The Rookie (2002 film) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Rookie
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	John Lee Hancock
Produced by	Mark Ciardi Gordon Gray Mark Johnson
Written by	Mike Rich
Starring	Dennis Quaid Rachel Griffiths Jay Hernandez Brian Cox
Music by	Carter Burwell
Cinematography	John Schwartzman
Editing by	Eric L. Beason
Studio	Walt Disney Pictures Gran Via
Distributed by	Buena Vista Pictures
Release date(s)	March 29, 2002 (2002-03-29)
Running time	128 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$22 million
Money made	$80.7 million

The Rookie is an exciting American sports drama film from 2002. It was directed by John Lee Hancock and made by Walt Disney Pictures. The movie tells the amazing true story of Jim Morris. He was a high school teacher and baseball coach who made his dream come true by playing in Major League Baseball at the age of 35! The film stars Dennis Quaid as Jim Morris, along with Rachel Griffiths, Jay Hernandez, and Brian Cox.

Discover the Story: Jim Morris's Journey

This section tells you all about the movie's plot and Jim Morris's incredible journey.

Early Life and a Broken Dream

Jim Morris grew up as the son of a Navy man, which meant his family moved around a lot. They ended up in Big Lake, Texas. Jim loved baseball and was a very talented pitcher. But his father didn't think playing baseball was a good career choice. In Big Lake, people loved football more than baseball, so Jim couldn't even play in high school. Later, he got a chance when the Milwaukee Brewers drafted him to play professionally. Sadly, he injured his shoulder, and his dream of playing in the big leagues seemed to be over.

A Coach's Promise to His Team

Years later, in 1999, Jim was married with three children. He worked as a science teacher and was the head baseball coach for the Big Lake Owls high school team. His team wasn't doing very well. The players were skilled but didn't have much motivation, and the community didn't support them much.

One day, after practice, the team's catcher noticed something special. Jim could still throw a baseball incredibly fast! The rest of the team soon saw it too. The Owls believed Jim could still make it to the major leagues. They made a deal with him: If the team won their district and made it to the state playoffs, Jim would try out for a professional team again. Jim agreed! The team also asked him to use his super-fast pitch during batting practice, which helped them become much better hitters.

The Big Tryout and a New Chance

The Big Lake Owls worked hard and ended up winning their district! After their final win, the team reminded Jim that it was his turn to keep his promise. Even though the Owls lost in the state tournament, Jim heard about a tryout nearby for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Jim went to the tryout without telling his wife, Lorri. He was worried she would be afraid of him hurting his shoulder again. At the tryout, professional scouts were amazed. Jim could throw the baseball at 98 miles per hour, over and over again! The main scout told Jim he could sign a deal to play in the minor leagues.

Lorri found out when she got phone messages from the scouts. At first, she wasn't sure about Jim leaving, thinking about his family duties. But when she saw how much Jim was inspiring their son, Hunter, she gave him her blessing. Jim also told his father, with whom he had a difficult relationship. His father tried to talk him out of it, saying it was time to focus on what he was "meant to do."

Climbing the Ladder to the Majors

Jim started playing for a minor league team called the Orlando Rays. He quickly moved up to a higher minor league team, the Durham Bulls. Playing in the minor leagues didn't pay much, and Jim worried about his family's bills. He almost gave up and went home. But Lorri convinced him not to quit again. Jim found his inspiration again when he watched a Little League game, remembering how much he loved baseball as a kid.

A Dream Comes True: The Big League Debut

In September, Jim got the amazing news: The Major League team had called him up! They were going to play in Texas against the Rangers. Jim called his family, and soon the whole town knew the exciting news.

Jim's family, his high school players, and many people from his town came to the game. Jim impressed the coaches with his fastball during warm-ups. Late in the game, with Tampa Bay losing, Jim was called in to pitch. He faced a batter named Royce Clayton and struck him out with three super-fast pitches!

After the game, reporters interviewed Jim. He saw his father in the crowd. Jim's father told him how special it was to see his son play in the major leagues. Jim thanked him and gave him the baseball from his strikeout. Their relationship finally became strong again. Jim then met with his family and all the townspeople who had come to cheer him on.

Jim's Legacy and Return to Teaching

The movie ends by showing the Big Lake high school trophy case, where Jim's Major League jersey is proudly displayed. The film mentions that Jim played in the major leagues for two seasons before he retired and went back to teaching in Texas.

Meet the Cast: Who Played Who?

Here are the main actors and the characters they played in The Rookie:

• Dennis Quaid as Jim Morris
• Rachel Griffiths as Lorri Morris (Jim's wife)
• Jay Hernandez as Joaquin 'Wack' Campos (one of Jim's high school players)
• Beth Grant as Olline
• Angus T. Jones as Hunter Morris (Jim's son)
• Brian Cox as Jim Morris Sr. (Jim's father)
• Rick Gonzalez as Rudy Bonilla (Owls pitcher)
• Chad Lindberg as Joe David Werst
• Angelo Spizzirri as Joel De La Garza (Owls catcher)
• Royce D. Applegate as Henry
• Russell Richardson as Brooks
• Raynor Scheine as Frank
• David Blackwell as Cal
• Chris Sheffield as Snow Covered Catcher
• Blue Deckert as Baseball Scout Dave Patterson
• Danny Kamin as Durham Manager Mac
• Mike Smith as Fan
• Kyle Christensen as Baseball Player
• Robbie Bigelow as Beefcake Bigelow
• Jim Morris as Orlando Umpire #2 (the real Jim Morris has a cameo!)
• Trevor Morgan as young Jimmy (uncredited)

Filming Locations: Where the Magic Happened

The Rookie was filmed mostly in North and Central Texas. Here are some of the places used:

• The city of Thorndale, Texas, was used to create the small town of Big Lake in the movie. The inside and outside of Thorndale High School and its baseball field became Big Lake High School. Thorndale's main street was also used a lot.
• Nearby Thrall High School in Thrall, Texas, was used for several different scenes. Its baseball field was used for "away" games. Thrall's football stadium became Big Lake's stadium.
• A scene that was supposed to be in Florida, in front of a motel, was actually filmed in Taylor, Texas.
• The Bulls game was filmed in Round Rock, Texas at the Dell Diamond.
• The tryout scenes were filmed at Taylor High School in Taylor, Texas.
• The Orlando Rays game was shot at Austin ISD's Nelson Field.

See also

In Spanish: El novato para niños