Don’t Strike Out
Ready — Growing up in Flint, Michigan, Jim Abbott dreamed of becoming a major league baseball pitcher. While many young boys harbor such a dream, Abbott was different. Born without a right hand, he faced a challenge that most people thought would bench him for life. Instead of listening to the doubters, Abbott mastered catching and throwing with a single hand.
Set — While pitching at Flint Central High School in Flint, Michigan, he gained a reputation for throwing with control and velocity. Abbott earned All-State honors and a scholarship to the University of Michigan, where he led the Wolverines to two Big Ten titles, captured Olympic gold, and jumped straight to the California Angels without a day in the minors.
Abbott became one of baseball’s most inspiring athletes by . . .
Creating solutions. He wore a specially modified glove on the end of his right forearm. When he delivered a pitch with his left hand, the glove rested on his right forearm stub. Immediately after releasing the ball, Abbott slipped his left hand into the glove.
Practicing. If the ball was hit back to him, he caught it in the glove like any pitcher. To make a throw after fielding, he trapped the ball against his right forearm or body, removed the glove with his right arm, transferred the ball to his left hand, and made the throw. Practiced thousands of times the motion was instinctive, seamless, and lightning fast.
Focusing on strengths. Abbott developed his skill as a pitcher, perfecting what he could do instead of lamenting what he couldn’t. In 1993, he hurled a no-hitter for the New York Yankees, an astounding accomplishment for any pitcher, especially one born without a hand.
Grow! — We all face challenges. Your “defect” may not be physical, but whatever it is, let it refine you rather than define you. Jim Abbott could have developed a victim-mentality. Instead, he focused on what he could do. His unique glove-switching technique stunned opponents and allowed him to compete at the highest level.
Two Questions
Do you perceive limitations in your life?
What’s one move you can make to overcome them?