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Inspiring Jim Abbott Quotes to Help You Overcome Any Challenge

The media referred to him as “the one-handed pitcher” due to a birth defect, but Abbott never let it define him.

Jim Abbott quotes about his MLB career and inspiring others
Credit-MLB/New York Yankees/Joker Mag

Jim Abbott pitched for 10 years in Major League Baseball. In that time, he struck out 888 batters, threw a no-hitter, won an Olympic gold medal, and inspired millions to pursue their dreams.

The media referred to him as “the one-handed pitcher” due to a birth defect, but Abbott never let it define him. He credits his parents for instilling his “why not” attitude – the belief that anything is possible if you work hard enough.

Throughout his big league career, Abbott made a point of speaking with countless children who wanted to meet him – most who were, like him, born different. He was motivated to succeed at baseball’s highest level to make those kids believe they could achieve greatness in their own lives.

After hanging up the cleats, Abbott published a book called Imperfect: An Improbable Life – excerpts from which you’ll find below.

Here is our collection of the best Jim Abbott quotes of all time.

The Best Quotes from Jim Abbott

Quote from Jim Abbott that says "Never allow the circumstances of your life to become an excuse. People will allow you to do it. But I believe we have a personal obligation to make the most of the abilities we have."

1.) “Never allow the circumstances of your life to become an excuse. People will allow you to do it. But I believe we have a personal obligation to make the most of the abilities we have.” – Jim Abbott

2.) “It’s not the disability that defines you; it’s how you deal with the challenges the disability presents you with.” – Jim Abbott

3.) “Find something you love, and go after it, with all of your heart.” – Jim Abbott

4.) “…life isn’t easy and it isn’t always fair. But if we can make the most out of what we’ve been given, and find our own way of doing things, you wouldn’t believe what can happen.” – Jim Abbott

5.) “The doubt would come and go, but I could lean on my parents, all they’d instilled in me, and I could lean on the game, and what it meant for me.” – Jim Abbott

6.) “There was always another issue, it seemed, no matter how I tried to outrun it. But I’d done stuff on the field, been better at something. And I’d won my share, no matter what my hand looked like.” – Jim Abbott

7.) “The accommodations I made off the field were becoming my fire on the field. If people were going to search me for deficiencies, which I was sure they would, they wouldn’t find them at the end of my fastball, or in my ability to field a bunt, or on the scoreboard.” Jim Abbott

8.) “I didn’t want to be known for this, for something I was born with rather than something I’d worked for.” – Jim Abbott

9.) “When you are told all your life that something meaningful is waiting, maybe you start to believe it.” – Jim Abbott

10.) “The game can be moody. It is cool and then comforting, warm and then entirely unjust.” – Jim Abbott

A quote from MLB pitcher Jim Abbott that reads "Indeed, what drove me were the low expectations people had for me, especially in new situations. I insisted on showing them what I could do."

11.) “Indeed, what drove me were the low expectations people had for me, especially in new situations. I insisted on showing them what I could do.” – Jim Abbott

12.) “Sports gave me an outlet. A way to get involved and have fun.” – Jim Abbott

13.) “Like my mom said, every step, every new level, was supposed to have been a gift. And it was.” – Jim Abbott

14.) “I truly believe that difficult times and disappointments can push us to find abilities and strengths we wouldn’t know existed without the experience of struggle.” – Jim Abbott

15.) “Be comfortable with trying different ways of getting things done, and be strong enough to ignore the attention that being different might bring.” – Jim Abbott

16.) “I believe that misfortune can be our gift and our strength.” – Jim Abbott

17.) “Baseball gave me many great blessings—the people I met, the places I saw, the incomparable feeling of winning a major league baseball game. But maybe the greatest gift was that it helped me come to peace with the burden of being different.” – Jim Abbott

18.) “I benefitted from tremendous encouragement as a kid. So many people reached out to me, helped me, and believed in me when I didn’t always believe in myself.” – Jim Abbott

19.) “I hope what people learned from watching me is that just because you do things a little differently doesn’t mean you can’t do them just as well.” – Jim Abbott

20.) “What if we could begin to look at challenge as an opportunity? As a chance to prove ourself? As a chance to reveal inner strength?” – Jim Abbott

21.) “At every level, I remember having self-doubt…and every time there was always somebody there who told me that I could do it.” – Jim Abbott

22.) “I did not have to apologize for the way I was born, least of all to myself. And it was not for me to comfort others because of it.” – Jim Abbott

23.) “My goal was to be the best baseball player I could be. That’s how I would like to be remembered.” – Jim Abbott

Is there a Jim Abbott quote we missed? Let us know on Twitter.

More quote collections you might like:

The Best Roberto Clemente Quotes About Giving Back & Serving Others

The Most Memorable Baseball Movie Quotes Ever

Written By

Division III baseball alum (McDaniel College), founder of Joker Mag, and author of The Underdog Mentality: Sports Stories That Will Change How You See the Game (And Yourself). Since launching in November 2017, my stories have been featured on platforms such as FOX Sports, SB Nation, and The Sporting News, reaching over 1.5 million readers worldwide. The seed was planted way back in 7th grade when I got cut from the baseball team. Instead of giving up, I found hope and inspiration in stories of undersized athletes who defied expectations. I ultimately played baseball through college, earning Honorable Mention on the All-Centennial Conference team in my senior season. Today, my mission is simple: To share stories that give people the same feeling I felt when I was that undersized ballplayer searching for hope, inspiration, and evidence that my dream was possible. Like my mom always told me, you can do anything you set your mind to. Sometimes we just need a little extra push. And that’s why I’m so passionate about sharing these stories with the world.

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