<p>No obstacle is too big to overcome for Jim Abbott. After being born with only one hand, the pursuit to making it to the major leagues did not deter him. As the first baseball player to win the Sullivan Award as the nation's outstanding amateur athlete in 1987, Abbott went on to represent Team USA and became the first American pitcher in 25 years to beat a Cuban team on Cuban soil. The team won a silver medal at the Pan-American Games and Abbott won the US Baseball Federation's Golden Spikes award as the best amateur player in the country.</p><p>In the 1988 Olympics, Abbott was the winning pitcher in a 5-3 victory over Japan that brought the US its first gold medal in baseball. His most famous highpoint is throwing a no-hitter for the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in 1993. Abbott played for ten seasons on four different teams; ending his big league playing career in 1999.</p><p>As a professional motivational speaker, Abbott shares how he was able to overcome perceived limitations, and reach his dreams. He encourages audiences to find something they love, and to go after it with all their heart. His story has been featured in numerous magazines including Time and Sports Illustrated; and he has appeared on several shows including ESPN, Good Morning America and CNN.</p>
Famed one-handed Major League Baseball pitcher
<ul><li><strong>ADAPT: Overcoming Adversity</strong></li><li><div>As a one-handed athlete, some would say Jim Abbott overcame obstacles to become a standout major league baseball player. Abbott would beg to differ and say he was incredibly blessed. In order to continue to move towards our goals Abbott shares we must be willing to adapt, change, and mold ourselves to meet the challenges in our own way. Using APAPT as an acronym he will show audiences that by putting together a powerful set of words that stand alone in their significance, they also string together like a chain in an amazing way.</div><div></div><div>A - Adjustability</div><div>D - Determination</div><div>A - Accountability</div><div>P - Perseverance</div><div>T - Trust</div></li></ul>