Sunday, June 29, 2008

A One-Handed No-Hitter

Former Angels pitcher Jim Abbott is now 40 and spends much of his time as a motivational speaker.

Born without a right hand, Abbott not only made it to the major leagues, he also threw a no-hitter against Cleveland in 1993 at Yankee Stadium -- after he had been traded to New York.

Abbott told Newsday that he mentions the no-no as part of the speech he gives to businesses and schools because, in his previous game he had surrendered seven runs and 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings.

"I was frustrated, down and disappointed," Abbott recalled. "I was wondering how I was going to turn it around, and then five days later I had one of the great moments of my whole life."

The point, he said, is that "you might be down now, but you don't know what's going to happen tomorrow."

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