James Anthony Abbott (born September 19, 1967) is an American former
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Modern professiona ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or dr ...
. He played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
for the
California Angels,
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
,
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
, and
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
, from 1989 to 1999. He was successful at the major league level despite having been born without a right hand.
Abbott graduated from
Flint Central High School and grew up in the
East Village area of
Flint, Michigan. While with the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
, he won the
James E. Sullivan Award as the nation's best amateur athlete in 1987 and won a gold medal in the demonstration event at the
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and commonly known as Seoul 1988 ( ko, 서울 1988, Seoul Cheon gubaek palsip-pal), was an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October ...
. He was drafted in the first round of the
1988 MLB draft and reached the major leagues the next year. As a member of the Yankees, he threw a
no-hitter against the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central division. Since , they have ...
in 1993.
[Jim Abbott Hickoksports Biography](_blank)
Hickoksports Retrieved on July 28, 2006. He retired with a career record of 87
wins and 108 losses, along with a 4.25
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the numb ...
. He currently works as a
motivational speaker.
Playing career
Amateur years
Abbott was born in
Flint, Michigan.
He was picked up by the
Ypsilanti, Michigan, American Legion team and went on to win the championship. He graduated from
Flint Central High School in Michigan where he was a stand-out pitcher and
quarterback
The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Am ...
.
[Jim Abbott Biography](_blank)
Retrieved on July 24, 2006. He played for the
Grossi Baseball Club during the summer in the Connie Mack leagues of Michigan. He was drafted in the 36th round by the
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
in the
1985 Major League Baseball draft
First round draft picks
The following are the first round picks in the 1985 Major League Baseball draft.
Supplemental First Round Selections
Background
Six of the first eight draft picks from the June regular phase had at least one full ...
but did not sign, instead enrolling at the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
.
Abbott played
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...
for the
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 29 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except women's water polo, which competes in the NCAA inter-divisio ...
for three years from 1985 to 1988, leading them to two
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
championships. In 1987, he won the
James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the United States, becoming the first baseball player to win the award.
He was the flag-bearer for the United States at the
1987 Pan American Games
The 1987 Pan American Games, officially known as the X Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event held in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, on August 7–23, 1987. Over 4,300 athletes from 38 countries in the America ...
in
Indianapolis
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
, helping lead the US to a second-place finish.
Baseball was a
demonstration sport in the
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and commonly known as Seoul 1988 ( ko, 서울 1988, Seoul Cheon gubaek palsip-pal), was an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October ...
; he pitched the final game, winning an unofficial gold medal for the United States.
Abbott was voted the
Big Ten Athlete of the Year in 1988.
Abbott's University of Michigan #31 jersey was retired at the Wolverines' April 18, 2009 home game against
Michigan State University.
In 2007, he was elected to the
College Baseball Hall of Fame for his career at Michigan.
MLB career
The
California Angels selected Abbott in the first round, with the eighth overall selection, of the
1988 Major League Baseball draft. In 1989, he joined the Angels'
starting rotation as a rookie
without playing a single minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in No ...
game. That season, he posted a 12–12 win–loss record with an
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the numb ...
(ERA) of 3.92,
and finished fifth in the year's
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league b ...
(AL)
Rookie of the Year Award
A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year).
In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...
voting.
In 1991, Abbott went 18–11 for the Angels, who finished in last place in the
AL West with an 81–81 record. He posted the fourth-lowest ERA in the AL (2.89) while pitching 243
innings. As a result, he finished third in the AL
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Ha ...
voting.
In the 1992 season, he posted a 2.77 ERA (fifth-lowest in the AL) but his win–loss record fell to 7–15 for the sixth-place Angels.
He also won the
Tony Conigliaro Award in 1992.
In the offseason, the Angels attempted to trim payroll and traded Abbott to the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
for their top minor league prospect first baseman
J.T. Snow
Jack Thomas Snow Jr. (born February 26, 1968) is an American former professional baseball player and television sports color commentator. He played as a first baseman in Major League Baseball from to , most notably as a member of the San Franci ...
, pitchers
Russ Springer
Russell Paul Springer (born November 7, 1968) is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Springer made his major league debut on April 17, , with the New York Yankees. He also pitched for the California Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizon ...
, and
Jerry Nielsen
Gerald Arthur Nielsen (born August 5, 1966) is an American former professional baseball pitcher.
External links
1966 births
Living people
Albany-Colonie Yankees players
American expatriate baseball players in Canada
Baseball players fro ...
. He had an up and down year for the Yankees but on September 4, 1993, Abbott pitched a
no-hitter against the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central division. Since , they have ...
. On November 26 in the same year, he appeared as himself on the TV series ''
Boy Meets World'' in the episode "
Class Pre-Union".
In 1994, Abbott's Yankees led the
AL East
The American League East is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. MLB consists of an East, Central, and West division for each of its two 15-team leagues, the American League (AL) and National League (NL). This division was created before ...
, but the season halted, and the playoffs were canceled, due to a
players strike on August 12. A
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who i ...
after the 1994 season, Abbott signed with the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
in April 1995. On July 27, 1995, the White Sox traded him and
Tim Fortugno to the Angels for
McKay Christensen,
Andrew Lorraine
Andrew Jason Lorraine (born August 11, 1972) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1994 to 2002 for the California Angels, Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Chica ...
,
Bill Simas, and
John Snyder. The Angels held an 11-game lead over the
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion ...
in August, but lost the AL West division title in a
one-game playoff to the Mariners.
Abbott re-signed with the Angels for the 1996 season. He struggled through it, posting a 2–18 record with a 7.48 ERA. The Angels released him before Opening Day of the 1997 season, and he retired.
Abbott returned to the White Sox in 1998, starting five games and winning all five. He continued his comeback the following year with the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
, but pitched ineffectively. This was the first time he had played for a
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
team, forcing him to
bat for the first time in his career. He recorded two
hits
Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* '' H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block
* ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998
* ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014 - a British compilation album s ...
in 21
at bats during his Brewers stint. Both of his hits scored runs, and both hits came off of
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...
pitcher
Jon Lieber
Jonathan Ray Lieber (born April 2, 1970) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He stands tall and weighs . He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1994–1998), Chicago Cubs (1999–2002 and 2008), ...
, albeit in different games.
Abbott retired after the 1999 season with a career record of 87–108, with a 4.25 ERA.
Playing with one hand
When preparing to pitch the ball, Abbott would rest his glove on the end of his right forearm. After releasing the ball, he would quickly slip his hand into the glove, usually in time to field any balls that a two-handed pitcher would be able to field. Then he would secure the glove between his right forearm and torso, slip his hand out of it, and remove the ball from it, usually in time to throw out the runner at first or sometimes even start a double play. At all levels, teams tried to exploit his fielding disadvantage by repeatedly
bunting to him.
Batting was not an issue for Abbott for the majority of his career, since the American League uses the
designated hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by t ...
, and he played only two seasons in the
interleague play era. But he tripled in a spring training game in 1991 off
Rick Reuschel, and when he joined the National League's
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
in 1999, he had two hits in 21 at-bats, both off
Jon Lieber
Jonathan Ray Lieber (born April 2, 1970) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He stands tall and weighs . He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1994–1998), Chicago Cubs (1999–2002 and 2008), ...
.
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
teammate
Mariano Rivera
Mariano Rivera (born November 29, 1969) is a Panamanian-American former professional baseball pitcher who played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, from 1995 to 2013. Nicknamed "Mo" and "Sandman", he spent most ...
claimed to have witnessed Abbott hitting home runs during batting practice.
His disability inspired him to work harder than most. “As a kid I really wanted to fit in,” Abbott says on his website about growing up with a disability. “Sports became a way for me to gain acceptance. I think this fueled my desire to succeed. I truly believe that difficult times and disappointments can push us to find abilities and strengths we wouldn’t know existed without the experience of struggle.”
Awards
*1986 – Abbott was presented with the
United States Sports Academy's Mildred "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias Courage Award for his courageous action in overcoming adversity to excel in sports.
*1987 – Abbott won the
Golden Spikes Award.
*1992 – Abbott was awarded the
Tony Conigliaro Award, given annually by the Boston Red Sox to a Major League player who overcomes an obstacle and adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination, and courage that were trademarks of the Boston star.
*2003 – Abbott was inducted into the
Baseball Reliquary's
Shrine of the Eternals.
["Shrine of the Eternals – Inductees"](_blank)
Baseball Reliquary. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
*2014 – Abbott was one of 12 recipients of the
Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards
The Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards were established to honor the legacy of the founder of the Viscardi Center, Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., a leading disability rights
The disability rights movement is a global social movement that seeks ...
.
Autobiography
In April 2012, Abbott's autobiography, ''Imperfect: An Improbable Life'' (), co-written with Tim Brown, was published by
Ballantine Books.
See also
*
List of Major League Baseball no-hitters
*
Pete Gray
Pete or Petes or ''variation'', may refer to:
People
* Pete (given name)
* Pete (nickname)
* Pete (surname)
Fictional characters
* Pete (Disney), a cartoon character in the ''Mickey Mouse'' universe
* Pete the Pup (a.k.a. 'Petey'), a character ...
*
Chad Bentz
Chad Robert Bentz (born May 5, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball. Bentz grew up in Juneau, and he made history on April 7, 2004, by becoming the second pitcher, after Jim Abbott, to play ...
*
University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abbott, Jim
1967 births
Living people
American disabled sportspeople
American expatriate baseball players in Canada
Sportspeople with limb difference
American amputees
Baseball players at the 1987 Pan American Games
Baseball players at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Baseball players from Flint, Michigan
Birmingham Barons players
Calgary Cannons players
California Angels players
Chicago White Sox players
Baseball players with disabilities
Flint Central High School alumni
Golden Spikes Award winners
Hickory Crawdads players
James E. Sullivan Award recipients
Major League Baseball pitchers
Michigan Wolverines baseball players
Milwaukee Brewers players
New York Yankees players
Sportspeople from Southfield, Michigan
Vancouver Canadians players
Winston-Salem Warthogs players
National College Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Medalists at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Olympic gold medalists for the United States in baseball
Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States
Pan American Games medalists in baseball
Big Ten Athlete of the Year winners
Medalists at the 1987 Pan American Games