James “Jim” Abbott, Flint native and former U-M baseball pitcher who went on to play for several pro teams, will be the speaker at the University of Michigan-Flint’s commencement ceremony on Sunday, April 27 at 2:30 p.m. in Perani Arena and Event Center. Abbott will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws, as well. More than 525 graduates are expected to participate in the ceremony. Abbott compiled an outstanding record as a professional pitcher after a remarkable college career at U-M. His accomplishment was even more extraordinary because he achieved it with only one hand. With help from his father, he developed a style of pitching known as the “Abbott switch,” a method of shifting his glove from right wrist to left hand, allowing him to field balls and pitch.

In 1988 he played on the Olympic team, pitching a winning game against the previous world champion Japanese team, earning the first baseball gold medal for the United States. By his junior year Abbott had won several national awards and the major leagues came calling. He played for the California Angels, the Yankees, the White Sox and the Brewers. He then turned his attention to working with physically challenged children and has become a motivational speaker. His dominant message is that “there is great potential within all of us to rise up to the challenges we face.” Abbott was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2004, and was elected to the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.