WHY I THINK JIM ABBOTT SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK JIM ABBOTT SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Jim Abbott was probably the most inspirational player ever to play in the Big Leagues. While his pitching alone does not merit induction into the Hall of Fame, I have heard a very interesting case made for him, and being a big Jim Abbott fan, have decided to relate it here. You see, Abbott was born with a withered right arm. The arm had no hand, but one small finger on the end. He endured many nasty insults during his youth, but dominated in Little League, College, and even the 1988 Olympic games. Abbott then played ten seasons in the Majors, from 1989 through 1999, and was very good for a while. He finished fifth in the AL Rookie of the Year Award voting in 1989, third in the Cy Young balloting in 1991 (18-11, 2.89 ERA), and posted a 2.77 ERA in 211 innings in 1992. Abbott also achieved every pitcher’s dream in 1993 when he no-hit the Indians on September 4. Additionally, he was a very good fielder despite fielding with his pitching hand (he held his glove on his right arm as he delivered the pitch, then quickly slid it onto his left hand to field). Most of all, he was a success. Just take into account how hard it is to make it to the Majors, especially as a pitcher, and stay there for ten years, without a handicap like that. Abbott made good in a profession that demands a lot of talent, igniting the hopes of millions who suffer from similar disabilities and struggle with the tasks of everyday life. The statistics don’t matter. Jim Abbott was a hero. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games Pitched career: 263 season high: 34 in 1991 

Starts career: 254 season high: 34 in 1991 

Complete Games career: 31 season high: 7 in 1992 

Shutouts career: 6 season high: 2 in 1989 

Games Finished career: 5 season high: 3 in 1999 

Wins career: 87 season high: 18 in 1991 

Losses career: 108 season high: 18 in 1996 led AL: 18 in 1996 

Winning Percentage career: .446 season high: .621 in 1991 

ERA career: 4.25 season low: 2.77 in 1992 

WHIP career: 1.433 season low: 1.214 in 1991 

Innings Pitched career: 1,674 season high: 243 in 1991 

Strikeouts career: 888 season high: 158 in 1991 

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings career: 4.8 season high: 5.9 in 1991 

Walks career: 620 (30 intentional) season high: 74 in 1989 

Strikeouts Per Walk career: 1.43 season high: 2.16 in 1991 

Saves career: 0 

Fielding Percentage career: .976 season high: 1.000 in 1992 and 1995 led AL P: 1.000 in 1992 and 1995 

Double Plays career: 16 season high: 4 in 1990 

Putouts career: 72 season high: 19 in 1991 

Assists career: 300 season high: 46 in 1991 led AL P: 46 in 1991 

Caught Stealing Percentage career: .338 season high: .538 in 1991 

Pickoffs career: 25 season high: 6 in 1999 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-won the 1995 Hutch Award 

-was the AL Player of the Week on September 5, 1993 

-had a career fielding percentage 20 points above the league average 

-had two career hits in the Majors, both off of Jon Lieber 

-threw a no-hitter in his first pitching appearance in Little League 

-batted .427 as a senior in high school while going 10-3 with an 0.76 ERA on the mound 

-won both the Sullivan Award (for the best amateur athlete in the country) and the Golden Spikes Award (for the best amateur baseball player) in 1987 

-was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007 and into Baseball Reliquary’s Shrine of the Eternals in 2003