Obstacle? What obstacle?

With the San Francisco Giants' outfield playing in, the California Angels' Jim Abbott – the pitcher born without a right hand – drills a 400-foot triple to right-center in an exhibition game 33 years ago today in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Abbott’s triple, which drives in a run, comes off San Francisco right-hander Rick Reuschel in the second inning of the Giants’ 6-3 victory.

Because of the designated hitter, Abbott does not come to bat during the regular season until 1999 – his 10th and final season in the majors.

Playing then with Milwaukee in the National League, Abbott goes 2-for-21 with a pair of RBI singles.

Both of his hits come off Jon Lieber of the Chicago Cubs.

Pete Gray in 1945 with the St. Louis Browns

Abbott’s hits are the first in the majors by a one-handed player since 1945, when Pete Gray – the pride of Nanticoke, Pa. – singles off New York Yankees right-hander Tiny Bonham in the eighth inning of the St. Louis Browns’ 6-2 victory in the first game of a Sept. 16 doubleheader in the Bronx.

Gray plays only one season — 1945 — in the majors, batting .218 in 77 games for the Browns with 61 of those games coming either in left or center field.

Abbott’s two hits in 1999 also are the last in the majors by a one-handed player until July 9, 2004, when Montreal relief pitcher Chad Bentz singles to left field off Pittsburgh’s Sean Burnett in the Expos’ 11-0 loss to the Pirates in a regular-season game played at Puerto Rico’s Hiram Bithorn Stadium.

Like Abbott, Bentz is born without a fully developed right hand.

Bentz’s hit as a rookie in 2004 comes in his second of two at-bats in the majors, giving him a nice .500 lifetime average.

“Somehow it made it through the infield," Bentz says after the game. “I was on first base, and I can say I got a hit in the big leagues. That’s a neat thing to say.”

Chad Bentz in 2004 with the Montreal Expos (Ed Wolfstein photo)