The Oldest Rookie

The Oldest RookieJoel Engel and Jim Morris really did a wonderful job when they wrote the book The Oldest Rookie. The story was so good in fact that it inspired a movie called The Rookie. Although I thoroughly enjoyed both of them I would have to say that the book was better. There are a number of superior qualities about the book. You know it must be really good to because I almost always like the movie more then the book. The Oldest Rookie is easily one of the 5 best books I've read. In the book, you really get inside Jim Morris's head. You can see how he goes from a kid who did nothing except play baseball, to a minor leaguer who had to retire because of arm troubles, to a patient high school teacher, to a major leaguer. In the movie you see him as a kid playing baseball, however in the book he talks about how when he was younger the only toys he would play with were balls and how he was only in kindergarten when the fifth graders let them play in his baseball games because he was so good. Morris explains how the only think he cared about was baseball and he knew he wanted to be a pro ball player all his life. In the movie you are left to either assume that or to not know it at all. One of the most effective parts of the book was when Morris is describing when he went to play in his first major league game. He talks about how the hard journey had been worth it and you can almost feel his happiness as a smile spreads across your face and you turn the page. In the movie there was no way they could capture this moment perfectly. They just had him stand outside of the stadium for a few moments. In the book, you really get to see how Morris's brain works. He explains how he was a perfectionist and that it really hurt his life. They don't even touch this subject in the movie, even though it had drastic effects on his life. Feeling what Jimmy Morris feels really enhances the story. The characters in the book are also superior to the characters in the movie. They include pretty much every person who ever had an effect on Jimmy's life, while in the movie they pretty much just focus on him. The other characters really add a lot to the story. For example they didn't even mention that Jimmy had a grandfather, while in the book Jimmy says that his Grandpa was perhaps the biggest influence in his life. It was his grandpa who taught him to work hard and to not feel bad for himself when things didn't go his way. Also, they completely changed his parents. In the movie they make them seem like a normal couple, while in the book Morris explains how they didn't even like each other. They only married each other because Jimmy's mom got pregnant and they eventually got divorced. The movie really messed up on the characters. The biggest part where the book has the advantage over the movie is in the story. There were gapping holes in the movie. In the movie they started at page 1 and went to about page 12 and then they went to about page 200

Jim Morris chased a baseball dream from early on. But along the way, he had to stop chasing it and think about other people, like his ailing grandfather, dying of ALS, who was very influential in his life, making up for some training his own father didn't give him in morality. He had to lay it aside for his wife and children, struggling to support a family, paying the price for chasing his dreams with the mediocre jobs he was able to land (he opted out of finishing college, signing early with the Brewers system). He always managed to stay close to baseball, and sports in general, in his "free" time. Finally, he landed a decent coaching job in Big Lake, Texas, and perfected his pitching stroke while daily pitching batting practice. In an effort to inspire the team to "dream big", they dare him to dream. "If we win the division, you gotta try out with the pro's, coach" says catcher Joel DeLaGarza. Morris writes an HONEST account of his recollections, describing how he prayed, not for his dream to come true, but for guidance in salvaging his rocky relationship with his wife, caused by his own lack of communication of feelings to her. Being a father of 3, I could appreciate his dragging them to the pro tryout with him. A great story, not because of how it is told, but because of the honest truth that oozes out of the cracks of it.

This book is only superficially about baseball. In fact, Jim Morris' autobiography is an inspirational story about sticking it out and becoming all you can be. Morris' minor league baseball career was cut short due to injury. However, he had other trials such as a marriage he had to work on and grinding out a living as he completed college, becoming a teacher and coach. If he had never had another opportunity to play professional baseball, his story would have been an inspiration as he became an excellent science teacher and wonderful coach. His teaching and coaching was leading to a fulfilling and productive career.Of course, as the title of this book implies, he went beyond teaching to again get an opportunity in baseball. And, based on the title of the book, I am giving nothing away by stating that he does indeed make it to the major leagues. With two children in school, I can categorically state that Jim Morris is the type of person I want teaching them. I don't know if he will go back into teaching but it is clear he is as talented in motivating his students as he is as an athlete. I highly recommend this book.

This is the autobiography of Jim Morris, the oldest player to enter major league baseball since 1970. The book transcends sports though baseball fans will enjoy this well written autobiography. However, Mr. Morris' extraordinary story is more about fulfilling dreams that might sound like Don Quixote still going for the gold. He also pays homage to his family for their sacrifices and to his West Texas team that encouraged and assisted an injury-plagued high school coach and turns him into a major league pitcher at thirty-five. 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 Klausner