Relive Jim Abbott's 'amazing' no-hitter

Major League Baseball’s record books officially recognize 303 no-hitters, but only one was thrown by a pitcher born without a right hand. Jim Abbott’s superb performance for the Yankees on Sept. 4, 1993, highlighted the hurler’s inspiring battle against the odds.

Abbott’s afternoon gem against the Indians at Yankee Stadium continues to resonate to this day as a shining example of what is possible with perseverance.

“I had some pretty serious anxiety about that game,” Abbott said in 2013. “I was pitching against the Cleveland Indians. I had pitched against them five days before that in Cleveland and had gotten absolutely shelled. I had that anxiousness and nervousness about not wanting to do as poorly as I had five days before.”

In that previous start at Cleveland Stadium, Abbott had been chased in the fourth inning, charged with seven runs and 10 hits. Though the Yankees did rally to win the game, 14-8, a change would be in order as the Indians visited The Bronx.

“We had a scouting meeting before the game started, Matt Nokes and I,” Abbott said. “He had been the catcher five days before in Cleveland. We made a decision pregame that we would throw more breaking balls, more curveballs and try to be a little bit more unpredictable.”

Abbott overcame five walks in a 119-pitch effort, striking out only three men in a stacked lineup that featured Kenny Lofton, Carlos Baerga, Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome. None of the free passes hurt Abbott, who was supported by three third-inning runs and a fifth-inning Randy Velarde homer.

By the end of the sixth, Abbott said that he noticed “the energy had picked up a little bit” in the stadium. Third baseman Wade Boggs made a sparkling defensive play to preserve the hitless bid in the seventh, snaring a hard Belle grounder and firing a strike to first base.

In the ninth, boos rained down upon Lofton as the Indians speedster attempted a bunt that rolled foul down the third-base line. Lofton’s at-bat continued, ending with a groundout to second baseman Mike Gallego.

“I didn’t feel as though it was cheap,” Abbott said. “That was a big part of Kenny’s game, but we were completely surprised by it. Had it stayed fair, it would have been a base hit, no question. Nobody would have got to it, not with his speed.”

Felix Fermin lifted a drive to deep left-center field that center fielder Bernie Williams flagged for the second out. The final out came as Baerga rolled a ground ball to Velarde at shortstop, who fired to first baseman Don Mattingly and sealed the Yanks’ 4-0 victory.

“You just can’t believe it. You can’t believe it’s you,” Abbott said. “I can’t ever remember a greater feeling. It really is sort of a dream come true. I know that there’s a lot of people who have taken encouragement from that one game. There are a lot of kids out there who were born like me, and they look for something. Amazing things can happen.”