Sport: Baseball

Hometown: Flint, MI

Biography: Jim Abbott was born without a right hand, but was able to put together an effective career as a major league pitcher. His list of accomplishments included a no-hitter and 87 wins. Abbott had a standout career with the University of Michigan and was the first baseball player to win the Sullivan Award, an honor given to the nation's top amateur athlete. In 1988, he was a member of the U.S. baseball team that captured the Gold Medal in the Olympics. The Angels drafted him in the first round of the 1988 amateur draft and moved him straight to the major league level. He responded by winning 12 games as a rookie in 1989. He followed that season up with a 10-14 effort, but was an 18-game winner in 1991. In 1992, he posted a 2.77 ERA, but lack of support left Jim Abbott with an unimpressive 7-15 record. In 1993, the New York Yankees sent J.T. Snow and 2 minor league pitchers to the Angels for Abbott. Abbott responded with a no-hitter on Sept. 4 against the Cleveland Indians. He signed as a free agent with the White Sox in 1995 and returned to California in July 1996. After finishing 2-18 with a 7.18 ERA in 1996, he found himself released after Spring Training in 1997. After a year out of baseball, he signed with the White Sox in 1998 and went to the minors for the first time in his career. He received a September call-up and won 5 games. In 1999, the Milwaukee Brewers signed Abbott (his first signing with a National League club), but he was released after going 2-8 with a 6.71 ERA.