Jim Abbott

As a Michigan Woman, I remember Jim Abbott coming to pitch for the Wolverines. I've followed with pride and admiration his subsequent glories: Pan Am Games, Gold medal in the Olympics, major league career, third in Cy Young voting, and that outstanding no-hitter with the Yankees. Reading 'Imperfect', one gets all of the glories but also the pain, determination and sometime disappointments. All competitors, especially the successful ones, would say the road to accomplishment was not without its bumps. For Abbott, the path was steeper than for most because he accomplished this while onlympossessing one hand. The book is framed by an inning by inning examination of that epic no-hitter, taking breaks in between to reflect on his childhood, and college and pro careers.

Early in the book, he describes his daughter's innocent 'Daddy, do you like your little hand?' As we follow his story we learn of his complicated relationship with his right arm and with his self-perception. I found this an inspirational book. Most of us have been beset with feelings of being different, having to overcome some setback or heartache, or bouts of self-doubt. Jim Abbott replied to his daughter, "I do honey. I like my little hand. I haven't always liked it. And it hasn't always been easy. But it has taught me an important lesson: that life isn't always easy and it isn't always fair. But if we can make the most of what we've been given, and find our own way of doing things, you wouldn't believe what can be happen."… (meer)

I read this book, uncharacteristically for me, because of the picture on the cover. It shows a one-handed pitcher wearing a NY Yankees uniform standing on the pitcher's mound. Furthermore, the notes said that he pitched a no-hitter and the gold medal game at the Olympics. Being an avid Red Sox fan (in the past), how could I not have heard of this guy? My motivation turned out to be very telling. It seems Jim Abbott spent his early years trying to succeed in baseball while shying away from the inescapable label of being "the one-handed pitcher." He eventually comes to see the wisdom of his parents who taught him to treat his situation as an opportunity, not a curse, and each increase in his level of play as a gift. He ultimately grew into his role as an inspiration for people with similar disabilities. I found Jim's personal musings to be the best aspect of the book and made it much better than the average baseball memoir. The action jumps around in time, with the centerpiece being an account of his no-hitter. The scattered pitch-by-pitch narrative was not my favorite part of the book, but I have to admit that I had tears in my eyes at the end so, who can complain?… (meer)