New Yerk Giants.

Fuller soon found his way to the
Joplin club of the Missouri Valley
league, joining the Miners at the
age of 17, where he not only wore
the pad and mask of a catcher but
also played infield, where he con-
tinued for many years after coming
to Wichita. He was a member of
many of the fastest clubs organized
in Wichita territory shortly after
the turn of the century.

Following his success on the dia-
mend, the Wichita boy turned te
football, where he also starred, be-
coming captain of the squad at 19.
He also was captain of basketball av
the time, Luther Taylor being man-
ager of the cage squad. Fuller at-
tributes major part of his suc-
cess to instructions received from
Taylor who also was adept at any
sport he chose to follow.

Taylor was a member of the foot-
ball eleven at the same time that
Fuller - acted as captain, -both “of;
these athletes playing an important
part in many grid victories. Photos
taken more than three decades ago
show Fuller and Taylor in uniform
on the grid squad, together with
other deaf mutes who overcame
many obstacles to carve out their
particular niche in sports that re-
quire, in ordinary cases, every fac-
ulty possible.

The Wichitan, always unassum-
in the most trying situations, as

IN THE UPPER PHOTO showing the Olathe schooi for the deaf in baseball uniform during the season
of 1900, Dalton “Dummy” Fuller, a Wichitan for many years, is seated third from the left in the uniform
that is still a treasured possession. Fuller was 16 at the time he joined the Olathe nine. Below, the 1903-4
basketball squad at the same school, clad in uniforms that appear to be more suitable for football.
Luther “Dummy” Taylor, manager of the squad appears at right in back, while Fuller, team captain is

center in front row.

was proved in many instances on
the diamond in years of partici-
pation in the national pastime,
when quick judgment was required.
Always deliberate in every move,
he was able to think and act with
speed when the situation demanded.
Featured Wichita Team

Playing as a member of the
YMCA basketball squad in Wichita
during 1904-05, Fuller was one of
the mainstays of the lineup, his
floor work and shooting being a
feature of the Wichita team’s per-
formance.

Reminiscing with Fuller, while
entailing the use of paper and
pencil to a marked degree, is al-
ways a sOurce Of many interesting
anecdotes regarding stars of all
three sports in which he engaged,
as Fuller is the possessor of an un-
usually retentive memory. Many
things that would escape the
memory of the average fan, re-
main fresh in Fuller’s mind .al-
though they were happenings of
two decades past.

Even though much water has
found its way under the bridge
since the Wichita man first be-

 

ing, was never found wanting, even

 

to bow to the encroachment of
Father Time, being still active on
the diamond, although most of his
activities are confined to an in-
field post with the Wichita Silents,
a’ deaf mute soft ball organization
that functions in one of Wichita’s
summer recreational leagues. How-
ever, Fuller still is able to get
around in fair shape in a _ base-

ball game, notwithstanding the fact

that, his speed is somewhat curbed
and his lasting qualities not what
they once were when he did hot
have to take a back seat for any
semi-pro in Kansas. x;
Still Good Batter

Fuller is an active member of

‘the Kansas Old Timers Baseball

association, which had its incep-
tion as an adjunct to the National
Semi-pro Baseball congress activi-
ties in Wichita, during tournaments
held in Wichita last summer. Full-

er took part in both games, and

while, as before mentioned, his
speed has diminished with the
passing of the years, his batting
eye would do credit to a youngster
just breaking into the game.

E. H. Mcllvain, one of Fuller’s

came active in sports, he refuseslinstructors at the Olathe school,

 

in a recent letter to the Wichitan,
is high in his praise of Fuller’s
athletic ability, in all sports, point-
ing out the powerhouse aggregation
which became a terror on the grid-
iron. The lineup included “Dummy”
Taylor, John Rule, John Martin,
John Weber and Fuller, all of
whom were well known 35 years

 

 
  

ago. Wee oe. Re
’ Puller was borm in ,a° log’ cabin
in Indiana, coming to Wichita soon

after with his parents, Dr. and Mrs.
John H. Fuller.“Starting his edu-
cation at the Olathe school.for the
deaf in 1895, which covered the

‘lgrade and high school course, he

graduated in 1904. The Wichita
man was sent to the St. Louis.
World fair by the school in that
year to demonstrate fancy wood
turning, the profession he still
follows.

The record of the Wichita ath-
lete is one of which to be proud
and when the natural handicap
under which he worked to attain
success, is taken into consideration,
his conquest of the three outstand-
ing sports can be inscribed in the
record book as one of real achieve-
ment.