Rating: 
Summary: More Heat!
Review: Most people cannot throw a baseball very fast when they are young. Gradually, they get faster and faster. At some point, they get slower and slower as injuries and wear affect the arm. Jim Morris had the opposite experience. Despite many injuries, he was throwing a 98 mile an hour fastball long after most pitchers are only playing catch with their youngsters in the backyard. When he was younger, a 90 mile an hour fastball was the best he could muster. That had gotten him many opportunities in the minors, but the injuries cut those short. Soon, with his newfound speed, he made it into the Big Show with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in September 1999. His first appearance in relief made him the oldest rookie in the majors in several decades. This is his story. Although the context is major league baseball, this book is really focused on a man finding his identity. That task was complicated for Mr. Morris by having parents who were not too fond of each other, having to move frequently with his father's reassignments in the navy, and not having a clear idea of what his goals in life and values were. The one credo that stuck was one from his grandfather Ernest, "Remember who you are." It took him a long time to figure out who he was, in order to follow that credo. He had loved baseball from the age of 3. His mother and grandmother would play catch with him while his father was at sea. By age 7, he could throw a baseball 230 feet in the air from the outfield. His playmates were older boys, as a result. His parent's dream was for him to play high school football, so his baseball career got short shrift until the end of high school when his speed got him a contract and a signing bonus with the Brewers. Minor league baseball was a problem for him, because he never had had the coaching to know how to play the game. So he was injured a lot, and suffered lots of pain and rehabilitation. Through this, he tried to go to school. Long past 30, he was still working on his college degree. The turnaround in his life came when he challenged the high school team he was coaching to make the most out of their talent. They challenged him in turn to try out one more time if the team won the district championship. When they did, he kept his word, and that was the beginning of his most recent return to baseball. Much of the book recounts the difficulties that he and his wife went through in raising three children, trying to juggle two careers, and finding a decent life together. The marriage was on the rocks several times, but Mr. Morris's hard-working wife hung in there as did Mr. Morris. A lot of the book's appeal is that Mr. Morris is everyman in many ways, but just with an amazing arm. The key weakness of the book is that it dwells too much on the details of Mr. Morris's life leading up the the baseball triumph. There are some fascinating baseball stories here in the book, like when he struck out Mark McGwire while in the minors (in a year when he was 5-6 with an e.r.a. of 6.04). The book could have used more cameos of famous players and managers, or stories like this one. Also, Mr. Morris is not much of a communicator, so he doesn't share a lot. "I don't have much to say . . . ." He says that his wife complains because he is so quiet. That makes it tough for creating a book. The book is confusing in many areas because the dates and lengths of time stated often don't seem to match. But that problem is not important, just mildly annoying. But Mr. Morris definitely deserves five stars, and his wife deserves more than that. Where have you given up on something you love to do? I challenge you to find a new way to take it up again. Grasp all the joy you can find, and share it with everyone you love!
Rating: 
Summary: Not Great Literature, But A Great Story
Review: Most people will be familiar with the story of Jim Morris from the film, "The Rookie." In brief: Morris was the son of a career Navy officer who grew up with a single, all-consuming ambition: to play major league baseball. Multiple shoulder and elbow surgeries ended his career while he was in the low minor leagues and in his mid-20s. In the meantime, he had married, become the father of three children, and purused a teaching and coaching career. One fateful day he lectured his baseball team about the importance of pursuing dreams, especially those that seem to be out of reach. His team accepted the message, and he accepted their challenge: If they were to make the state playoffs, he would seek a major league tryout at the ridiculously advanced age of 35. The kids did it...so Morris kept his part of the bargain, expecting it to all be over in a couple of hours. Instead, in defiance of all logic, he found himself throwing faster than he had even before his surgeries. The book ends where the movie did, with his successful major league debut. Some observations about the book and the movie: the film version turns out to be very close to Morris' own story. Morris' isolation while growing up, his often difficult relationship with his parents, all turn out to be true. But while his improbable comeback is the focus of the film, it's only a small portion of the book. This may disappoint some readers, but to me, it added more depth to Morris' story. In the book, he's honest, almost painfully so, about the stresses his marriage endured, in large part due to the pursuit of his dream. I found myself closing this book with a feeling of encouragment and uplift; I think you will too.
Rating:
Summary: Dreams do come true
Review: The Oldest Rookie recounts the improbable journey of pitcher Jim Morris to "the Big Show". Born to young parents, his father a military man who didsdained authority, and a mother who picked up the pieces after each move, Jim always remembers having a ball in his hand. Throughout the many moves, sports provided an introduction to new schools, new friends, and self esteem. Sports also provided a safe haven from the change and the chaotic life at home. Baseball was his first love, and the chance to play minor league ball at the age of 19 was a dream come true. Several years of struggle and injury finally eneded the baseball dream, and Jim moved onto real life, a wife, kids, debt, and struggle. Throughout this time, Jim continued school, played college football (punting for his college at the age of 29). Eventually, he found himself coaching high school baseball. Sensing his love of the game, the students make a bargin, if they make it to regionals, Jim will try out for the major league job he never achieved. At the age of 35, Jim Morris was the oldest rookie to ever start in the big leagues, pitching, no less. 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.
Rating:
Summary: America's Pastime
Review: The Oldest Rookie Joel 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, and the book was less then 300 pages long. They skipped the meat of the story, which is when he is in the minors for the first time. If you watched the movie you'd have no idea he had ever really played in the minors before. They left out how he had started playing pro after his first year of junior college and then went on to the grueling minor league system where he would ride in small buses for countless hours and then stay in cheap motels. Then when he finally did pitch he did horrible and right when he started doing good his arm started to hurt. In the movie they mentioned he had received arm surgery but they did not explain how important to him it had been. In the movie they made it seem as if he had gotten arm surgery and then retired when he had really came only to need arm surgery again the next season. He even got one more after that one before he retired. Then his family went through harsh financial times before the movie finally picked up the story again. The movie plot is very flawed.
The movie tried to do what they do to most inspiring stories, and that is make it feel more like a fairy tail then something that could really happen. They failed to show a lot of the hard work he put in to get where he did. You should really pick up the book The Oldest Rookie , it's a great story and it a speed read!
Rating: 
Summary: The Oldest Rookie
Review: The Oldest Rookie Joel 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, and the book was less then 300 pages long. They skipped the meat of the story, which is when he is in the minors for the first time. If you watched the movie you'd have no idea he had ever really played in the minors before. They left out how he had started playing pro after his first year of junior college and then went on to the grueling minor league system where he would ride in small buses for countless hours and then stay in cheap motels. Then when he finally did pitch he did horrible and right when he started doing good his arm started to hurt. In the movie they mentioned he had received arm surgery but they did not explain how important to him it had been. In the movie they made it seem as if he had gotten arm surgery and then retired when he had really came only to need arm surgery again the next season. He even got one more after that one before he retired. Then his family went through harsh financial times before the movie finally picked up the story again. The movie plot is very flawed.
The movie tried to do what they do to most inspiring stories, and that is make it feel more like a fairy tail then something that could really happen. They failed to show a lot of the hard work he put in to get where he did. You should really pick up the book The Oldest Rookie , it's a great story and it a speed read!
Rating:
Summary: The Dreams of a Young Boy
Review: The Rookie is an excellent book about a middle-aged man and the love of his life. Now this love is two things and they are the woman that he has always wanted and the world's greatest pastime, Baseball. Now Jim Morris is a middle-aged teacher who use to be a pitcher of a major league baseball team and he hurt himself severely and was not able to pitch another game. So he retired from the game that he always loved to play and watch and married the love of his life. He is now enjoying his life because he is coaching a young high-school team and is married to the woman that he has always loved and cared for all his life. Jim Morris's baseball team that he is coaching doesn't really know the truth about him being a major league pitcher. However after they see him pitch a couple of pitches ranging in the mid nineties they know that with that speed he had to have been a major league pitcher. So the team and the coach put on a little side bet. The team tells the coach if they win the championships than the coach (Jim Morris) has to go and try out for a major league team again and age forty. Jim Morris is a great coach and he then is asked to do this to really show his team what he still has left inside of him. This book is a very exciting and interesting book that has many different dilemmas and altercations in it. Personally when I was reading this book I just couldn't put it down. Every page that I flipped and began reading just made me eager to keep on reading because it was very enjoyable. I have never red a book that has given me this type of feeling. I highly recommend this book to everyone that loves a great book. It doesn't matter if you love or hate baseball this book is perfect for everyone. I can't believe that this book did not win a award or something that is achieved only through a great story. This book has all the qualities of a best seller. It is exciting, interesting, and you could say even touching in a way. Throughout my whole review and summary, in conclusion I highly recommend this book to everyone and I hope anyone who is looking for an excellent book to read to really try and read, The Rookie by Joel Engel and Jim Morris. I did and I am glad that I read this book and wouldn't have been happier if I red anything else for this project.
Rating:
Summary: The Dreams of a Young Boy
Review: The Rookie is an excellent book about a middle-aged man and the love of his life. Now this love is two things and they are the woman that he has always wanted and the world's greatest pastime, Baseball. Now Jim Morris is a middle-aged teacher who use to be a pitcher of a major league baseball team and he hurt himself severely and was not able to pitch another game. So he retired from the game that he always loved to play and watch and married the love of his life. He is now enjoying his life because he is coaching a young high-school team and is married to the woman that he has always loved and cared for all his life. Jim Morris's baseball team that he is coaching doesn't really know the truth about him being a major league pitcher. However after they see him pitch a couple of pitches ranging in the mid nineties they know that with that speed he had to have been a major league pitcher. So the team and the coach put on a little side bet. The team tells the coach if they win the championships than the coach (Jim Morris) has to go and try out for a major league team again and age forty. Jim Morris is a great coach and he then is asked to do this to really show his team what he still has left inside of him. This book is a very exciting and interesting book that has many different dilemmas and altercations in it. Personally when I was reading this book I just couldn't put it down. Every page that I flipped and began reading just made me eager to keep on reading because it was very enjoyable. I have never red a book that has given me this type of feeling. I highly recommend this book to everyone that loves a great book. It doesn't matter if you love or hate baseball this book is perfect for everyone. I can't believe that this book did not win a award or something that is achieved only through a great story. This book has all the qualities of a best seller. It is exciting, interesting, and you could say even touching in a way. Throughout my whole review and summary, in conclusion I highly recommend this book to everyone and I hope anyone who is looking for an excellent book to read to really try and read, The Rookie by Joel Engel and Jim Morris. I did and I am glad that I read this book and wouldn't have been happier if I red anything else for this project.
Rating:
Summary: Morris' Cup of Coffee
Review: The story of Jim Morris, who made his major league debut at age 35 in 1999. The book covers his entire life, from his childhood obsession with balls of any sort, to the end of his 2000 season. If you've seen The Rookie, then a lot of the later part of the book will be familiar, but you will also discover Morris' road to the majors had a lot more potholes in it than were evident in Disney's kinder-and-gentler portrayal. A much more complete portrait of the man, the book is the perfect to the film. A must read for any baseball fan with an appreciation of the history of the sport.
Rating:
Summary: Shmaltzy, but you knew that already...
Review: This book is inspiring. I enjoyed it a lot. I'd have found it saccharine if it wasn't a true story. As biographies go, though this one is a keeper.
Rating:
Summary: Shmaltzy, but you knew that already...
Review: This book is inspiring. I enjoyed it a lot. I'd have found it saccharine if it wasn't a true story. As biographies go, though this one is a keeper.
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