20354428 nothing is impossible jim abbot story
TRANSCRIPT
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Find something you love,
and go after it, with all of your heart - Jim Abbott
SUMMARY:
Born, Sept. 19, 1967, in Flint, Michigan without a
right hand. He was an All-America hurler at
Michigan; won Sullivan Award in 1987; threw 4-0
no-hitter for NY Yankees vs. Cleveland (Sept. 4,
1993). Jim played for 10 seasons on 4 different teams
and ended his big league playing career in 1999.
Today, in addition to being a Guest Pitching
Instructor during Spring Training for the Los
Angeles Angels, Jim Abbott is a motivational
speaker. Unique as a sports speaker because hisstory, and the way he delivers it, appeals to many
types of audiences, even those who are not sports
fans. In his keynotes, Jim Abbott uses motivational
sports stories of how he overcame adversity, and
anecdotes from his career as a professional baseball
pitcher. Abbott also works with The Department of Labors Office of Disability
Employment Policy (ODEP) on several initiatives encouraging businesses to hire people
with disabilities. For the PITCH (Proving Individuals with Talent Can Help) campaign,
Jim, ODEP and Major League Baseball combine efforts to help raise awareness about the
talent people with disabilities have to offer.
The Jim Abbott Story
Jim Abbott has battled the odds his entire life. Despite being born with only one hand he
was the 15th player to ever make a professional debut in the Major Leagues. Many
considered the move a publicity stunt by manager Doug Rader, but after struggling early,
Abbott proved his doubters wrong by winning 12 games with a 3.92 ERA in his rookie
season.
On the mound, Abbott wore a right-hander's fielder's glove at the end of his right arm.
While completing his follow-through after delivering a pitch, he rapidly switched the glove
to his left hand so he could handle any balls hit back to him. In that first 1989 season as aprofessional he won more games as a rookie than any other previous player without Major
League experience.
Abbott spent hours as a youngster bouncing a ball off a wall to practice fielding as well as
throwing. He was the starting quarterback on his high school football team, which went to
the finals of the Michigan state championship, and he showed enough promise as a pitcher
to be drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays shortly after graduation.
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However, Abbott went to the University of Michigan on a baseball scholarship. Abbott led
the Wolverines to Big Ten titles in his freshmen and junior years and won the prestigious
Golden Spikes Award, presented annually to the outstanding college baseball player in the
United States.He had a career record of 26 wins and 8 losses at the school.
As a member of Team USA in 1987, he became the first American pitcher in 25 years tobeat a Cuban team on Cuban soil. The team won a silver medal at the Pan-American
Games and Abbott won the U. S. Baseball Federation's Golden Spikes award as the best
amateur player in the country.
Abbott participated in the 1988 Summer Olympic Games, pitching a complete game seven
hitter, leading the United States to the Gold Medal in a 5-3 victory over Japan. The United
States first ever, gold medal in Olympic Baseball competition.
He then joined the California Angels following the Olympics. Jim made his pro debut in
spring training and made it to the Major Leagues without playing in the minor leagues,
which was the beginning of a tremendous Major League career. His most famous highpointis perhaps throwing a no-hitter for the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in 1993.
His baseball achievements include the Sullivan Award (best amateur athlete in the United
States), male athlete of the year for the 1988 Olympic Games, and many awards at
Michigan including the Jesse Owens Athlete of the year.
But the awards that best define Jim Abbott would be those that exemplify courage and
overcoming adversity.
March of Dimes Athlete of the Year (twice)
Academy Awards of Sports, Courage Award 1991 Victory Award recipient at the Kennedy Center Washington D.C. Freedom Forum's Free Spirit Award
Today Jim Abbott is a professional motivational speaker. He has been featured in USA
Today, Newsweek, Time, Sports Illustrated, Parade Magazine, People, and Baseball
America. He has been featured during Olympic coverage, and has appeared on ESPN,
Good Morning America, CNN, Larry King, Phil Donahue, George Michael Sports
Machine, NBC Nightly News, ABC News Person of the Week, Late Night with David
Letterman, and the ABC television series Boy Meets World.
Jim Abbott was invited to throw out the first pitch at game 7 of the 2002 World Series andrecently participated in his first Yankees Old Timers Day.
As a philanthropist, Jim Abbott donated 100,000 dollars to Amigos de los Ninos, an
organization that aids groups that care for children in California.
He is an inspiration to all that meet him or have followed his career. More than his no-
hitter, his 13 strike out game, a seven game winning streak, overcoming an eleven game
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losing streak, Jim Abbott became a great baseball player and a great person. He learned to
overcome adversity and be an inspiration to those around him.
On A Personal Note
Jim lives in California with his wife, two children and their dog. His parents still live inMichigan. Jim and his family take the Summer off each year to stay at the lake, and visit
with family and friends. Jim has a younger brother.
Jim Abbott Time Line
1985: Drafted, selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 36th round of the 1985 free-agent
draft; did not sign, instead went to college at Michigan University. Posted a 26-8 mark with
a 3.03 ERA in three years at Michigan.
1987: Named the Golden Spikes Award winner by USA Baseball;
1987: He was the first baseball player to win the AAU's Sullivan Award as the top amateur
athlete of the year. The Sullivan, known as the " Oscar" of sports awards, and older than
The Heisman, the AAU Sullivan Award honors the outstanding amateur athlete in the
United States. It has been presented annually by the AAU since 1930.
August, Jim Abbott carried the United States flag during the opening ceremonies at the
1987 Pan American Games in lndianapolis, Indiana.
1987: July 18, the first American pitcher to defeat Cuba in Cuba in 25 years.
1987 and 1988: Geoff Zahn Award as Michigan's Most Valuable Pitcher
1988: Voted the left-handed pitcher on The Sporting News college All-America team.
1988: Member of the U.S. Olympic baseball team. Abbott pitched a complete game leading
the United States to a gold medal victory over Japan, in Seoul, Korea.
1988: The first baseball player to win the Jesse Owens Award as Big Ten Male Athlete of
the Year.
1988: Big Ten Baseball Player of the Year
1988: Drafted by the California Angels in the 1st round (8th pick) of the 1988 amateur
draft. Jim Abbott was one of only three pitchers during the 1980s to win his first
professional game at the major league level.
1991: Victory Award recipient at the Kennedy Center Washington D.C.
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1992: Traded by the California Angels to the New York Yankees for J.T. Snow, Jerry
Nielsen, and Russ Springer.
1993: As the pitcher for the Yankees Jim Abbott no-hit the Tribe, 4-0, in a game at Yankee
Stadium. Abbott was the first Yankees pitcher to throw a no-hitter in a decade.
1995: Signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago White Sox. In the same year he was traded
by the Chicago White Sox with Tim Fortugno to the California Angels for McKay
Christensen, John Snyder, Andrew Lorraine, and Bill Simas.
1996: Signed as a Free Agent with the California Angels.
1998: Signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago White Sox.
1999: Signed as a Free Agent with the Milwaukee Brewers.
2000: Began professional motivational speaking.
2004: Inducted to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
2007: Elected to the College Baseball Hall of Fame.
2008: The University of Michigan awarded him an Honorary Degree Doctor of Laws.
2008: PITCH spokesperson for the US Department of Labor
Those who have hired Jim Abbott to speak will tell you what a truly motivational keynote
speaker he is. His style of speaking is humble and humorous. He shows your audience,employees or members of your association how to overcome obstacles and difficulty. He is a
living example that disability does not define you, but rather your ability.
Motivational speakers can lift and inspire your team. Those who are a living example of
overcoming adversity, like Jim Abbott, are the best at bringing the message into the hearts
of the listener. His messages use many sports anecdotes, but is 100% appreciated and loved
by even those who are not sports fans.
To contact Jim Abbott,
call Lilly Walters in our California Office, 909-398-1228
Jim Abbott Speech - ADAPT: Overcoming Adversity
(c) Jim Abbott, 2004 (may only be reproduced with permission)
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People will tell you that I overcame obstacles -- maybe. But the truth is I was incredibly
blessed in my life. More was given than was ever taken away.
Some of you may know that my career statistics weren't that great. There were some
incredible highlights and some agonizing low lights. The truth is, I won't go to the hall of
fame. But if a career can be measured by special moments, lessons learned and aconnection with people, then I would stack mine up with anyones. Maybe there is an
obligation to share. To try and learn from the experiences life puts us through.
When you play major league baseball it is easy to become self-absorbed. Your world can
become very narrow. One of the aspects of speaking is that I enjoy getting out in the real
world and seeing how hard people work. I have been amazed at how much their pursuit of
excellence is similar to that same pursuit on a baseball diamond.
The challenge for me as a professional speaker has been to try and formulate a common
language. The word that I have come up with is APAPT. To continue to move towards our
goals we must be willing to adapt. To change, and mold ourselves in order to meet theobstacles in our own way. Using APAPT as an acronym you can put together a powerful set
of words that stand alone in their significance, but they also string together like a chain in
an amazing way.
A - adjustability
D - determination.
A - accountability
P - perseverance
T - trust (c) Jim Abbott, 2004
A - adjustability
Let me start with A. Adjustability. To achieve great things in this world you must be able
to adjust to what is being asked. My dream wasn't to play in the major leagues. My dream
was to play baseball at all. In order to do that, I had to develop a new way of doing things. I
really wanted to join in with my friends but to do that I needed to learn to play in a much
different way than they did. When you NEED something, you find a way.
I can't take credit for this. I was surrounded by wonderful people, who had the patience
and creativity to help me devise the strategies I would need to get through life. Starting of
course, with my parents, teachers, friends. If there is courage in my story, it was theirs.
Their generosity of spirit gave me an ingrained optimism that there is a solution to be
found for any problem. It may take some flexibility but it is there.I learned along the way, that doing things in new ways always involves risk. You have to be
willing to take a chance. You will also expose yourself to a lot of skepticism. Those who will
say you can't do it that way, which bring us to the next word in our ADAPT chain.
D - determination
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Once you've found your way, you have to work it make it happen. Once you've found what
you love, don't let anything stand in your way. I don't have to tell you that the only way to
get what you want is to work your butt off. We all know that. A pitchers success depends
on the training he puts in before he takes the field.
There is another aspect of determination that I think is equally as important. We talked
about those who say you can't. You must be determined in your belief that you can. I canthink of so many examples of people who in one form or another questioned my playing
ability.
Many teams bunted over and over again to see if I could make that simple play. One team
bunted 6 times in a row.
My first college win came when they tried to steal home on the catchers throw back to me.
My point is that you have to create a strong filter that weeds out the negativity in whatever
form it takes. You know what I mean. When we aren't feeling so strong, little things can
keep us down, little comments, and body language from your boss. Even our own thinkingcan be corrosive when we let any thought carry us away.
You have to be determined not to let someone elses opinion of you define what you think of
yourself. Only you know in your heart all the things you are capable of.. Which brings us
to accountability.
A - accountability
Accountability the heart and soul of my adapt chain. Basically accountability says that we
are responsible for the abilities we've been given. It is unforgiving. When we look in the
mirror can we say that we've made the most of our talents, no matter how big or howsmall? Are we making the most of the potential we have in all aspects of our lives. As a
father, as a husband, as a co-worker. Accountability is brutal, but we need it to keep
pushing ourselves to be the best we can be.
P - perseverance
Sticking with it. Life is full of ups and downs and how we respond to adversity makes us
who we are. You may have seen the highlights, the good times in my career, but there were
many difficult times.
In 1996 I went out and had what might be one of the worst years a pitcher can have. Two
eighteen.
Sports had always been my crutch. For an insecure kid who wanted very much to be
accepted, success in athletics covered up a lot of hurt for a long time. But in 1996 it all came
crashing down. I was failing. As hard as I tried it would just get worse. By the end of they
year I was sent to the minor leagues for the first time in my life. I'm not going to tell you
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that I handled that year with all of the grace I would have liked. All I could do was to keep
on trying. The following spring I was released from the Angels. Cleaned out my locker in
front of my friends and drove home alone through the Arizona desert. My whole world was
upside down. I missed it so much. I desperately wanted to get back, but I was also gun shy
from going through a year and a half of failure.
Inspiration can come from unexpected places. An old manager called, he told me that he
didn't think I was finished. And that's all it took, we started working.
Finally things turned around instead of baby steps those I started making large strides
until I was able to call my wife and tell her the Chicago White Sox had just called me back
to the big leagues. I could have kissed the mound. To make it back seems to me as great an
accomplishment as making it in the first place. That experience illuminated to me that no
matter how far we go in life we will continue to be tested. There is no finish line.
T - trust
Trust is my favorite and it is appropriate that it comes last. After youve found your way,
after you have put the work in, after you have made the most of the abilities you were
given, and stuck with it, it comes down to trust. Believing in the incredible amount of work
you've done and knowing you are prepared for anything. When push comes to shove you
draw your line in the sand and say this is who I am.
Trust in yourself. That belief that you can do it. Trust in yourself you believe that you can
respond in any circumstance.
Throwing a no-hitter was one of the most exciting things that ever happened to me. To
throw it in Yankee Stadium made is even more dramatic. That game is the greatest
illustration I can think of to demonstrate the importance of trust. During that game thepressure starting mounting in the 6th inning. Pitch by pitch the fans were getting excited,
and the atmosphere were becoming electric. That day the mound at Yankee Stadium began
to feel like the eye of a hurricane.
Fans, teammates, result thinking, everything starts speeding up big time.
The challenge was to bring it back to the laser like focus this pitch to that spot come on now
trust it. Throw this pitch with confidence.
You see its that trust, that last little oomph in the delivery that makes all the difference.
It all comes back to trusting in yourself and the work you have done, you re ready for this,
bring it on.
So that is why I am a big believer in ADAPTing. Not only can we mold ourselves to the
challenges that come our way. We can also break that word down into those 5 components
and give ourselves 5 incredible strategies, and apply them any aspect of our lives.
But going through life with a few extra challenges has made me a better person, not better
than anyone else but better than I would have been. I've learned that sometimes adversity
can be a good thing.
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The bible tells us to be grateful in every situation. I am grateful for mine.
- Jim Abbott