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The Oldest Rookie
After an injury-plagued stint in the minor leagues in his twenties, Jim Morris hung up his cleats and his dreams to start a new life as a father, high school physics teacher, and baseball coach. Jim's athletes knew that his dream was still alive - he threw the ball so hard they could barely hit it — and made a bet with him: if they won the league championship, he would have to try out for a major league ball club.
They did — and he did, and during that tryout threw the ball faster than he ever had, faster than anyone there, nearly faster than anyone playing in the Bigs. He was immediately drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and three months later made his major league debut, striking out All-Star Royce Clayton. |
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"What makes this more even than the baseball dream trajectory it traces, though, is the reality of Morris' life: how hard things were and are; how tough his last fling at the big time was on his marriage; and how very funny he manages to be. A fabulous baseball story and a fabulous story, period." - Booklist
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| Description |
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The Oldest Rookie
is an inspiring true story that should do very well in young adult collections. Jim Morris, a 35-year-old Texas high school physics teacher and baseball coach (whose previous attempts to break into the Bigs fell short), was challenged by his students to live up to his dream. Oddly, his pitching arm had only grown stronger with time, and at a new major league tryout his pitches were consistently overpowering. After making the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Morris was featured in Time, People, and Sports Illustrated. His incredible story about second chances will inspire anyone willing to read this wonderful story.
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| Editorial Reviews |
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"Amazing.... Don't ask how. Don't ask why.... Just go tell somebody about it." - Los Angeles Times
"This lively autobiography, written with Engel (coauthor of By George, George Foreman's autobiography), will entertain baseball fans and others who yearn to fulfill a childhood ambition. While the writing is polished, Morris's voice remains genuine. He is honest and likable, not least because he recognizes his family's sacrifices for him." - Publishers Weekly
"One of the most improbable baseball careers this side of Kevin Costner." - People
"Morris has a coauthor, but you can't fake the utter guyness of him: charming, homespun, real." - Booklist
"Too unbelievable to be true." - ESPN Magazine
"Morris relates his amazing story with humility and charm..." - Bookpage
"Amazing." - USA Today
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| Customer Reviews |
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 "A lot of the book's appeal is that Mr. Morris is every man in many ways, but just with an amazing arm." - Donald
"The story is remarkable enough, but Morris' accounting of the struggles of a young man unable to realize his dream is compelling. Along with co author,Joel Engle , he tells the story of the man his younger teammates came to call "the Unnatural". A wonderful story for any baseball fan, and a story of hope for anyone who feels they have let a dream pass them by." - Meg
"This is a very well written and easy to read story of perseverance and pride told around the narrative of one man's quest to fulfill his dream. The framework of the story is present day baseball, but the quest is timeless. Recommended to all who dream." - Cliff
 "Great inspirational story worth reading because Mr. Morris along with Joel Engel tells an amazing true story with grace and honor. Perhaps my spouse's dream of swinging the bat one time is not as farfetched as it sounds." - Harriet
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Baseball Book Shelf: The Oldest Rookie
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