this rookie wouldn't be up to the task of the major leagues. He was in over his head, didn't have what it takes. In a game against Boston, five players on the other team attempted to steal third base, assuming that Taylor wouldn't be alert enough to throw them out. But he did, one after the other. He did this all without saying a word, and because of that, he would earn the nickname Dummy Taylor. Now, in spite of the rude nickname, he was a popular member of the team. His teammates would remember him as a steady hand on the pitching mound. The rookie who everyone expected to underperform, closed the season with a respectable pitching record and the Giants chose to bring him back for the 1901 season. That year he held the second highest record for most games pitched, but unfortunately the Giants suffered from a weak hitting record, so they didn't perform as well as Taylor pitched in 1902. He left the Giants persuaded by a higher salary from the Cleveland Broncos. He was almost immediately miserable in the team, though the rest of the team were uncommunicative with them, and he fell out. But the money was good and he was in the major leagues, and so he kept pitching. And then in May of that year, a familiar face appeared in the stands. It was Frank Bowerman, a catcher from the New York Giants. And every time Taylor walked between the mound and the dugout, Bowerman signaled at him with sign language, asking him back to the Giants and making an offer. And every time he signed, Taylor would shake his head. But Bowerman kept signing at him, increasing the amount of money they were offering Taylor. And finally Taylor nodded yes and left Cleveland for good that evening. He pitched with the Giants until 1908 before going back down to the minor leagues and finishing his career in 1910. He had played nine seasons of professional baseball, earned himself a respectable record as a major league pitcher, all while having a very specific disability. You see, Luther Taylor was born deaf. His nickname, dummy, was not a crack at his intelligence, but a reference to the fact that he didn't speak verbally. Think of the phrase to be dumbstruck. He communicated only with sign language. Every man in the 1901 New York Giants team learned sign language in order to communicate with him on and off the field. It was a level of commitment and inclusion that, understandably, he was sad to leave. And that's why he felt so out of place in Cleveland, where his teammates didn't know sign language and thus struggled to communicate with the one deaf player they had. Taylor wasn't the first person to use hand signs on a baseball field, though, but his success popularized the practice in the public imagination. In fact, during his early career, it led to a game that disability rights advocates see as historic. You see, on March 16th of 1902, nine days after his return from Cleveland, Luther Taylor took to the mound to pitch against the Cincinnati Reds. On the opposing team, center fielder William Ellsworth Hoy came up to bat as their leadoff hitter. Hoy was 40 years old on his last season for the Reds, and he was also another deaf player who went by the nickname Dummy. This game was the first and only time two deaf players had faced each other in the major leagues. And because of that, the fact had been well publicized. The stands filled with around 5,000 deaf and hard of hearing baseball fans. To these people, Taylor and Hoy's presence on the field spoke loud and clear. No hand signals required.

[Amazon Health AI Advertiser]

Amazon Health AI PRESENTS painful thoughts why

[Erin Menke]

did I search the Internet for answers to my cold sore problem. Now I'm stuck down a rabbit hole filled with images of alarmingly graphic sores in various stages of ooze. I can clear my search history, but I can never unsee that.

[Amazon Health AI Advertiser]

Don't go down the rabbit hole. Amazon Health AI gets you the right care fast. Healthcare just got less painful.

[American Public University Sponsor]

This show is sponsored by American Public University. The future won't wait and neither should you. That's why American Public University offers Master's programs designed for momentum, affordable, high quality and flexible. So you keep moving forward with career relevant programs in business, healthcare, education, it and more. You can gain skills you can use right away and the confidence to power your next move. American Public University made for what's next. Learn more at apu.apus edu.

[Aaron Manke]

There was a thick gray mist that was heavy in the air on the morning of October 4th of 1776. The air was damp and already cold. It would be another few hours before the first rooster crowed and the moon was still high overhead. Already, George Washington was hard at work. More accurately, George Washington and every soldier at his disposal were hard at work. Four months had passed since the British had seized Philadelphia, the Revolutionary capital. The Continental army had made several unsuccessful attempts to retake it. But today Washington had a plan. Early in the morning, long before sunrise, American soldiers would split into several groups and ambush the British at their base camp before they even woke up. The surprise attack would give them the edge that they'd been missing in previous battles. Washington hoped it would be enough. Already the weather was getting cold, his soldiers were exhausted, and he lost good men in every battle over the past year. And so it would soon be too cold to do anything but survive. This plan this morning would be their last chance to take back the city before spring. Unfortunately, the mist that hid them from their enemies also hid the men from each other. You may have heard soldiers talk about the fog of war, but in this case there really was a fog. Thick morning mist made it almost impossible to tell who was fighting on which side. Two groups of American soldiers fired on one another after mistaking the other side for the British army, and in all of that confusion, the British managed to escape. General William Howe, who had captured the city in July, rode swiftly away from the battlefield after hearing shots. He assumed that a rebel scouting party was exchanging fire with patrolmen until the sounds of bullets followed him and his men out of their camp. Washington's plan, the last hope of the Continental army was had failed not because of a mistake or because he was outsmarted, but because the fog literally caused mass confusion among everyone, from the Revolutionary soldiers to the British generals and even to Lila. Lila, you see, was a sweet fox terrier who had followed her owner into the melee and then followed the Americans. When they eventually retreated, the soldiers were dirty, exhausted, freezing and embarrassed. They were angry. They wanted revenge. They wanted to go home. When one of the men spotted the well groomed dog back at the camp and picked her up, he saw a shining silver color around her neck. These men were so cold and so hungry, and yet here was a dog who looked like she lived better than they did. To add insult to injury, Lila's owner had engraved his name on the gleaming silver collar. She belonged to none other than General William Howe. A few of the men, including the soldier who had found her, brought Lila to Washington. They were still stinging with defeat, and they wanted Lila, with her plump belly and soft fur, to pay the price. They asked Washington to hold her in retribution for their defeat. Fortunately, the formidable General Washington was what we might call a dog person. He kept many pets and had several hunting dogs himself. In fact, Lafayette once gifted Washington with seven greyhounds. And as a show of friendship. So what did the brilliant strategist, the war general and the first President of the United States do with his enemy's dog? Well, he instructed Alexander Hamilton to write General Howe a letter which would be delivered to the British soldiers camp under a flag of truce. And this is what the letter General Washington's compliments to General Howe. He does himself the pleasure to return him a dog which has accidentally fell into his hands and by the inscription on the collar, appears to belong to General Howe. Now, not only that, but Washington also insisted lla be brushed and fed before she was returned. The dog had done nothing wrong, after all, and she would be treated with respect and gentleness, the way Washington hoped that his own hounds would be if the roles had been reversed. The following day, lla was delivered to her owner along with Washington's notes. One British officer wrote that Howe was so happy to see her that he picked her straight up and put her on his lap. Washington's original letter to General Howe can be found in the National Archives today. Although any response from General Howe has vanished with time, George Washington accomplished many things during his time serving the United States as both a general and a president. But this story shows his integrity, generosity and grace, even in defeat. And as far as we know, Lila never complained. After all, as they say, a dog is a great judge of character. I hope you enjoyed today's guided tour through the Cabinet of Curiosities. This show was created by me, Aaron Manke, in partnership with iHeart Podcasts, researched and written by the Grim and Mile team and produced by Jesse Fung. Learn more about the show and the people who make it [e-mail] curiosities. You'll also find a link to the official Cabinet of Curiosities hardcover book available in bookstores and online, as well as ebook and audiobook. And if you're looking for an ad free option, consider joining our Patreon. It's all the same stories but without the interruption for a small monthly fee. Learn more and sign up [e-mail] grimandmild and until next time, stay curious.

[American Public University Sponsor]

This show is sponsored by American Public University. The future won't wait and neither should you. That's why American Public University offers Master's programs designed for momentum, affordable, high quality and flexible so you keep moving forward. With career relevant programs in business, healthcare, education, IT and more. You can gain skills you can use right away and the confidence to power your next move. American Public University made for what's next. Learn more at apuapus.edu this is an iHeart podcast.

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Guaranteed Human.