Jim Abbott’s Yankees turmoil, inspirational no-hitter covered in new ESPN documentary
In his first season with the Yankees, a heated Jim Abbott confronted then-New York Times reporter Jack Curry over an article that labeled the pitcher as something he’d never been called before.
Underachiever.
🎬 Get Free Netflix Logins
Claim your free working Netflix accounts for streaming in HD! Limited slots available for active users only.
- No subscription required
- Works on mobile, PC & smart TV
- Updated login details daily
The tense exchange — revisited in ESPN’s new E60 documentary “Southpaw: The Life and Legacy of Jim Abbott” — served as one of several moments Abbott reflected on during a screening of the film Monday night at the Tribeca Screening Room in Manhattan.
The film, which chronicles the highs and lows of Abbott’s remarkable career, was followed by a panel discussion featuring Abbott, Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay, ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap and E60 senior producer and director Mike Farrell.
“My time with the Yankees, Mike, I have to say, painfully, you captured it pretty well — to hear some of the evaluations and things going on at the time,” Abbott said with a chuckle.
The pitcher, born without a right hand, defied expectations to be drafted in the first round by the Angels, reach the majors without ever playing in the minor leagues and finish third in Cy Young voting in 1991.
Entering the final month of the 1993 season, Abbott’s first year in pinstripes was marked by inconsistency.
He carried a 9–11 record with a 4.31 ERA and candidly admitted in the film he had not delivered on expectations.
On Aug. 29, Abbott allowed seven earned runs in just 3 1/3 innings against Cleveland and was on the verge of being pulled from the rotation, Kay revealed during the panel.
“It was pretty ugly,” Abbott said. “I left the stadium, I went for a run and I remember [Buck] Showalter not being too happy about that. I felt overwhelmed.”
Abbott received another start the following weekend — also against Cleveland — and delivered one of the most noteworthy performances in baseball history.
Mark Suleymanov
In front of 27,125 fans at Yankee Stadium, Abbott no-hit a loaded lineup that included Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, Albert Belle, Kenny Lofton and Carlos Baerga in a 4–0 win.
“There was no internet, there was no social media,” said Schaap, who interviewed Abbott throughout the documentary, including in the stands at Yankee Stadium, as they rewatched his legendary performance on the big screen. “It’s one of those things, when you talk about things that would’ve broken the internet, the no-hitter would’ve been one of them. But Jim’s whole story, right? It’s the moments, the arc of the story.
“It’s a remarkable privilege for me to be part of this project. To reintroduce this story to people who never knew it and to remind people who have forgotten, because it is one of the great stories in sports.”
The documentary uses the no-hitter as a narrative thread, weaving through Abbott’s childhood in Flint, Mich., his amateur career, the 1988 Olympics and ultimately his rise to Major League Baseball — a journey that made him an icon to millions with disabilities.
Abbott discussed his apprehension about being put on a pedestal — and how, for much of his career, he wrestled with the pressure of living up to what others expected him to represent.
“When you talk about somebody being an inspiration, I think the average person would be like, ‘I wish I was an inspiration to millions of people, it sounds like an awesome thing.’ But it’s more nuanced and complicated with Jim,” Farrell said. “This sort of journey of identity and fighting back against the one-handed pitcher label for most of his young life and most of his career.
“But then, eventually understanding the power that can come with embracing that is a fascinating and complicated inner journey.”
Abbott endured constant media attention during his career, from accusations he was drafted as a publicity stunt to the emotional weight of meeting thousands of children with disabilities — a role he came to see as a “responsibility.”
“I didn’t think I’d be crying today,” Kay said as the panel began, noting the emotional stories of Abbott meeting with children highlighted throughout the film.
That sense of responsibility extended to how Abbott dealt with failure — particularly in his disastrous 1996 season with the Angels. Abbott went 2–18 with a 7.48 ERA in 27 games, was designated for assignment in Augus and accepted a demotion to the minor leagues.
“It was an incredibly rough year,” Abbott said. “I put it right there with the Jack Curry interview, coming to terms with who you are. I had placed all my eggs in one basket. I felt like who I was was who I was a pitcher.
“To have that taken away from you shakes you to the core. To be in the minor leagues and watch your friends on TV, see the game on without you, is an incredibly difficult thing.”
Abbott briefly retired after that disastrous season but returned to pitch two more years in 1998 and 1999.
“It took a lot of self-introspection to realize that what you do in your job, what you do on a baseball field, is not who you are,” he said. “There’s so much else in the world that’s important. Losing 18 games was one of the hardest things I went through. I knew I wasn’t who I wanted to be as a person. But I feel like I came out of it a better person.”
“Southpaw” is set to debut Sunday, July 13, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. The documentary features several interviews with those closest to Abbott, including his mother, Kathy, and brother, Chad, as well as Yankees teammates Wade Boggs, Don Mattingly, and Matt Nokes — who caught his no-hitter.
But if Abbott’s career is defined by one outing, he hopes it continues to inspire.
“The no-hitter…in some crazy way, I never wanted to just participate,” Abbott said. “I never wanted to just be on the team. I wanted to be good. If there was a message to kids who were different, it’s that you can be good.”
This story was originally published on The 41st Man Substack
Let’s be honest—no matter how stressful the day gets, a good viral video can instantly lift your mood. Whether it’s a funny pet doing something silly, a heartwarming moment between strangers, or a wild dance challenge, viral videos are what keep the internet fun and alive.