Central Michigan University Athletics
Abbott to Throw First Pitch at Today's Baseball Game
4/2/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MOUNT PLEASANT -- Jim Abbott will throw out today’s ceremonial first pitch prior to today’s Central Michigan baseball game against the University of Michigan.
Abbott overcame a birth defect of having only one hand and pitched his way into the Majors. He spent 10 seasons in the big leagues, including stops with the California Angels, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, and Milwaukee Brewers.
One of the many highlights of the Flint, Michigan, native’s career came when he threw a no-hitter for the Yankees against the Cleveland Indians in 1993.
Before he reached the majors, Jim led the University of Michigan to two Big Ten titles. He also earned the U.S. Baseball Federation’s Golden Spikes award as the best amateur player in the country in 1987 and was named Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year in 1988. As a member of Team USA, he threw a complete game in its 1988 Summer Olympic Games victory over Japan for the United States’ first-ever gold medal in Olympic Baseball competition. He was inducted into College Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 2007.
Jim now shares his stories of courage and overcoming adversity to inspire people to achieve their goals and dreams. He will share those stories tonight at 7 in CMU’s Plachta Auditorium in a public program hosted by CMU Program Board and Phi Sigma Epsilon.
The Theunissen Stadium gates open at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults and just $4 for youth and seniors and can be purchased at the stadium.
