WHEREAS, in 2023, Andrew Cole Abbott, a graduate of the University of Virginia, broke a 130-year-old record when he began his Major League Baseball career by pitching five or more scoreless innings in each of his first three consecutive starts; and

WHEREAS, after graduating from Halifax County High School in South Boston, Andrew Abbott was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft but chose to attend the University of Virginia, where he played baseball with the Cavaliers for four years; and

WHEREAS, Andrew Abbott was subsequently drafted by and signed with the Cincinnati Reds in 2021 and pitched for four of their affiliate teams in Arizona, Florida, Ohio, and Tennessee; and

WHEREAS, Andrew Abbott made his Major League Baseball debut as a pitcher with the Cincinnati Reds on June 5, 2023, and threw six shutout innings, struck out six batters, and allowed only one hit; and

WHEREAS, Andrew Abbott was the first Cincinnati Reds pitcher since 1901 to record six or more innings with one or fewer hits in his debut and the only left-handed pitcher in the modern era of professional baseball to throw at least six shutout innings with at least six strikeouts and only one hit in his debut; and

WHEREAS, Andrew Abbott pitched another five and two-thirds shutout innings in his second career start, then added six more shutout innings against the defending World Series champions, the Houston Astros, in his third career start; and

WHEREAS, over the course of his first three starts, Andrew Abbott recorded three wins, allowed only five hits, and gave up zero runs in 17 and two-thirds innings; no other player has achieved such a feat since 1893, when the pitcher's mound in professional baseball was moved to its current distance; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Andrew Cole Abbott hereby be commended for his record-breaking start to his professional baseball career in 2023; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Andrew Cole Abbott as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for his achievements and best wishes for the future.