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Imperfect: An Improbable Life
On an overcast September day in 1993, Jim Abbott took the mound at Yankee Stadium and threw one of the most dramatic no-hitters in major-league history. The game was the crowning achievement in an unlikely success story, unseen in the annals of professional sports. In Imperfect, the one-time big league ace retraces his remarkable journey.
283 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
117 people are currently reading
1107 people want to read
About the author
Jim Abbott
11 books10 followersJim Abbott was born September 19, 1967, in Flint, Michigan without a right hand. He was an All-America hurler at Michigan; won the Sullivan Award in 1987; was the pitcher for the Gold Medal Olympic Team in 1988; and threw a 4-0 no-hitter for the New York Yankees versus Cleveland (September 4, 1993). Jim played for 10 seasons on 4 different teams and ended his big league playing career in 1999.
Abbott has worked with The Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) on several initiatives encouraging businesses to hire people with disabilities.
Today, in addition to often being a Guest Pitching Instructor during Spring Training for the Los Angeles Angels, Jim Abbott is a motivational speaker. (From JimAbbott.com.)
Abbott has worked with The Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) on several initiatives encouraging businesses to hire people with disabilities.
Today, in addition to often being a Guest Pitching Instructor during Spring Training for the Los Angeles Angels, Jim Abbott is a motivational speaker. (From JimAbbott.com.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 222 reviews
February 19, 2016
I remember Jim Abbott "the one-handed ball player" primarily as a pitcher for the Angels. Yes I was one of those nerds who care loved baseball cards in plastic by team and position. Getting back to the book, by reading Abbott's story, I see how he served as an inspiration for disabled children even though he did not want to be labeled as such. I found it remarkable that he viewed himself as a ball player who happened to have one hand as though this is an everyday occurrence one sees in passing.
Kudos to his parents for pushing him to achieve and to those allies he had not giving up on him because he was different. I am happy to see that he has persevered and is still happily married as of publication of this book many years after retiring from baseball. From reading these pages, Abbott has seemed to have lived a fulfilling life on and off of the baseball diamond. For a ghost written book this was one of the better ones. I look forward to reading more of Tim Green's work.
Kudos to his parents for pushing him to achieve and to those allies he had not giving up on him because he was different. I am happy to see that he has persevered and is still happily married as of publication of this book many years after retiring from baseball. From reading these pages, Abbott has seemed to have lived a fulfilling life on and off of the baseball diamond. For a ghost written book this was one of the better ones. I look forward to reading more of Tim Green's work.
April 17, 2019
If you're a baseball fan like I am, Jim Abbott's story should satisfy your reading enjoyment. He's a one-handed pitcher due to a birth defect, and perseveres through grit and intelligence to have a MLB career. I like how he's become an advocate for the kids who are like him. Wonderful story about a good guy.
March 30, 2017
This book was better than I expected it to be. I have grown to have low expectations of an athlete's perceptiveness and writing ability, and this is unwarranted. Jim Abbott shows both. As he recounts his life, he even shows the growing process on how he has perceived different issues over the course of his life, and this can be very difficult to do. Usually, even the best writers will want to superimpose their current level of maturity on their former selves as they write.
Abbott is willing to admit that he carried a chip on his shoulder as a younger man. This drove him to succeed and to define himself narrowly in terms of wins and losses. This drove him to perhaps overreact to the curiosity of other people about his physical disability and to see any attempt to define him as a one-armed pitcher as blatantly discriminatory. As the story goes on, though, he begins to see that – for good and for bad – how he is perceived is not really about him. Those who would discriminate against him or treat him unfairly must own their prejudice. On the other hand, those, particularly children with disabilities, who are able to identify with him to an even greater extent because of his disability deserve to have that kind of a connection with a hero.
Jim Abbott is also able to fulfill my other aim for this book – to get a feel for what it was like to play baseball in "my" era from the mid-80s until the early 90s. Baseball nostalgia is dominated by baby boomers who came of age between the late 40s and the early 60s, and their writing tends to look with disdain on later eras. I am convinced that this is not because the game was THAT different but because of the more jaded age at which they perceive it. Just the names of the players Abbott faced brought back memories for me. His vivid descriptions of the fields and even the gravel of the warning track under his feet made this worth reading.
SECOND READING: A fifth star is pretty tempting. Abbott is good at conveying the details and texture that a baseball fan would want, but he is also good at conveying the maturation of his own thinking. I mentioned that last time, but his interactions with the therapist really stood out to me this time.
Abbott is willing to admit that he carried a chip on his shoulder as a younger man. This drove him to succeed and to define himself narrowly in terms of wins and losses. This drove him to perhaps overreact to the curiosity of other people about his physical disability and to see any attempt to define him as a one-armed pitcher as blatantly discriminatory. As the story goes on, though, he begins to see that – for good and for bad – how he is perceived is not really about him. Those who would discriminate against him or treat him unfairly must own their prejudice. On the other hand, those, particularly children with disabilities, who are able to identify with him to an even greater extent because of his disability deserve to have that kind of a connection with a hero.
Jim Abbott is also able to fulfill my other aim for this book – to get a feel for what it was like to play baseball in "my" era from the mid-80s until the early 90s. Baseball nostalgia is dominated by baby boomers who came of age between the late 40s and the early 60s, and their writing tends to look with disdain on later eras. I am convinced that this is not because the game was THAT different but because of the more jaded age at which they perceive it. Just the names of the players Abbott faced brought back memories for me. His vivid descriptions of the fields and even the gravel of the warning track under his feet made this worth reading.
SECOND READING: A fifth star is pretty tempting. Abbott is good at conveying the details and texture that a baseball fan would want, but he is also good at conveying the maturation of his own thinking. I mentioned that last time, but his interactions with the therapist really stood out to me this time.
June 15, 2020
This was an excellent autobiography. The story is compelling. Jim Abbott is the most successful professional athlete (baseball or otherwise) with a physical disability. Amateur athlete of the year in 1987, Big Ten Player of the Year in 1988, Olympic champion in 1988. As a major leaguer he finished third in the Cy Young voting in 1991 and pitched a no-hitter for the Yankees in 1993.
The writing was well paced and the personal story and background on his parents was compelling . I grew up a half hour away from Jim Abbott so am familiar with all of the locales in this book. I was sports crazy in high school and remember when Abbott garnered national attention as a high school athlete.
4 stars. Based on nostalgia I would give it five stars.
The writing was well paced and the personal story and background on his parents was compelling . I grew up a half hour away from Jim Abbott so am familiar with all of the locales in this book. I was sports crazy in high school and remember when Abbott garnered national attention as a high school athlete.
4 stars. Based on nostalgia I would give it five stars.
September 4, 2012
When I saw this book faced out in the New - Non-fiction section at the Rye Free Reading room, I was hesitant to reach for it. Jim Abbott and I share an uncommon experience (no, it's not pitching a major league no-hitter): living life without a right hand. I wasn't sure what his take on it would be - I'm still not sure after 60+years what my take on it is. But I picked up the book and began to read the introduction - when I read the question his pre-K daughter put to him on Dad's Day at pre-school however, I was hooked: "Daddy, do you like your little hand?"
Tough question. Abbott essentially spends the next 300 pages attempting to answer the question. As I have. We are marked by it. We must live with it and its associations, insults and challenges (Captain Hook!, Were you always left-handed? Shoe-tying, brassiere un-doing). Imperfect made me think about my life. It also made me somewhat relieved that much of what I've experienced wasn't unique - the book is filled with 'aha- moments, tears and laughs that may perhaps only be appreciated by those with disabilities - but I believe that anyone who has encountered hardship or challenges in life will be inspired by Abbott's accomplishments, no matter how many hands they have - and I believe that's Abbott's point - it is the big things that truly matter - love, family, and friends.
Tough question. Abbott essentially spends the next 300 pages attempting to answer the question. As I have. We are marked by it. We must live with it and its associations, insults and challenges (Captain Hook!, Were you always left-handed? Shoe-tying, brassiere un-doing). Imperfect made me think about my life. It also made me somewhat relieved that much of what I've experienced wasn't unique - the book is filled with 'aha- moments, tears and laughs that may perhaps only be appreciated by those with disabilities - but I believe that anyone who has encountered hardship or challenges in life will be inspired by Abbott's accomplishments, no matter how many hands they have - and I believe that's Abbott's point - it is the big things that truly matter - love, family, and friends.
July 30, 2012
Perhaps the biggest lesson I learned from this book was how important it is to appreciate the victories and how hard it can be to do just that. Abbott accomplished something very few men do, no matter how many limbs they have, just by earning a place in the pitching rotation of a major league ball club, but his story makes it clear that, like so many of us do, he became more focused on his failures than his accomplishments, to the point where much of the joy an achievement most people assume would make a person very happy evaporated for him.
I really appreciated his candor, and I am baffled by the reviewers who feel like they didn't get inside his head. I have been fortunate to meet quite a few athletes, some in the big leagues, and have found that they tend to be very simple in how they see things and how they think. When the manager goes out to the mound to tell the pitcher "throw strikes," there's nothing ironic or simplistic about it. To perform at the level these guys do, you have to strip away most of the words and be right there doing the very simple thing you do--perfectly. To translate that into words--which take us out of the moment--is hard, so I was doubly impressed by the ability of Abbott, aided by his co-writer, to put so much into words.
I learned a great deal about what it's like to be a major league pitcher. I learned more about what it is like to be a major league pitcher who is losing his stuff, which is all too relevant this year for those of us who have been watching the Red Sox pitching staff melt down.
And of course, I learned even more about what it is like to be involuntarily cast in the role of poster child when you just want to be a kid like everyone else and to have to cope with that all your life along with the challenges that come from having things that are easy for others to do made much more difficult because of a disability.
This would be a very good book for anyone interested in baseball, anyone struggling to achieve success in any challenging field, and for anyone raising kids with disabilities who would like to understand what it's like to be the kid rather than all the adults around the kid giving the pep talks.
Highly recommended.
I really appreciated his candor, and I am baffled by the reviewers who feel like they didn't get inside his head. I have been fortunate to meet quite a few athletes, some in the big leagues, and have found that they tend to be very simple in how they see things and how they think. When the manager goes out to the mound to tell the pitcher "throw strikes," there's nothing ironic or simplistic about it. To perform at the level these guys do, you have to strip away most of the words and be right there doing the very simple thing you do--perfectly. To translate that into words--which take us out of the moment--is hard, so I was doubly impressed by the ability of Abbott, aided by his co-writer, to put so much into words.
I learned a great deal about what it's like to be a major league pitcher. I learned more about what it is like to be a major league pitcher who is losing his stuff, which is all too relevant this year for those of us who have been watching the Red Sox pitching staff melt down.
And of course, I learned even more about what it is like to be involuntarily cast in the role of poster child when you just want to be a kid like everyone else and to have to cope with that all your life along with the challenges that come from having things that are easy for others to do made much more difficult because of a disability.
This would be a very good book for anyone interested in baseball, anyone struggling to achieve success in any challenging field, and for anyone raising kids with disabilities who would like to understand what it's like to be the kid rather than all the adults around the kid giving the pep talks.
Highly recommended.
July 24, 2024
A true inspiration to all!
January 17, 2013
Jim Abbott comes across as an everyday kind of guy in recounting his fears as easily as the motivations that allowed him to overcome them. At five years old he was placed in a hospital in Grand Rapids, Mich., two hours away from his home in Flint. Separated from his mother, father, and younger brother except on weekends, he bonded with other special-needs children as doctors studied him and fit him with a clunky mechanical arm. His parents realized after a month that he didn’t belong there and brought him home intent on challenging him to find his place in the world, hand or no hand.
Flint was not an easy place for anyone to grow up. Abbott tells of the day he was accosted in a high school stairwell and punched in the face by a kid trying to earn his gang stripes. Plenty of other two-handed classmates met the same fate.
The most heart-breaking tales, however, are the stories of the children who wrote and visited him throughout his professional career. Time and again he was interrupted in the clubhouse before a game by the PR guy, asking if he could spare a few minutes to talk or even play catch with a child who had been born without a hand or a foot or worse. He accommodated so many such visitors he caught flak from Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, with the Boss infamously stating that Abbott would be better off giving “100 percent of his attention to baseball.” Classic Steinbrenner.
I was surprised at how much of Abbott’s career I had forgotten, considering he was so frequently in the news. Perhaps at some point I had come to regard him as he wished to be viewed, just another pitcher. Once he lost his fastball, he stopped showing up on my fantasy league scouting reports.
I hadn’t remembered that he retired twice, walking away from the game for the entire 1997 season after posting an awful 2-18 record the year before. I have no recollection whatsoever of him as a Brewer in his final season, when he went 2-8 with a 6.91 ERA before heading home to be with his wife and family. There was no rocking chair tour, just a months- long struggle to survive with a diminished fastball and a cutter that no longer broke like it had when he was young. He realized too late that former teammate Bob McClure’s advice to develop his secondary pitches might have prolonged his career.
The book is well written almost to a fault. There were places where I started trying to picture where Abbott left off and Brown took up. For example, how many ballplayers have ever uttered two sentences such as these: “The sky was gray, a leaden touch to a yawn-and-stretch morning on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The idle observations from the uniformed lobby doorman and the waitress four blocks away at Gracie’s Corner, where the wait was manageable and the pancakes were reliably fluffy, were about afternoon rain, the prospect of which further softened the jostle of the expired workweek.”
As colorful as that is, I was relieved that most of the book did not read that way. I also wasn’t a fan of the shifting viewpoints from first-person to more of an omniscient third-person, particularly early on when talking about Abbott’s parents before he was born. It’s a minor distraction, however, and doesn’t take much away from what is a fascinating and frequently emotional journey.
Flint was not an easy place for anyone to grow up. Abbott tells of the day he was accosted in a high school stairwell and punched in the face by a kid trying to earn his gang stripes. Plenty of other two-handed classmates met the same fate.
The most heart-breaking tales, however, are the stories of the children who wrote and visited him throughout his professional career. Time and again he was interrupted in the clubhouse before a game by the PR guy, asking if he could spare a few minutes to talk or even play catch with a child who had been born without a hand or a foot or worse. He accommodated so many such visitors he caught flak from Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, with the Boss infamously stating that Abbott would be better off giving “100 percent of his attention to baseball.” Classic Steinbrenner.
I was surprised at how much of Abbott’s career I had forgotten, considering he was so frequently in the news. Perhaps at some point I had come to regard him as he wished to be viewed, just another pitcher. Once he lost his fastball, he stopped showing up on my fantasy league scouting reports.
I hadn’t remembered that he retired twice, walking away from the game for the entire 1997 season after posting an awful 2-18 record the year before. I have no recollection whatsoever of him as a Brewer in his final season, when he went 2-8 with a 6.91 ERA before heading home to be with his wife and family. There was no rocking chair tour, just a months- long struggle to survive with a diminished fastball and a cutter that no longer broke like it had when he was young. He realized too late that former teammate Bob McClure’s advice to develop his secondary pitches might have prolonged his career.
The book is well written almost to a fault. There were places where I started trying to picture where Abbott left off and Brown took up. For example, how many ballplayers have ever uttered two sentences such as these: “The sky was gray, a leaden touch to a yawn-and-stretch morning on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The idle observations from the uniformed lobby doorman and the waitress four blocks away at Gracie’s Corner, where the wait was manageable and the pancakes were reliably fluffy, were about afternoon rain, the prospect of which further softened the jostle of the expired workweek.”
As colorful as that is, I was relieved that most of the book did not read that way. I also wasn’t a fan of the shifting viewpoints from first-person to more of an omniscient third-person, particularly early on when talking about Abbott’s parents before he was born. It’s a minor distraction, however, and doesn’t take much away from what is a fascinating and frequently emotional journey.
June 20, 2020
This was a fantastic book. I think everyone will enjoy it, especially baseball fans. Each alternate chapter tells either the story of his life or an inning of a no-hitter he wants through for the Yankees, much like the movie for the love of the game with Kevin Costner. Jim’s story was particularly intriguing to me because he was one of my childhood heroes since we share similar physical characteristics. He and his co-author did an incredible job of not only telling his story but also getting into his thoughts and emotions at at each stage along the way. There are so many experiences he and I have in common but also quite a few distinctions. Not just that he made it to the majors and I didn’t but even in the small things of every day lives. Both of our lives are filled with tiny adaptations to our unique circumstances and are crowded with the questions and stares of strangers. Probably the biggest difference between us is that I never went through long periods of being embarrassed by my arm. I firmly believe that’s because of God’s grace. We both had incredible parents who never saw our arms as limitations but my home was filled with the faith, hope, and love that comes from the Gospel. I was struck by how hard it is to do life, especially with a disability, without Jesus. We are all broken. For some of us that brokenness is more visible than it is for others. My arm is a constant reminder that I need Jesus. It’s a reminder I don’t shy away from but instead embrace because it’s only in my Savior that I am made whole.
July 8, 2012
Excellent read. I would recommend it for anyone who is or has faced adversity, and isn't that everyone. I especially liked the dual storylines of the autobiography and baseball game. I was fortunate to attend a book event with Mr. Abbott at Citizens Bank Park. He is such a genuinely nice guy, and a terrific storyteller. Highly recommend.
May 2, 2020
This story goes beyond baseball, beyond disability even. It’s a story about perseverance and setting your mind on something and working hard towards it. Sometimes we have obstacles or disappointments, but don’t give up! Sometimes we have to come up with our own ways of doing things in order to adjust. We have to play with the hand we’re dealt (pun intended, sorry Jim).
“The harder I worked, the more people wanted to believe in me, and the more I believed in myself.”
It’s a great question to reflect on: Am I working as hard as I can? Do I believe in myself?
“The harder I worked, the more people wanted to believe in me, and the more I believed in myself.”
It’s a great question to reflect on: Am I working as hard as I can? Do I believe in myself?
August 15, 2021
I like the way Jim Abbott talks about his life's experience and how he has faced the world being a person with a disability. His resilience is just something to simply admire. To me, as a person with his same condition, this book is full of relatable stuff and with new views on old topics. If you're not a person with a disability this book can show you, as well, many lessons on how to be resilient at your fullest.
This is a very well written book, but if you're not very much into baseball it can be hard to read at times.
This is a very well written book, but if you're not very much into baseball it can be hard to read at times.
November 22, 2020
Hearing my favorite ball player recite his experience and life. Man. It was great ❤
August 6, 2025
What I loved the most was how genuine and real this book is. What a great man Jim Abbott is-honest, thoughtful, unassuming, and human just like the rest of mankind.
August 25, 2022
This book is really two books in one. Yes, it is an autobiography of Jim Abbott and his dealing with the disability of his mis-formed hand. But it is also a great insight into the turbulent mind of a major-league pitcher: How he deals with losses and wins; The psychological toll that his profession takes on a person, both personally and professionally; Dealing with the media; Relationships with coaches and teammates; Communication with the catcher (and the criticality of that interaction). All of this rolled together to make for a very interesting book.
I listened to the audio version of this book. It is, as are most autobiographies, well-read by the author. It is very easy to listen to.
I listened to the audio version of this book. It is, as are most autobiographies, well-read by the author. It is very easy to listen to.
July 26, 2016
Was Jim Abbott a successful big league pitcher?
For us baseball statistical fiends, Jim Abbott finished his 10-year Major League pitching career with 21 more losses than wins (87-108 lifetime record). Delving deeper (and not noted in his memoir), Abbott retired with a mediocre 4.25 ERA, a high WHIP of 1.43 and a very low K/9 rate of 4.8. Hitters had a healthy batting average of .276 and an OBP of .340 against him. Defensively, Abbott's career fielding percentage was surprisingly much better than the league average for pitchers but his range factor was a bit more limited than most. As a batter, in a small sample Abbott hit .095 (2 for 21) with 3 RBI's, no walks and 10 strikeouts. While all of these statistics are interesting and worth considering, statistics by themselves never tell the entire story.
From little league all the way up to the biggest stage, Jim Abbott had to deal with adversity many people can't grasp. Right away Abbott recognized he was different from everyone else he played baseball with. Sometimes he felt like there were 17 players on one side of the field and him alone on the other. While playing left field, first base and pitching for the freshman baseball team at Central High in Flint, Michigan, he went the entire season without getting a single hit. Pitching was becoming his forte. When Abbott was drafted by the struggling California Angels with the eighth pick in the first round of the 1988 draft, some people believed he'd be used as a one-handed circus-show to boost slumping ticket sales. Even the legitimacy of his crowning moment at Yankee Stadium was questioned years later when Manny Ramirez basically shrugged Abbott's no-hitter off by saying "we hit some balls hard".
Jim Abbott dealt with the skeptics, the critics, and the harsh nicknames (like one-point-five and Captain Hook) by ignoring the distractions and working hard on improving his craft. He practiced his special glove switch by throwing a baseball to himself and catching it off of a brick wall while moving closer and closer to challenge the speed of his glove exchange. As we all do, Abbott leaned on people who believed in him like his parents, teachers, and select teammates (that included Michael Jordan on the Birmingham Barons in the minors during Jordan's hiatus from the NBA and the Chicago Bulls). Abbott also learned a great deal from an amazing cast of many talented coaches and managers (which included Buck Showalter, Joe Maddon and Terry Collins at the big league level). In turn, Abbott became an inspiration for many, many people, especially "imperfectly built" children who faced unique challenges in their own lives.
Abbott's hand (or lack there of it) was his motivation, his pride and his insecurity. When doubt crept into his mind, he'd blink hard to chase it away. Hope and optimism sprung from choosing to focus not on what he lacked but rather on what he had. While the topic of this book was fantastic and at times inspirational, the writing and cookie-cutter style of it (alternating back and forth from Abbott's past and the no-hitter game) left something to be desired. Not every baseball book is a home run and unfortunately, this one is not a page turner. But the message and lesson that's important is that life isn't easy and it isn't always fair but if we put our minds to it we can still make the most out of what we've been given.
In the end, whether or not you consider Jim Abbott a successful big league pitcher depends on how you define success. To me, success in life isn't determined by a win-loss record or numbers and statistics of this and that. Instead, I believe success is based on how you play with the hand you've been dealt and the positive impact you have on other people around you. Jim Abbott persevered with incredible determination and a willingness to take the ball no matter what the circumstance. In this story character means everything and it's his character that makes Jim Abbott's career a resounding success.
For us baseball statistical fiends, Jim Abbott finished his 10-year Major League pitching career with 21 more losses than wins (87-108 lifetime record). Delving deeper (and not noted in his memoir), Abbott retired with a mediocre 4.25 ERA, a high WHIP of 1.43 and a very low K/9 rate of 4.8. Hitters had a healthy batting average of .276 and an OBP of .340 against him. Defensively, Abbott's career fielding percentage was surprisingly much better than the league average for pitchers but his range factor was a bit more limited than most. As a batter, in a small sample Abbott hit .095 (2 for 21) with 3 RBI's, no walks and 10 strikeouts. While all of these statistics are interesting and worth considering, statistics by themselves never tell the entire story.
From little league all the way up to the biggest stage, Jim Abbott had to deal with adversity many people can't grasp. Right away Abbott recognized he was different from everyone else he played baseball with. Sometimes he felt like there were 17 players on one side of the field and him alone on the other. While playing left field, first base and pitching for the freshman baseball team at Central High in Flint, Michigan, he went the entire season without getting a single hit. Pitching was becoming his forte. When Abbott was drafted by the struggling California Angels with the eighth pick in the first round of the 1988 draft, some people believed he'd be used as a one-handed circus-show to boost slumping ticket sales. Even the legitimacy of his crowning moment at Yankee Stadium was questioned years later when Manny Ramirez basically shrugged Abbott's no-hitter off by saying "we hit some balls hard".
Jim Abbott dealt with the skeptics, the critics, and the harsh nicknames (like one-point-five and Captain Hook) by ignoring the distractions and working hard on improving his craft. He practiced his special glove switch by throwing a baseball to himself and catching it off of a brick wall while moving closer and closer to challenge the speed of his glove exchange. As we all do, Abbott leaned on people who believed in him like his parents, teachers, and select teammates (that included Michael Jordan on the Birmingham Barons in the minors during Jordan's hiatus from the NBA and the Chicago Bulls). Abbott also learned a great deal from an amazing cast of many talented coaches and managers (which included Buck Showalter, Joe Maddon and Terry Collins at the big league level). In turn, Abbott became an inspiration for many, many people, especially "imperfectly built" children who faced unique challenges in their own lives.
Abbott's hand (or lack there of it) was his motivation, his pride and his insecurity. When doubt crept into his mind, he'd blink hard to chase it away. Hope and optimism sprung from choosing to focus not on what he lacked but rather on what he had. While the topic of this book was fantastic and at times inspirational, the writing and cookie-cutter style of it (alternating back and forth from Abbott's past and the no-hitter game) left something to be desired. Not every baseball book is a home run and unfortunately, this one is not a page turner. But the message and lesson that's important is that life isn't easy and it isn't always fair but if we put our minds to it we can still make the most out of what we've been given.
In the end, whether or not you consider Jim Abbott a successful big league pitcher depends on how you define success. To me, success in life isn't determined by a win-loss record or numbers and statistics of this and that. Instead, I believe success is based on how you play with the hand you've been dealt and the positive impact you have on other people around you. Jim Abbott persevered with incredible determination and a willingness to take the ball no matter what the circumstance. In this story character means everything and it's his character that makes Jim Abbott's career a resounding success.
August 1, 2012
ARC provided by Goodreads
When I was growing up I wasn’t really into sports. I could barely play them and they just didn’t do much for me. But I did like reading baseball stories and I remember reading in “Sports Illustrated for Kids” about Jim Abbott...the one handed baseball pitcher who pitched for the US Olympic Team and threw a no-hitter for the New York Yankees. And something about that story resonated with me, his perseverance, his desire to be known not as the one handed pitcher but just as a baseball player, and ever since then he’s been one of my favorite athletes. So I was really excited about having the chance to read his story. And what a powerful story it is.
The story alternates between Jim’s life growing up and one of the defining moments of his baseball career...the day that he threw a no-hitter in 1993 against the Cleveland Indians. Jim walks us through that day, from getting up and eating breakfast with his wife, to arriving at the ballpark, to the nerves throughout the day, to the very last out. He gives us a look into what it’s like to hear the boos and the roar of the crowd for this defining moment. And just how this story relates to his life.
Jim’s story begins with his daughter and her kindergarten class. He came for bring your parent to class day and she asked a question that he had never been asked before, yet one that permeated his life. “Do you like your little hand?” And from that point forward Jim shares with us his desire, his drive, and his perseverance to be known for more than just his hand, but for being a baseball pitcher and more importantly for being a good human being.
And that is actually my favorite aspect of this book. Jim being humble, thankful for what he had, for what others didn’t have, for what he could do to help others like him. It’s not necessarily what he wanted, but he did it anyway. Not by trying to make any grand gestures and appearances, but by simply being himself. Greeting the fans, talking to them, answering each and every letter that came his way just to let them know not to give up. His story reveals that he’s more than just a baseball pitcher, but a good person. And I’m sure some folks are reading this thinking “oh it’s an autobiography he could just be making it up,” but that’s not the way it reads at all. Jim isn’t bragging about anything and he doesn’t really try to make any of these aspects stand out, but they do anyway because that's the type person he is.
This book isn’t just for fans of baseball. It’s a book about a humble man who was also a baseball pitcher. It’s filled with humor, insight into the sports world, and humanity. I highly recommend this book and it’s one that folks should read at least once. And then see how they feel about reading it a few more times after that.
When I was growing up I wasn’t really into sports. I could barely play them and they just didn’t do much for me. But I did like reading baseball stories and I remember reading in “Sports Illustrated for Kids” about Jim Abbott...the one handed baseball pitcher who pitched for the US Olympic Team and threw a no-hitter for the New York Yankees. And something about that story resonated with me, his perseverance, his desire to be known not as the one handed pitcher but just as a baseball player, and ever since then he’s been one of my favorite athletes. So I was really excited about having the chance to read his story. And what a powerful story it is.
The story alternates between Jim’s life growing up and one of the defining moments of his baseball career...the day that he threw a no-hitter in 1993 against the Cleveland Indians. Jim walks us through that day, from getting up and eating breakfast with his wife, to arriving at the ballpark, to the nerves throughout the day, to the very last out. He gives us a look into what it’s like to hear the boos and the roar of the crowd for this defining moment. And just how this story relates to his life.
Jim’s story begins with his daughter and her kindergarten class. He came for bring your parent to class day and she asked a question that he had never been asked before, yet one that permeated his life. “Do you like your little hand?” And from that point forward Jim shares with us his desire, his drive, and his perseverance to be known for more than just his hand, but for being a baseball pitcher and more importantly for being a good human being.
And that is actually my favorite aspect of this book. Jim being humble, thankful for what he had, for what others didn’t have, for what he could do to help others like him. It’s not necessarily what he wanted, but he did it anyway. Not by trying to make any grand gestures and appearances, but by simply being himself. Greeting the fans, talking to them, answering each and every letter that came his way just to let them know not to give up. His story reveals that he’s more than just a baseball pitcher, but a good person. And I’m sure some folks are reading this thinking “oh it’s an autobiography he could just be making it up,” but that’s not the way it reads at all. Jim isn’t bragging about anything and he doesn’t really try to make any of these aspects stand out, but they do anyway because that's the type person he is.
This book isn’t just for fans of baseball. It’s a book about a humble man who was also a baseball pitcher. It’s filled with humor, insight into the sports world, and humanity. I highly recommend this book and it’s one that folks should read at least once. And then see how they feel about reading it a few more times after that.
April 12, 2012
Last night I finished Jim Abbott's autobiography (with Tim Brown), Imperfect: An Improbable Life. I enjoyed it greatly and gave it 5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.
The authors brilliantly interwove the story of Abbott's life with the story of the no-hitter he threw in September 1993 as a member of the New York Yankees. I don't know which writer deserves the most credit for the excellent tone and readability of the book, but I would imagine Brown is to credit for articulating Abbott's stories so well. The book is conversational, but not overtly so, making it an absolute pleasure to read. With some athlete autobiographies, I've found myself wishing the athlete would've sought someone's help in making their story more readable, but Abbott and Brown do a fabulous job with this one.
I especially appreciated Abbott's forthrightness regarding his handicap and how it affected him throughout his life. His story is an inspirational one for anyone who shares his condition, but likewise for anyone who doesn't. One of Abbott's great aims in life is to be seen as normal, to be treated just like everyone else. In this book he's anything but normal, but it's not because he's handicapped in any way—it's because he tells a remarkable story with vivid detail and considerable clarity, which is unfortunately abnormal these days.
There were many memorable lines, moments and quotes in the book, but one that stands out to me as a baseball fan. In his first start after the no-hitter, Abbott gave up a double to the leadoff hitter. He says as he looked in at his catcher with a knowing grin, he reflected on how baseball honors itself in its relentlessness. That's a well-stated observation about an age-old game that is equal parts maddening and thrilling, but is, indeed, always relentless.
Thanks, Jim and Tim, for this excellent work.
The authors brilliantly interwove the story of Abbott's life with the story of the no-hitter he threw in September 1993 as a member of the New York Yankees. I don't know which writer deserves the most credit for the excellent tone and readability of the book, but I would imagine Brown is to credit for articulating Abbott's stories so well. The book is conversational, but not overtly so, making it an absolute pleasure to read. With some athlete autobiographies, I've found myself wishing the athlete would've sought someone's help in making their story more readable, but Abbott and Brown do a fabulous job with this one.
I especially appreciated Abbott's forthrightness regarding his handicap and how it affected him throughout his life. His story is an inspirational one for anyone who shares his condition, but likewise for anyone who doesn't. One of Abbott's great aims in life is to be seen as normal, to be treated just like everyone else. In this book he's anything but normal, but it's not because he's handicapped in any way—it's because he tells a remarkable story with vivid detail and considerable clarity, which is unfortunately abnormal these days.
There were many memorable lines, moments and quotes in the book, but one that stands out to me as a baseball fan. In his first start after the no-hitter, Abbott gave up a double to the leadoff hitter. He says as he looked in at his catcher with a knowing grin, he reflected on how baseball honors itself in its relentlessness. That's a well-stated observation about an age-old game that is equal parts maddening and thrilling, but is, indeed, always relentless.
Thanks, Jim and Tim, for this excellent work.
May 5, 2012
With Imperfect: An Improbable Life, Jim Abbott (along with Tim Brown) has written an honest, revealing memoir about his life and career. Born without a right hand, Abbott used that as his drive to prove himself on the baseball diamond (and therefore in life). He didn’t want pity; if he could win at baseball, it proved that he was as good as everyone else. He just wanted to be known as a baseball player and pitcher, not a “one-handed pitcher.” Abbott writes, “Baseball—and success in it—was so important it brought upon me a distorted view of winning and losing…The games’ outcomes became personal.”
The book’s structure is well done. In between the chronological chapters of Abbott’s life from childhood to teen to college student to Olympic gold medalist and beyond are short chapters showing the innings of the no hitter he pitched in 1993, the pinnacle of his major league career. In addition to building suspense (even though you know the result), it also puts the no hitter in perspective as far as the battles Abbott fought just to be on that mound in Yankee Stadium that day, the long journey of his life and each step along the way. You get the sense of his satisfaction, which is so much more than just not allowing a hit or winning an important game.
Of course, the theme of this book is inspiration—what and who inspired Abbott along his journey. But the book also shows Abbott’s inspiration to the disabled children who would invariably show up at his games. Just the fact that Abbott made it to the majors is inspiration enough; but he went out of his way to spend time with and encourage these kids (and their parents) who sought him out. Jim Abbott is a true hero and inspiration, an athlete who understood the power of his celebrity, and how a little encouragement and acceptance can go a long way, and change someone’s life.
The book’s structure is well done. In between the chronological chapters of Abbott’s life from childhood to teen to college student to Olympic gold medalist and beyond are short chapters showing the innings of the no hitter he pitched in 1993, the pinnacle of his major league career. In addition to building suspense (even though you know the result), it also puts the no hitter in perspective as far as the battles Abbott fought just to be on that mound in Yankee Stadium that day, the long journey of his life and each step along the way. You get the sense of his satisfaction, which is so much more than just not allowing a hit or winning an important game.
Of course, the theme of this book is inspiration—what and who inspired Abbott along his journey. But the book also shows Abbott’s inspiration to the disabled children who would invariably show up at his games. Just the fact that Abbott made it to the majors is inspiration enough; but he went out of his way to spend time with and encourage these kids (and their parents) who sought him out. Jim Abbott is a true hero and inspiration, an athlete who understood the power of his celebrity, and how a little encouragement and acceptance can go a long way, and change someone’s life.
May 31, 2012
"Imperfect" is a beautifully written autobiography about former Major League Baseball pitcher, Jim Abbott. Credit to Tim Brown, a baseball writer for Yahoo! Sports for assisting in polishing up this work and contributing to an excellent collection of thoughts, stories and feelings that everyone can relate to. The story is thought provoking...how Jim Abbott, born without a right hand...overcame many obstacles to make it to the Major Leagues. While much of the book focuses on that quest, there are stories and experiences that each of us can relate to. Weaknesses and obstacles whatever they might be in our own lives can be overcome. I was struck by the depth of these experiences and how Abbott dealt with them over a number of years and how the lessons he learned are applicable to all sorts of situations and types of people. Truly and excellent book, expertly written and real. A gem that I would highly recommend.
March 22, 2013
thank goodness I love baseball - because this was a LOT of baseball. I remember watching games on tv with Jim Abbott pitching, and being amazed at his dexterity. Born with only one normal hand, he overcame a lot of obstacles, and ended up pitching in the olympics, playing in the major leagues, and mentoring/comforting/encouraging lots of families with children who had handicaps. As much as I enjoyed the story, I think it could have been condensed a bit. Parts were repetitious. I wonder if all professional sports players recall with such vivid details every single part of their career - all the pitch counts, baserunners, dates, etc. Wow - I have a hard enough time remembering what I did a few days ago. Anyway - interesting story. glad I read it.
June 4, 2012
I do not dislike this book and some parts are very interesting, but many more parts are repetitive and somewhat tedious. There are way too many details like the weekly routine of Jim Abbott’s grandmother prior to him even being conceived. The structure of the book is similar to that of the movie For Love of the Game in that he fills the reader in on the story of his life in between innings of his no hitter. Although not original, I think it works up until he passes by the season in which he threw his no hitter. To me it felt like while he was pitching, he was having flashbacks of events that hadn’t happened yet.
June 6, 2013
My son Sam (age 9) got interested in Jim Abbott, a former Yankees and Angels player whom I had never heard of. One distinctive thing about Abbott is that he was Ron without a right hand. Nevertheless, he was on an Olympic gold medal team as a pitcher, and pitched 10 seasons in the major leagues. He was the 8th New York Yankee pitch a no-hitter, and his account of that event is genuinely moving, even if your knowledge of baseball is marginal, as mine it. If you like sports memoirs, this is well worth reading. Jim Abbott is a decent, hardworking, inspiring human being.
February 24, 2016
This book was pretty interesting and inspiring because it showed you how anything is possible. I don't really like non-fiction books and I had to read one for school, so I thought this would be a good one since it was about an inspiration MLB pitcher. Overall this was not a bad book. I learned a lot from it.
October 25, 2021
Would absolutely recommend. This book was a super easy read- it was inspirational without being overwhelming with that "too good to be relatable" type of feel. I had never heard of Jim Abbott prior to reading this book but his story is pretty remarkable and definitely worth the read
November 26, 2021
It seems like baseball biographies, and I’ve read quite a few of them, tend to two types. They are about either the superstar telling of their “difficult” journey to greatness, or they are about the characters, usually the bad boys, that grow a small but dedicated legion of fans and who want to tell the “untold, behind the scenes” story of pro ball. This isn’t one of those. This felt like two stories combined. The first, the underlying story throughout the book, is about a kid with a disability who grows up to be a surprisingly good pitcher, in some ways despite the disability, in some ways because of it. This is a story of growth and reflection, one the author does a wonderful job conveying.
The other story here is about an event – the pitching of a no hitter that the author accomplished mid-career. This is told in a series of chapters spread throughout the book told an inning or so per chapter. It felt like a story about being struck by lightning. You get the build-up and the immediate impact, then as the book continues in time past the no-hitter, it is much more reflective. During and right after this rare event, the author, like anyone, feels this could be not just a career highlight but the first of many great things. The author shares that kind of feeling in writing about that no-hitter. But afterwards, as the author talks about his career in baseball in total, he does put that event in perspective as a true career highlight, one that most pitchers will not achieve.
I enjoyed both of these stories combined here by the author. I found “Imperfect”, while not perfect, came pretty close to the kind of thoughtful and personally relatable story that happened to be about a professional baseball pitcher that worked with and around his disability.
The other story here is about an event – the pitching of a no hitter that the author accomplished mid-career. This is told in a series of chapters spread throughout the book told an inning or so per chapter. It felt like a story about being struck by lightning. You get the build-up and the immediate impact, then as the book continues in time past the no-hitter, it is much more reflective. During and right after this rare event, the author, like anyone, feels this could be not just a career highlight but the first of many great things. The author shares that kind of feeling in writing about that no-hitter. But afterwards, as the author talks about his career in baseball in total, he does put that event in perspective as a true career highlight, one that most pitchers will not achieve.
I enjoyed both of these stories combined here by the author. I found “Imperfect”, while not perfect, came pretty close to the kind of thoughtful and personally relatable story that happened to be about a professional baseball pitcher that worked with and around his disability.
May 26, 2021
On September 4, 1993, New York Yankees pitcher Jim Abbott accomplished a feat at Yankee Stadium that most big leaguers only dream of--he pitched a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians. Final score: 4 and 0! I have always been a fan of Jim Abbott. During his professional baseball career, he certainly had his ups and downs. Some seasons were good; some not so good, but what makes Abbott stand out is his tenacity. Growing up in Flint, Michigan (which as a Michigan girl myself, endeared me to him even more), Abbott was the eldest of two brothers. He was born with only one good hand--his left--and had to learn to compensate. His parents did not allow self-pity and always had high expectations of him. An avid sports fan, Abbott dreamed of playing major league baseball. He made a few stops along the way--like winning a silver medal in the 1987 Pan American Games and a gold meal in the Olympics the following year. He never wanted to be known as 'the one-handed pitcher', and he rose above his physical challenges. As much as I have admired his pitching, I also have to admire the man himself. He always took the time before and after games to meet with children who also had disabilities--many of them much worse than his. He instilled confidence and always reminded them that they could accomplish great things if they worked hard enough. The book was a touching read that included Abbott's highs and lows, as well as his frustrations. The world needs more Jim Abbotts--men who can inspire and lead by example. Jim Abbott is a truly one of baseball's finest--both on and off the playing field!
December 17, 2017
In all honesty, I would rate this book at 3 stars because I found it a good book, nicely written overall (there were a few points where the perspective changed and sort of jarred me while reading. However, I am giving this book 4 stars because it was sitting on the coffee table and my husband, who is not a big reader...and does not like baseball, picked it up and read for a couple hours.
Any book that will get my husband to read is a winner.
The book is about a guy born without his right hand and ended up playing professional baseball. His biggest feats in his career was an Olympic gold medal in 1988 and a no-hitter game while playing for the Yankees.
In reality this book wouldn’t have been a big deal were he born with two hands.
The true reality of his life, is that he spent his whole life trying not to be identified as the “one-handed” pitcher or kid or person walking down the street. It was in trying to avoid the one thing he would never avoid that he was able to achieve more than he may have otherwise.
I enjoyed his perspective, basically...he was a regular guy who kept being viewed by others as extraordinary whereas he himself was sneaking around in high school and playing pranks on his teammates...what’s so extraordinary about that?
I highly recommend for anyone with a husband with no tendency for reading. Buy a copy, read it, and leave it randomly sitting around the house...see if he picks it up.
Any book that will get my husband to read is a winner.
The book is about a guy born without his right hand and ended up playing professional baseball. His biggest feats in his career was an Olympic gold medal in 1988 and a no-hitter game while playing for the Yankees.
In reality this book wouldn’t have been a big deal were he born with two hands.
The true reality of his life, is that he spent his whole life trying not to be identified as the “one-handed” pitcher or kid or person walking down the street. It was in trying to avoid the one thing he would never avoid that he was able to achieve more than he may have otherwise.
I enjoyed his perspective, basically...he was a regular guy who kept being viewed by others as extraordinary whereas he himself was sneaking around in high school and playing pranks on his teammates...what’s so extraordinary about that?
I highly recommend for anyone with a husband with no tendency for reading. Buy a copy, read it, and leave it randomly sitting around the house...see if he picks it up.
April 6, 2020
Imperfect is about the distinctive life of Jim Abbott. Jim Abbott was a major league pitcher who was born in Flint, Michigan without a right hand. At a young age, Jim was put into a hospital to test him and he could be around other kids with disabilities. The doctors quickly realized that he didn't belong in the program. Jim was just like any other kid and that was the mindset that he had. He was very active and loved to be outdoors. As Jim got older he started to realize how good he was at baseball so he started to take it more seriously. Jim attended the University of Michigan and became a major league pitcher after three years of college.
There is nothing to not like about this book. It was such a positive story about a boy who overcame the odds. Jim Abbott is such an inspiration to so many people with disabilities. The book makes the reader feel what it is like to be different than everyone else while going through everyday life. The story shows how he handled getting beat up one day in high school and people calling him captain hook. Jim's parents played a big role in his success. They never told him that he couldn't do something and they always supported him. I would recommend this book to any sports fan or anyone just looking for a feel-good story written by a humble, humorous and down to earth person.
There is nothing to not like about this book. It was such a positive story about a boy who overcame the odds. Jim Abbott is such an inspiration to so many people with disabilities. The book makes the reader feel what it is like to be different than everyone else while going through everyday life. The story shows how he handled getting beat up one day in high school and people calling him captain hook. Jim's parents played a big role in his success. They never told him that he couldn't do something and they always supported him. I would recommend this book to any sports fan or anyone just looking for a feel-good story written by a humble, humorous and down to earth person.
February 18, 2018
A pleasurable read for me about an intriguing athlete from an era (the 1990s) of Baseball I can’t help but reminisce about. This is a well-written and edited autobiography that gets you into the head of Jim Abbott, the Golden Spikes/Sullivan Award winner who pitched ten years in the big leagues and just happened to have only one hand.
Being from Michigan as well and having first heard of him as a little leaguer made the book all the more enjoyable for me. Being a gigantic baseball fan and getting to relive other old names and events from that era didn’t hurt, either.
The narrative jumps around as far as chronology is concerned, but I think it works okay with Tim Brown’s expertise. Alternating chapters go through each inning of Abbott’s 1993 no-hitter gem mixed in with his life story. His perspective of going to school with a disability is enlightening as are the reactions he has had to deal with his whole life.
I was a huge Tiger fan at the time and it’s a shame he never got to pitch for his hometown team, having grown up in Flint. But that’s a small shame considering all the great things he did get to do and I enjoyed reliving it through these pages.
Being from Michigan as well and having first heard of him as a little leaguer made the book all the more enjoyable for me. Being a gigantic baseball fan and getting to relive other old names and events from that era didn’t hurt, either.
The narrative jumps around as far as chronology is concerned, but I think it works okay with Tim Brown’s expertise. Alternating chapters go through each inning of Abbott’s 1993 no-hitter gem mixed in with his life story. His perspective of going to school with a disability is enlightening as are the reactions he has had to deal with his whole life.
I was a huge Tiger fan at the time and it’s a shame he never got to pitch for his hometown team, having grown up in Flint. But that’s a small shame considering all the great things he did get to do and I enjoyed reliving it through these pages.
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