Former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher Jim Abbott is a model of perseverance despite his disability. Born without a right hand, Abbott threw a left-handed 4-0 no-hitter for the New York Yankees versus Cleveland in 1993 and played ten seasons in the Major Leagues from 1989 to 1999 for the California Angels, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, and Milwaukee Brewers. Prior to a successful MLB career, Abbott was the 1988 Gold Medal-winning U.S. Olympic Team pitcher.
Abbott continues to inspire many Americans with disabilities, including amputees, of all ages. He now travels the world as a motivational speaker, sharing how he overcame his own physical challenges to achieve his dream. His captivating story was recently released in his autobiography IMPERFECT: An Improbable Life.
Abbott is now encouraging children with missing limbs to pursue their dreams through America’s favorite pastime as the 2017 honorary chairman of the Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team (WWAST) Alumni Kids Camp.
This first-ever WWAST Alumni Kids Camp will be held at the new youth baseball super-plex in Branson, Missouri, September 28-October 1. Twenty children who have lost a limb and have participated in previous WWAST Kids Camps will have the opportunity to participate at no cost in the weeklong event, reuniting players with their mentors-wounded warriors of the WWAST softball team.
For more information, visit www.woundedwarrioramputeesoftballteam.org and www.facebook.com/WoundedWarriorAmputeeSoftballTeam or contact WWAST Executive Director Dennis Wince at Dennis@TheWWAST.org or WWAST player Brian Gentilotti at BrianPeterGentilotti@gmail.com.