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home > speaker biographies
speaker biographies
Speaker
JIM MORRIS
Subjects
sports achievement
Video Clip
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Jim Morris’ Cinderella story is
testimony to the power of dreams and their ability to inspire and
transform human life. Originally a top prospect, Jim’s dream of
becoming a major league player was derailed by serious arm injuries
before he got out of the lower minors. Instead, Jim got married,
raised a family of three, and got his college degree before becoming
a high school science teacher and baseball coach in West Texas. His
baseball career was reduced to playing in beer leagues and throwing
batting practice to his high school baseball team.
At the age of 35 and some 11 years after retiring from minor league
ball, Jim was giving a speech to his high school team about the
importance of dreams and hard work when his players challenged him
to pursue his dream of pitching in the major leagues. Jim made his
last place team the following bet: if they won the district
championship, he would try out for a major league team. The bet was
born.
Inspired, Jim’s team fulfilled their part of the bargain, which
committed Jim to a big league tryout, where he miraculously threw 12
consecutive pitches at a rate of 98 mph, almost 10 mph harder than
he had some 15 years earlier. After just three months in the minors
and with his family and students in attendance, Jim returned to
Texas as a major league player and struck out all-star Royce Clayton
with a 98 mph fastball in his first big league game.
Jim’s Cinderella story is the subject of the Walt Disney film “The
Rookie” starring Dennis Quaid. His biography “The Rookie,” is also
available from Warner Books and the original hardcover, “The Oldest
Rookie” is also available in bookstores. The real like “Rocky”,
Jim’s story strikes a chord with all types of audiences. A
schoolteacher by trade, Jim is a lovable storyteller whose miracle
story captivates and inspires audiences to never give up on a dream.
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