| Jim Abbott | |
|---|---|
 Abbott in 1998 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1967-09-19)September 19, 1967 (age 58) Flint, Michigan, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 8, 1989, for the California Angels | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 21, 1999, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 87–108 |
| Earned run average | 4.25 |
| Strikeouts | 888 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
James Anthony Abbott (born September 19, 1967) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theCalifornia Angels,New York Yankees,Chicago White Sox, andMilwaukee Brewers from 1989 to 1999. He was successful at the major league level despite being born without a right hand.
Abbott graduated fromFlint Central High School and grew up in theEast Village area ofFlint, Michigan. He was drafted out of high school by theToronto Blue Jays in the 36th round of the1985 MLB draft but didn’t sign and decided to attend college. While with theUniversity of Michigan, he got theJames E. Sullivan Award as the nation's best amateur athlete in 1987 and won a gold medal in the demonstration event at the1988 Summer Olympics. He was drafted in the first round of the1988 MLB draft and reached the major leagues the next year.
As a member of the New York Yankees, he threw ano-hitter against theCleveland Indians in 1993.[1] He retired with a career record of 87wins and 108 losses along with a 4.25earned run average. He then became amotivational speaker.[2][3]
Abbott was born inFlint, Michigan.[4] He was picked up by theYpsilanti, Michigan, American Legion team and went on to win the championship. He graduated fromFlint Central High School in Michigan where he was a standout pitcher andquarterback.[5] He played for the Grossi Baseball Club during the summer inConnie Mack Baseball. TheToronto Blue Jays selected Abbott in the 36th round in the1985 Major League Baseball draft, but he did not sign with the Blue Jays.
Abbott enrolled at theUniversity of Michigan and playedcollege baseball for theMichigan Wolverines for three years from 1985 to 1988, leading them to twoBig Ten Conference championships. In 1987, he won theJames E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the United States, becoming the first baseball player to win the award.[1][4] He was the flag-bearer for the United States at the1987 Pan American Games inIndianapolis, helping lead the US to a second-place finish.[4][6] Baseball was ademonstration sport in the1988 Summer Olympics; he pitched the final game, winning an unofficial gold medal for the United States.[4] Abbott was voted theBig Ten Athlete of the Year in 1988.
Abbott's University of Michigan #31 jersey was retired at the Wolverines' April 18, 2009, home game againstMichigan State University.[4] In 2007, he was elected to theCollege Baseball Hall of Fame for his career at Michigan.
TheCalifornia Angels selected Abbott in the first round, with the eighth overall selection, of the1988 Major League Baseball draft. In 1989, he joined the Angels'starting rotation as a rookie without playing inMinor League Baseball. That season, he posted a 12–12 win–loss record with anearned run average (ERA) of 3.92,[4] and finished fifth in the year'sAmerican League (AL)Rookie of the Year Award voting.
In 1991, Abbott went 18–11 for the Angels, who finished in last place in theAL West with an 81–81 record. He posted the fourth-lowest ERA in the AL (2.89) while pitching 243innings. As a result, he finished third in the ALCy Young Award voting.[4] 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.[4] He also won theTony Conigliaro Award in 1992.
In the offseason, the Angels attempted to trim payroll and traded Abbott to theNew York Yankees for their top minor league prospect first basemanJ.T. Snow, and pitchersRuss Springer andJerry Nielsen.[7] He had an up and down year for the Yankees but on September 4, 1993, Abbott pitched ano-hitter against theCleveland Indians.[8] On November 26 in the same year, he appeared as himself on the TV seriesBoy Meets World in the episode "Class Pre-Union" with fellow University of Michigan alumnusWilliam Russ.
In 1994, Abbott's Yankees led theAL East, but the season was halted and the playoffs were canceled, due to aplayers strike on August 12. Afree agent after the 1994 season, Abbott signed with theChicago White Sox in April 1995. On July 27, 1995, the White Sox traded him andTim Fortugno to the Angels forMcKay Christensen,Andrew Lorraine,Bill Simas, andJohn Snyder.[9] The Angels held an 11-game lead over theSeattle Mariners in August, but lost the AL West division title in aone-game playoff to the Mariners.
Abbott re-signed with the Angels for the 1996 season. He struggled through it,[10] posting a 2–18 record with a 7.48 ERA. The Angels released him before Opening Day of the 1997 season, and he retired.[11]
Abbott returned to the White Sox in 1998, starting five games and winning all five. He continued his comeback the following year with theMilwaukee Brewers, but pitched ineffectively. This was the first time he had played for aNational League team, forcing him tobat for the first time in his career. He recorded twohits in 21at bats during his Brewers stint. Both of his hits scored runs, and both hits came offChicago Cubs pitcherJon Lieber, albeit in different games.
Abbott retired after the 1999 season with a career record of 87–108, with a 4.25 ERA. He became eligible for theNational Baseball Hall of Fame on the2005 BBWAA ballot, but received only 13 votes (2.5% of the total vote) and fell off the ballot.
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 repeatedlybunting to him.[12]
Batting was not an issue for Abbott for the majority of his career, since the American League used thedesignated hitter, and he played only two seasons in theinterleague play era. But he tripled in a spring training game in 1991 offRick Reuschel,[13] and when he joined the National League'sMilwaukee Brewers in 1999, he had two hits in 21 at-bats, both offJon Lieber.[14][15]New York Yankees closerMariano Rivera claimed to have witnessed Abbott hitting home runs during batting practice.[16]
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."[17]
In April 2012, Abbott's autobiography,Imperfect: An Improbable Life (ISBN 0345523253), co-written with Tim Brown, was published byBallantine Books.[22]
· Baseball Almanac| Awards and achievements | ||
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| Preceded by | No-hitter pitcher September 4, 1993 | Succeeded by |
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| National | |
| Other | |
