Jim Abbott

[Michael Trzinski]

Jim Abbott played only one year in Milwaukee and didn’t have a great year, but all things considered, Abbott was successful during his 10-year major league career. Add to that his college career at the University of Michigan and his time with the 1988 USA Olympic baseball team and he had a celebrated tenure in baseball.

And he did all of that with only one hand.

James Anthony Abbott was born in Flint, Michigan and had a deformed right arm that ended at the wrist, with no hand. Despite his handicap, he became a star pitcher in Little League, throwing a no-hitter in the first game he pitched.

In high school at Flint Central, Abbott played first base and outfield while not pitching and batted .427 with seven home runs as a senior in addition to winning 10 of 13 games with an ERA of 0.76. He averaged two strikeouts per inning pitched. On the football field, Abbott was the back-up quarterback until the last three games of his senior year. In those three games, he threw for 600 yards and six touchdowns. Abbott was also the team’s punter.

Abbott was drafted in the 36th round of the 1985 MLB Amateur Draft but chose to attend the University of Michigan. He pitched three years as a Wolverine, was the first baseball player to be named Big Ten Conference Player of the Year, and beat Japan in the 1988 Olympics, tossing a complete-game 5-3 victory. The USA won the gold medal in what was at that time a ‘demonstration sport.’

The California Angels tabbed Abbott in the first round of the 1988 draft, signing the Michigan product for $207,000. He went directly to the major leagues in 1989 and finished fifth in the American League ROY voting, winning 12 games. After a solid 1990 season, Abbott had a breakthrough year in 1991, winning a career-high 18 games with an ERA+ of 142 and a FIP of 3.27. He finished third in the AL Cy Young Award voting.

Abbott pitched one more season for the Angels and was traded to the New York Yankees after the 1992 campaign. In two years with the Yankees, he won a combined 20 games across 56 starts with an ERA+ of 98. Abbott pitched a no-hitter over the Cleveland Indians on September 4, 1993. A week after his gem, Abbott was blasted by New York owner George Steinbrenner, who questioned the pitcher’s courage. Not surprisingly, he became a free agent after the 1994 season and was signed by the Chicago White Sox. After just 17 starts for the Chisox, he was traded back to the Angels.

The pitcher won five games in 13 starts for the Halos in 1995, but struggled in 1996, losing an AL-high 18 games. The Angels released Abbott before the 1997 season and the pitcher sat out the year, spending time with his wife and newborn daughter.

Abbott attempted to make a comeback with the White Sox in 1998, pitching at four stops in the minor league system before getting called up to Chicago in September. He won all five of his starts and pitched to an ERA+ of 101 and FIP of 4.31. However, the White Sox didn’t re-sign Abbott after the season. He became a free agent and signed with the Brewers prior to the 1999 season.

Unfortunately, Abbott didn’t have a great season in Brew City. After only 20 games (15 starts) he was given his release as he had an ERA+ of 66 and a FIP of 6.06. He did have a highlight, though, as he became the first one-handed player to bang out a base hit since outfielder Pete Gray collected 51 hits for the St. Louis Browns in 1945.

Abbott retired after the season with 87 wins, an ERA+ of 99, and a FIP of 4.25.

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