Oscar winner Troy Kotsur is backing renewed recognition for William “Dummy” Hoy, whose story he once helped bring to the screen.

The official Hoy trailer has been released, with Bob Costas narrating the story of William "Dummy" Hoy, a Deaf star who is widely credited with helping bring the hand signals umpires still use to this day. His supporters want to see him inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

To Kotsur, Hoy is more than a ballplayer.

"Dummy Hoy showed the Deaf community what was possible. He became a symbol of breaking barriers, opening doors, and proving that Deaf people belong on the biggest stages," the actor says.

Kotsur first learned about Hoy as a child and later appeared as Luther in the 2007 film I See the Crowd Roar: The Story of William Dummy Hoy. Nearly two decades later, he is helping introduce Hoy’s story to a new audience.

Hoy played 14 major league seasons between 1888 and 1902, recording more than 2,000 hits and becoming one of the most accomplished Deaf athletes in American sports history.

Supporters say a record like that belongs in Cooperstown.

The film also sets out to show what those achievements meant to Deaf fans who rarely saw themselves at the top level of the sport.

Steve Sandy, a Deaf baseball historian, has studied Hoy since 1989. He sees the fight for recognition as something bigger than baseball.

"I’ve spent 36 years researching Dummy Hoy, and the more I learn, the clearer it becomes that his story belongs in Cooperstown."

Hoy is credited with helping shape and popularise visual communication in baseball. The full history is more complicated than saying one player invented umpire hand signals, but his link to the game's visual language is a real part of his story.

The film also features Curtis Pride, a Deaf former major leaguer who serves as the campaign’s Chief Baseball Advisor. Pride discovered Hoy early in his minor league career and finally had a predecessor to look up to as he chased his own career.

Sign For Hoy wants him considered by the Classic Baseball Era Committee in 2027, for the Hall's Class of 2028. Supporters say induction would honour Hoy's career and give young Deaf athletes a visible example of what is possible.

The full film is expected to be released in November as the campaign continues its push for broader recognition of Hoy’s career and legacy.