High school coach goes for league of his own
by Nick Nance, reporter

    Based on a true story, The Rookie tells the story of a coach from Big Lake, Texas, living his dreams as a major league pitcher.

   Jim Morris (Den-nis Quaid) never made it out of the minor leagues because of a shoulder injury and retired from baseball in 1989. He settled down and had children.

   Morris became a baseball coach and chemistry teacher at the high school in Big Lake, Texas, where he coached a baseball team that had not had a winning season in his tenure as coach.

   One day during batting practice, his son and other team members inspire him to pitch. When his team witnesses first hand how well he can pitch, they attempt to get Morris to try out for a major league team.

   He battles with remaining at home providing for his wife Lorri (Rachel Griffiths) and their children and following his dream.

   In 1999 he offers the team members a challenge: if they win the rest of their games and win the district championship, he will try out for a major league team.

   The team begins to play at its peak, and Morris’ team wins the district title. For the first time in the school’s history, they go to the state playoffs.

   In an inspirational scene, each team member tells him it is now his turn to carry out his part of the bargain.

   The day comes for Morris to try out. To minimize the disappointments, he does everything he can to keep his wife from finding out about his try-out. His wife is busy and unable to watch their children, so he is forced to take them with him.

   When Morris arrives, he is nearly laughed off the field. When he begins to pitch, he amazes the scouts and himself by throwing numerous pitches clocked at 98 mph.

   Before he can even make it home, he receives calls to pitch for more scouts. The family decision then must be made: to chase his dream or to stay home and provide for his family.

   Morris decides to do what he has always dreamed. Signed by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays’ minor-league team, and begins his journey through the minor leagues.

   With his dreams becoming reality, he experiences the difficulty players face to make it to the majors. Morris decides that one season in the minors is all he will be able to endure.

   With the season winding down and hopes of being called up to the majors growing dimmer by the day, he gets the news he’s been called up.

   With his first game in the majors against the Texas Rangers, Morris makes an emotional homecoming. Everyone he knows, including his father, joins in.

   Quaid’s portrayal of Morris holds the audience in and drags them though every high and low, getting them to cry with a smile.

   The true story of Jim Morris is not only an inspiration to sports fans but to anyone who has ever dreamed.