Once An Athlete Steps Away

ONCE AN ATHLETE STEPS AWAY from competitive sports it’s hard for him to regain his form. But in 1999, Jim Morris discovered he still had what it took.

When injuries forced the pitcher to retire at age 25, he entered Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas. He walked on to the Division II football team and led the nation in punting. But pro football scouts weren’t interested, so Morris earned his degree and began coaching and teaching at a West Texas high school. Morris limited his baseball activity to throwing batting practice for his team.

But after seeing and feeling his coach’s stinging fastball, catcher Joel DeLaGarza presented a challenge to Morris and his teammates. If the Owls captured the district title, their coach would have to attend a major league tryout.

Morris agreed, thinking a little motivation wouldn’t hurt but never believing his team could do it. But the Owls won, fulfilling their end of the bargain. So the ex-minor leaguer attended a Tampa Bay Devil Rays camp. When the 35-year-old took the mound, his first pitch registered 94 mph. The rest followed at 96 to 98. Scout Doug Gassaway shook his head in wonder.

After Morris’s second tryout, the Devil Rays inked him to a minor league contract and shipped him to their AA club. A few weeks later, Tampa Bay promoted him to AAA. And in September, Morris suited up for the big show.

He joined the Devil Rays in Arlington to face the Texas Rangers. With most of his players and nearly the entire town of Big Lake watching, the former coach entered the game with two out in the eighth. Relying on his blazing fastball, he struck out Royce Clayton on four pitches—all strikes.

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POINT At age 35, Morris became the second oldest rookie pitcher in the majors. He credited his success to the long rest plus a smooth motion that allowed him to pitch every day. But his achievement really came because he followed his dream and was thankful for every opportunity he received.

God gives us dreams, but sometimes they don’t come true right away. But we need to be thankful no matter what.

GOAL! Watch the movie The Rookie about Jim Morris’s life. Think about your dreams. God can help you wait for his timing for your dreams to come true.