Jim Abbott Throws a No-Hitter at Yankee Stadium

On September 4, 1993, Jim Abbott of the New York Yankees threw a 4-0 no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium. He walked five batters and struck out three. The final out came when Carlos Baerga grounded to shortstop Randy Velarde, who threw to Don Mattingly at first base. Abbott raised both arms and was mobbed by his teammates.

Abbott had been born without a right hand. He learned to pitch with his left hand and switch his glove from his right arm to his left hand after each delivery, allowing him to field his position. He never wore a prosthetic. He never treated his condition as a limitation. He won a gold medal with Team USA at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, then went directly to the major leagues with the California Angels in 1989 without pitching a single inning in the minors.

The 1993 season had been difficult for Abbott. He entered the September 4 start with an 9-11 record and a 4.31 ERA. The Yankees were in second place, seven games behind the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Bronx crowds had thinned. Only 27,225 fans were at the stadium that afternoon.

Abbott retired 17 of the 27 outs on ground balls. His control wavered at times, and the five walks kept Cleveland baserunners moving through the early innings, but the Indians never found a gap. Abbott worked efficiently through the middle innings and gathered strength as the no-hitter took shape.

The no-hitter was the first by a Yankee since Andy Hawkins threw one in a losing effort against the White Sox in 1990, though that game was later reclassified by Major League Baseball. Abbott's gem was the 10th no-hitter in Yankees history and remains one of the most celebrated pitching performances in the franchise's long history.