Jim Abbott’s no-hitter
Why Jim Abbott’s no-hitter most likely will never be replicated and why it is important.
The Yankees team in 1993.
Chapter 1: Setting the stage…
Let me paint you a picture. It is a cloudy September afternoon, you settle into your seat as the stadium ruminates an odor of muffled BO and dry popcorn, Americas’ past time. As you settle down and look into today’s game program you got as you checked into the stadium some 15 minutes prior. A home game for the yanks, versus the Cleveland Indians who are in a tight lock for the East Division title. Future HOF’s in Wade Boggs and Jim Thome are slugging away and pitcher Jim Abbott is set to get the start on this Saturday afternoon with a crowd of roughly 28,000. Umpire Ted Hendry is behind the dish, accompanied by base umpires Jim Evans (1B), Terry Craft (2B), and Ed Hickox (3B). The stage is set.
Jim Thome taking an at bat in his final game in 1997.
Chapter 2: The shaky beginning of something special…
The Yanks, being the home team, gave Abbott the ball in the top half of the first inning. The first pitch of the game did not set a good look for Jim, as his fastball runs low and away past the catcher for ball 1, a worthless first pitch. Let me remind you, this Cleveland team was 4th overall in the league in batting average as well as, number 1 in wins up into this point, this wasn’t a throw-away game for either squad. The second ball leaks low and away to hitter Kenny Lofton an Indian HOF as well batting .319 on the season. The next pitch was a called strike, followed by 2 more balls, walking the leadoff batter. Not providing a promising outlook for Abbott’s start. However, we both know the collective outcome, so why is this no-hitter so influential, and why it is one of the greatest feats in baseball history? Let’s continue down this rabbit hole.
By space of luck, the next batter in the Indian’s order is Felix Fermin, a forgettable name for a forgettable player, who measly roles over to Yankees then 3rd basemen for a 5-4-1 double play. A spark of luck for Abbott. However, the inning was far from over, as Abbott had to face Carlos Baerga, the 2nd basemen who was slashing .319 with 20 home runs and 102 runs batted in, at that point in his season. First pitch, strike down the heart of the plate, taken by Baerga. The announcers then go on to touch on how Baerga’s batting average was actually .100 points higher when facing Yankee pitching, an impressive .419 batting average. The second pitch is a fastball just outside. One and one is the count. On the next pitch, a hanging slider on the outer half, that Carlos pushes into left field. “Sky-high”, an announcer notes, as Dion James trouts to his left and catches the ball roughly eight paces from the outfield wall. A clean inning after a rough first at-bat puts Abbott into a good place to roll through into the second inning as the Yanks come up to bat in the bottom of the first.
Carlos Baerga earlier on in the 1993 season in a 15-5 win of the Yankees in early April.
Chapter 3: On a roll…
Abbott then cruises through the next seven innings, scoreless and surprisingly, hitless giving up only 5 total baserunners over 5 walks. Meanwhile, the Yankee offense has piled on four runs off eight hits. This put Abbott in a great place to make this Saturday afternoon, that much more meaningful and forever cementing his name into many around the nation. What occurred next are the final three outs in Jim Abbott’s historic no-hitter.
The first out came when batter Kenny Lofton grounded out to second basemen Mike Gallego. 25 outs down, 2 to go.
The second out came when Felix Fermin hit a long fly ball out to center fielder Bernie Williams who tracked the ball down and caught it 1 pace short of the warning track.
Leading to the 26th out of the game being recorded, leaving the 27th and final out of the game to no one else but Carlos Baerga.
Listen below for the 27th and final out of Jim Abbott’s no-hitter and the peak of his career.
Chapter 4: Finale…
If you didn’t know already Jim Abbott had only one arm. He was destined to never play baseball, or be good at it. However, he proved to not look at it as a downside but to use it as motivation. As single-handedly, Abbott proved to everyone that ever doubted him, they were wrong too, and in throwing this no-hitter he served as motivation for many. He defeated any and all relish of doubt and proved himself more than any player to this date, and I believe forever. It would be hard for there to be another Jim Abbott, but without him, it would be impossible.
“Find something you love, and go after it, with all of your heart.”
